Eagle of the Watch MTG Card
Text of card
Flying, vigilance
"Even from miles away, I could see our eagles circling. That's when I gave the command to pick up the pace. I knew we were needed at home." —Kanlos, Akroan captain
Cards like Eagle of the Watch
Eagle of the Watch is a flying creature that MTG players often compare to others with similar abilities and costs. It stands out among its airborne peers by providing vigilance alongside its ability to fly, allowing it to attack without tapping. A common card to contrast with Eagle of the Watch is Healer’s Hawk. Despite being smaller, Healer’s Hawk offers lifelink, which can give a subtle but significant edge in life-dominant strategies.
Another card worth mentioning is Concordia Pegasus. Similar to Eagle of the Watch, it sports the flying ability but lacks vigilance. However, it compensates with a lower casting cost, making it a viable option earlier in the game. The Celestial Messenger, though a bit heavier on the mana scale, brings both flying and flash to the table, giving players surprise defensive capabilities alongside offensive potential.
When evaluating flying creatures in the same mana range, Eagle of the Watch holds a unique position. With balanced power and toughness, alongside vigilance, it offers an aggressive stance while maintaining a defensive posture, making it a staple for those seeking to preserve board presence while continuously applying pressure from the skies.
Cards similar to Eagle of the Watch by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Eagle of the Watch doesn’t directly grant card advantage in the traditional sense, as it doesn’t allow you to draw more cards. However, it offers valuable board presence with its flying ability, enabling it to bypass ground creatures and maintain offensive pressure, which can be indirectly advantageous.
Resource Acceleration: While not a card that directly accelerates resources, the cost-effectiveness of Eagle of the Watch allows for a smooth curve-out in MTG play. Deploying a threat in the air on turn three can segue into more impactful plays. It complements decks that aim to optimize mana utilization at each stage of the game.
Instant Speed: Eagle of the Watch operates at sorcery speed, but its vigilance trait ensures that it remains both an offensive threat and a defensive asset without requiring additional mana investment. This allows players to maintain optimal mana availability for other instant-speed interactions, ensuring they’re never caught off guard.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Eagle of the Watch requires a specific mana combination to cast, demanding two white mana in its cost. This can potentially restrict the card’s inclusion only to decks that are heavy in white mana or have a solid mana base to reliably produce the needed colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the casting cost of three mana for a 2/1 flying creature, Eagle of the Watch may be considered costly. There are other creatures that offer more power or additional abilities for a similar or lower cost, providing a better return on investment for the mana spent.
Discard Requirement: Although Eagle of the Watch does not have a discard requirement itself, being a non-impactful card in the late-game often makes it a candidate for discarding when needing to dig for more powerful cards or when required by other card effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Eagle of the Watch stands as a reliable creature that can be slotted into a variety of white decks. With flying as an inherent ability, it serves as both an offensive threat and a defensive blocker against non-flying creatures.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that capitalize on flying creatures. Its ability to take to the skies makes it a solid candidate for decks centered around air superiority and cards enhancing flying creatures.
Meta-Relevance: Given its nature as a flying creature, Eagle of the Watch can often evade common ground-based removals and blockers. In metas where ground forces prevail, having aerial assets can provide a distinct advantage, making this card a strategic addition to your collection.
How to beat Eagle of the Watch
Eagle of the Watch is an evasive creature card pulling its weight in aerial combat decks. With flying as its primary ability, this creature makes for a reliable attacker in the skies. Yet, every card has its counterplay, and understanding how to ground this vigilant bird can tip the game in your favor.
To counter this feathery foe, consider spells or abilities that negate flying, forcing the creature to contend on the battlefield where it’s more vulnerable. Constructs such as Archetype of Imagination can strip flying from all opposing creatures, nullifying the Eagle’s advantage. For more direct solutions, look towards removal spells. Targeted removals like Doom Blade or broader solutions such as Day of Judgment can easily clear the board of flyers like Eagle of the Watch without much hassle.
Moreover, introducing creatures with “reach” into your lineup provides a standing threat against flying assailants. Cards like Silklash Spider not only block flyers but can also wipe them out. Finally, pacing your plays to ensure mana is available for instant-speed responses will keep your opponent’s aerial threats at bay. With the right strategy, ensuring those eagles don’t soar unchecked is entirely feasible.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Eagle of the Watch MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx and Magic Origins, 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 Eagle of the Watch and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Eagle of the Watch Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-05-02 and 2015-07-17. Illustrated by Scott Murphy.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-05-02 | Journey into Nyx | JOU | 9 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy | |
| 2 | 2015-07-17 | Magic Origins | ORI | 275 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott Murphy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Eagle of the Watch has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.