Beacon Hawk MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying
Released	2006-05-05
Set symbol
Set name	Dissension
Set code	DIS
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	3
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	William Simpson

Key Takeaways

Supports card advantage by untapping creatures, optimizing board presence, and enabling repeated ability usage.
Can accelerate resources by utilizing creatures’ tap abilities without additional mana costs in MTG.
Refreshes key creatures using untap ability at end of opponent’s turn, surprising opponents with unexpected plays.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Beacon Hawk deals combat damage to a player, you may untap target creature. : Beacon Hawk gets +0/+1 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Beacon Hawk offers a nuanced form of card advantage by allowing you to untap target creature, potentially reusing abilities that can lead to drawing or returning cards to your hand. This can be a subtle yet effective way to maintain pressure and a presence on the board while making every creature count.

Resource Acceleration: The resource acceleration potential of Beacon Hawk lies in its synergy with cards that benefit from untapping. By leveraging the Hawk’s ability, you can effectively multiply the use of other cards’ tapped abilities within the same turn, accelerating your available resources and options without extra mana costs.

Instant Speed: Though Beacon Hawk’s abilities are not at instant speed, its capacity to untap another creature can be utilized at the end of your opponent’s turn. This tactical play keeps your defenses up during their turn and can surprise an unwary opponent by refreshing key creatures for unexpected blocks or ability uses.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Beacon Hawk necessitates the presence of another effect or action to utilize its untap ability. This can pose a hindrance during gameplay when you’re unable to meet this prerequisite, essentially negating the potential benefits provided by the card.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana required to summon Beacon Hawk consists of white mana, which may restrict its integration into multicolored decks that do not focus heavily on white mana. This limitation can hinder the card’s versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Beacon Hawk offers a unique combination of abilities, its casting and activation costs may not align with the economy of the game. Players might find similar or lower-cost creatures with comparable effects more conducive to efficient deck construction and strategy execution.

Reasons to Include Beacon Hawk in Your Collection

Versatility: Beacon Hawk is a flexible addition to any collection due to its ability to fit within a wide array of white-based decks. Its ability to untap creatures provides strategic advantages in both offense and defense.

Combo Potential: With Beacon Hawk’s untap ability, it synchronizes well with cards that have potent tap effects. This can lead to unexpected and powerful combinations, enabling players to maximize their on-board resources each turn.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where small creatures can make a significant impact, Beacon Hawk shines. Its lifelink ability allows players to stay in the game longer against aggressive opponents by providing a recurring source of life gain.

How to beat

Beacon Hawk is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that can present a challenge due to its combination of flying and the ability to untap a target creature. To effectively counter this card, understanding the surrounding deck strategy is critical. Removal spells are the most direct method to handle Beacon Hawk—especially those that can target flying creatures. Cards like Fatal Push, for instance, can eliminate Beacon Hawk with precision, as it’s a low-cost creature.

Another tactic is to weaken the Hawk’s synergy by focusing on preventing its untap ability. Cards that restrict creature activations, like Linvala, Keeper of Silence, can stop Beacon Hawk from untapping other creatures and disrupt the opponent’s strategy. Finally, leveraging instant-speed spells during your opponent’s turn ensures Beacon Hawk’s buffs do not lead to a strong offensive play. Prioritizing the removal or containment of Beacon Hawk can ensure that this versatile flier doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.

Strategic play, targeted removal, and control elements are key to overcoming the potential advantage Beacon Hawk brings to the battlefield. By anticipating and preparing for creatures like Beacon Hawk, you can maintain the upper hand and navigate towards victory.

Cards like Beacon Hawk

Beacon Hawk is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that offers a blend of aerial prowess and life-gain mechanics. Its similarities to other cards like Squadron Hawk can be noted, as both share the flying ability and are low-cost creatures designed to synergize with other cards in play. Squadron Hawk, however, leans more on deck thinning by allowing you to fetch other copies of itself when played.

When comparing Beacon Hawk to Healer’s Hawk, we see a shared life-link ability which strengthens a player’s staying power during the game. Healer’s Hawk is simpler, being a single white mana creature, making it more immediately accessible than Beacon Hawk. Yet, Beacon Hawk boasts the additional utility of untapping target creature, which can lead to strategic plays and unexpected combos within a match.

Evaluating Beacon Hawk against its peers reveals its niche role, especially in decks focused on life-gain strategies or those that utilize tapping and untapping synergies. The ability to manipulate the state of creatures coupled with life-link makes Beacon Hawk a versatile ally on the battlefield, carving out its own identity among MTG’s flying creatures.

Cards similar to Beacon Hawk by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Beacon Hawk MTG card by a specific set like Dissension, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Beacon Hawk and other MTG cards: