Empyrean Eagle MTG Card


Increase creature value by giving your flying army across-the-board stat boosts, strengthening your combat strategy. Enhance battlefield presence instantly, enabling advantageous combat states and reactionary play opportunities. Consider mana costs and deck synergy to fully harness Empyrean Eagle’s potential in your MTG collection.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Bird Spirit
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 3

Text of card

Flying Other creatures you control with flying get +1/+1.

All the birds of the skies are the spirit's brood, gathered for safety under its wings.


Cards like Empyrean Eagle

Empyrean Eagle soars high in the realm of creature buffs in Magic: The Gathering. It’s often weighed against other cards like Favorable Winds, a well-known enchantment that grants all flying creatures you control +1/+1. However, Empyrean Eagle stands out by being a creature itself, offering a body on the board in addition to the static buff. Favorable Winds lacks this tactical advantage.

Another card within the same feathered flock is Thunderclap Wyvern. While it also boosts flying creatures’ power and toughness, it comes with flash, allowing for surprise defensive plays. But it’s the Eagle’s lower mana cost that gives players an earlier and potentially game-changing advantage. Sephara, Sky’s Blade demands attention too. It not only provides a significant +1/+1 bonus to your flyers but also grants them indestructible. Its higher cost, however, makes Empyrean Eagle a more versatile choice for deck strategies favoring early board presence and tempo.

Comparing these options, Empyrean Eagle claims a prestigious spot among creatures that empower flying strategies, with its cost-efficient presence and the immediate impact it brings to the skies of Magic: The Gathering.

Favorable Winds - MTG Card versions
Thunderclap Wyvern - MTG Card versions
Sephara, Sky's Blade - MTG Card versions
Favorable Winds - MTG Card versions
Thunderclap Wyvern - MTG Card versions
Sephara, Sky's Blade - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Empyrean Eagle. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius SpiritsAzorius Spirits PioneerAzorius Spirits#26 Last Chance Qualifier: Pioneer
Bant SpiritsBant Spirits PioneerBant Spirits21Champions Cup Final Season 2 Round 1
Azorius TempoAzorius Tempo PioneerAzorius SpiritsSun. 10AM Pioneer 10k Open 8-Slot RCQ - DreamHack Atlanta 2023
Esper AggroEsper Aggro GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Bant FlashBant Flash PioneerBant FlashPioneer Challenge 64 2023-12-15
All Other DecklistsAll Other Decklists PioneerAzorius SpiritsSat. 9:30 AM U.S. Regional Championship - Dreamhack Atlanta 2023

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Empyrean Eagle may not draw you additional cards directly, but by buffing your entire flying army, it effectively increases the value of each creature you control. This can be critical in edging out the competition during aerial combat.

Resource Acceleration: While the Eagle itself doesn’t produce mana or ramp, its mere presence can accelerate your game plan. Your flying creatures become more formidable, potentially shortening the time it takes to dispatch your opponent.

Instant Speed: Empyrean Eagle operates at sorcery speed as a creature. However, its powerful static ability influences the battlefield the moment it hits, akin to an instant impact. In addition, this can set up favorable states on your board to capitalize on during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Empyrean Eagle does not impose a discard obligation, but in a scenario where enhancing your flying creatures is not pivotal, it may feel like a card slot that could have been allocated to a more contextually beneficial spell or creature.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that necessitates both white and blue mana, Empyrean Eagle can be challenging to play in multicolor decks that may not consistently have the right mana sources accessible. This can lead to the card being a dead draw if mana fixing isn’t established.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, including two that are color-specific, Empyrean Eagle’s investment might appear steep, especially in fast-paced games where lower-cost creatures could provide more immediate board presence or where the benefit to other flying creatures might not justify the cost in your early game strategy.


Reasons to Include Empyrean Eagle in Your Collection

Versatility: Epmhyrean Eagle serves an essential role in flyers or bird-themed decks. It’s an excellent inclusion in decks that focus on aerial superiority, providing a vital power and toughness boost to all other flying creatures you control.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in synergistic interactions, especially when combined with other cards that benefit flying creatures. Its ability to empower a squadron of flyers means that any creature with wings becomes a significantly larger threat to your opponents.

Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s impact in aerial strategies, it can be particularly potent in metagames where flying creatures are prevalent or when the field lacks substantial flying defense. Empyrean Eagle finds its niche, turning an assembly of modest flyers into a formidable force.


How to beat Empyrean Eagle

Empyrean Eagle carves its niche in MTG as a flying creature that elevates your aerial offensive by boosting other creatures with flying. This makes it a staple in decks focusing on flying synergies. Eying its 2/3 frame, one might think it fragile, yet it often sits just outside the reach of popular damage-based removal spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt when buffing is factored in. However, there are strategies to ground this bird and dampen its impact.

First, removing the Eagle as soon as it hits the battlefield is key. Spells like Fatal Push or Bloodchief’s Thirst can dispatch it efficiently before buffs take effect. Also, countering it upon casting with a Negate or Essence Scatter places you a step ahead. Board wipes are another effective answer, with Wrath of God or Damnation resetting the field. Lastly, breaking the deck’s flying synergy—by deploying your own flying blockers or using Archetype of Imagination to strip the advantage—can tilt the battlefield to your favor.

Ultimately, understanding the strength and timing of Empyrean Eagle in your opponent’s strategy allows you to anticipate and counteract this high-flying threat effectively, maintaining control over the game’s skies.


BurnMana Recommendations

Empyrean Eagle is more than a creature; it’s a linchpin for flying-focused decks. As you refine your collection, consider its potential not only as a standalone card but as the cornerstone of a strategically layered flying offense. Its ability to bolster your entire aerial assault can shift the momentum in your favor. Interested in strengthening your flock or soaring to new heights in your MTG matches? Dive in and discover how Empyrean Eagle and similar cards can elevate your gameplay. We’re here to provide insights and strategies to help you harness the skies. Learn more and spread your wings toward victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Empyrean Eagle MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2020 and The List, 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 Empyrean Eagle and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Empyrean Eagle Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-07-12 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 2082015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
22020-09-26The ListPLST M20-2082015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
32021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 852015NormalBlackRyan Yee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Empyrean Eagle has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Empyrean Eagle card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2019-07-12 Because damage remains marked on a creature until it’s removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to other creatures you control with flying may become lethal if Empyrean Eagle leaves the battlefield during that turn.