Welkin Hawk MTG Card


Welkin Hawk - Exodus
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying
Released1998-06-15
Set symbol
Set nameExodus
Set codeEXO
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number25
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRob Alexander

Key Takeaways

  1. Welkin Hawk’s death triggers a search for another, ensuring aerial presence without extra mana costs.
  2. While its abilities add strategic value, the card’s limitations may hamper deck flexibility and efficiency.
  3. Given its unique ability to replace itself, Welkin Hawk can be a resilient component in certain MTG decks.

Text of card

Flying If Welkin Hawk is put into any graveyard from play, you may search your library for a Welkin Hawk card, reveal that card to all players, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: This flying creature can create a self-replenishing army by allowing you to search for another Welkin Hawk upon death, essentially replacing itself and potentially providing a steady flow of aerial threats.

Resource Acceleration: While Welkin Hawk doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the ability to reliably place a creature on the battlefield after one falls can save mana in the long run. By strategically blocking or attacking, you ensure your board presence without spending additional mana from your hand.

Instant Speed: While Welkin Hawk’s ability doesn’t operate at instant speed, the fact that it triggers upon death means it plays nicely with instant speed removal or combat tricks. This can lead to favorable exchanges during combat on your opponent’s turn, making Welkin Hawk a versatile component in any strategic engagement.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Welkin Hawk doesn’t mandate a direct discard from your hand, its benefit upon death requires another copy in your deck to get value. This might necessitate having multiple copies, increasing the chance of drawing an ineffective card when deck slots could be utilized for more impactful choices.

Specific Mana Cost: Welkin Hawk’s casting cost is entirely in white mana, which can restrict deck-building options. This monocolored demand limits the flexibility in multicolored decks, potentially reducing its playability across the broader spectrum of formats.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature with its abilities, a casting cost of one generic and one white mana can be considered steep. Considering the power and toughness are both 1, there are alternative creatures offering more value or utility for the same, or lower, mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Welkin Hawk offers a unique role in various deck styles, notably in those leveraging creature recursion strategies or needing a reliable flying blocker to deter airborne threats.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with effects that allow you to recycle creatures from your graveyard, as its ability ensures you will always have access to a flying creature when you need one, thus enabling seamless execution of your deck’s synergies.

Meta-Relevance: With an evolving meta that values efficient mana curves and impactful two-drops, Welkin Hawk can be a smart inclusion to maintain board presence and pressure against opponents, particularly in more tempo-oriented games.


How to beat

Welkin Hawk presents a quaint challenge in MTG, resembling the tactical nuances a creature card with flying can introduce into gameplay. This bird offers a specific recurrence ability, setting it apart from many other cards. When Welkin Hawk dies, it allows you to search your library for another card with the same name and put it into your hand, ensuring that players can maintain aerial threats over multiple turns.

Countering Welkin Hawk requires strategic planning, reminiscent of tackling creatures like Squadron Hawk which also provides a way to fill your hand with creature copies. However, unlike Squadron Hawk, Welkin Hawk does not stock your hand immediately, offering a window to disrupt this chain. The most effective way to beat Welkin Hawk is by utilizing graveyard disruption tools or exile effects to prevent repeated search and cast cycles. Cards such as Scavenging Ooze or Leyline of the Void can hinder the bird’s ability to keep coming back, securing your aerial defense lines.

Therefore, maintaining control over recurring threats such as the Welkin Hawk is essential for a stable defense. By employing the right mix of graveyard management and exile effects, you can effectively neutralize such flyers and keep your skies clear for victory.


Cards like Welkin Hawk

Welkin Hawk presents a unique spot in the MTG roster of creatures, sharing kinship with Avian counterparts like Squadron Hawk. Like Welkin Hawk, Squadron Hawk comes with the advantage of searching your library for additional copies of itself, ensuring a steady stream of fliers. Albeit lacking the self-replacing ability upon death, Squadron Hawk compensates by building up your hand when it hits the field.

Stormfront Pigeon is another bird from the flock to consider. It also carries the echo of flight but boasts a toughness superior to Welkin Hawk’s. It doesn’t recycle itself from the graveyard to the library, but it can withstand more damage in combat.

Mistral Charger, though devoid of any companion-fetching features, is deceptively stronger in certain deck builds due to its simplicity and evasion. It shares the same mana cost with Welkin Hawk, but without the built-in recursion mechanic, it focuses purely on combat efficiency in the skies.

With its graceful recursive mechanic that perpetuates card advantage, Welkin Hawk holds a distinct place amongst MTG’s flying creatures, providing enduring value in gameplay that emphasizes resilience and aerial domination.

Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Mistral Charger - MTG Card versions
Squadron Hawk - Magic 2011 (M11)
Mistral Charger - Dissension (DIS)

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

White Knight - MTG Card versions
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Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
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Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
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White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Welkin Hawk MTG card by a specific set like Exodus, 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 Welkin Hawk and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Welkin Hawk has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 You do not have to find a Welkin Hawk card if you do not want to.

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