Ebony Fly MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact
Released	2021-07-23
Set symbol
Set name	Forgotten Realms Commander
Set code	AFC
Number	60
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jarel Threat

Key Takeaways

Boosts card advantage by enabling unblockable attacks and synergies with blue spells.
Accelerates resources, crucial for deploying threats or casting instant spells effectively.
Cons include a discard requirement and a specific mana cost, limiting versatility.

Text of card

Ebony Fly enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . : Roll a d6. Until end of turn, you may have Ebony Fly become an X/X Insect artifact creature with flying, where X is the result. Whenever Ebony Fly attacks, another target attacking creature gains flying until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Ebony Fly card offers the potential to create a substantial advantage in your matchup. Once transformed into a creature, its ability to become unblockable when powered up by mana can give you consistent combat damage. This translates into drawing cards if paired with certain blue spells or abilities, keeping your hand flush with options.

Resource Acceleration: As a mana-producing artifact, Ebony Fly provides you with additional mana resources. This acceleration can be crucial in the mid to late game, allowing you to deploy more threats or hold up mana for crucial instant spells while still developing your board presence.

Instant Speed: While the activation of Ebony Fly’s creature transformation isn’t at instant speed, it synergizes well with abilities and spells that are. Having it on the field means you can respond to your opponent’s moves by converting it at the last moment, ensuring you use your mana efficiently and react in the most advantageous way.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Ebony Fly requires a player to exile a card from their hand in order to utilize its activated ability. This may lead to a loss of valuable hand resources, especially in game situations where hand size is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Activating the second ability of Ebony Fly demands two generic and one black mana. This specific mana requirement could potentially limit its integration in multi-colored decks that might struggle to meet the black mana condition on a consistent basis.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three for a 1/1 artifact creature, Ebony Fly’s cost is on the higher side when compared to other mana artifacts or creatures with similar or better abilities. This might deter players from including it in decks that favor cost efficiency over thematic elements.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Ebony Fly can be seamlessly integrated into various deck builds, serving as an accelerator by providing additional mana. Its ability to transform into a creature lends flexibility on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: As both an artifact and a creature, this card can synergize with strategies that capitalize on artifact manipulation or require creature-based triggers for combinatorial plays.

Meta-Relevance: With artifact strategies often at the forefront of competitive play, incorporating the Ebony Fly can give players an edge in resource management and board presence.

How to beat

The Ebony Fly is a unique artifact creature card that can catch many players off guard in Magic: The Gathering. Boasting the ability to turn into a flying creature with a boost in power and toughness, it poses a tactical advantage. To effectively counter this card, prioritize removal spells that can target artifacts or creature cards. Versatile removal such as Disenchant or Abrade can dismantle the Ebony Fly before it transforms or while it’s still a creature without incurring any summoning sickness disadvantages.

It is also beneficial to keep board wipes handy. Cards like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the board of creatures, including any animated version of the Ebony Fly. For those not wanting to resort to board wipes, instant-speed removal spells allow you to wait for an opponent to invest resources into the Ebony Fly and then remove it before they get any use out of it. Direct damage spells such as Lightning Bolt can be particularly effective while the Fly is in creature form due to its relatively low toughness.

Additionally, anticipating your opponent’s plays and holding up mana for counterspells can prevent the Ebony Fly from hitting the battlefield in the first place. Remember that timing and strategic foresight will be your allies in grounding this pesky artifact creature.

BurnMana Recommendations

Embracing the tactical duality that the Ebony Fly presents can be a game-changer in your MTG arsenal. As you’ve seen, its well-balanced features between mana source and aerial threat make it a noteworthy inclusion in many deck types. Whether you’re pushing for mid-game dominance or seeking a versatile piece for artifact interactions, this card stands ready to support your strategy. Dive deeper into the rich strategy and card analysis to enhance your plays and collection. Ready to amplify your gaming experience and discover more MTG treasures? Visit us to sharpen your skills and optimize your deck’s performance with standout cards like the Ebony Fly.

Cards like Ebony Fly

The Ebony Fly from Magic: The Gathering stands out in the pantheon of artifact creatures. Comparable to other mana-efficient artifacts like the Golden Egg, both offer versatility in their ability to provide mana or life gain when needed. However, the Ebony Fly takes flight with its unique ability to become a creature with flying, a strategic advantage over the static utility of the Golden Egg.

Diving deeper into the pool of artifacts, we find the Skyclave Relic. This card can also be a mana source and even has the indestructible trait, enhancing its survivability. Nonetheless, it lacks the mobility and offensive potential afforded by the Ebony Fly’s transformation into a flying creature. Another artifact, the Mind Stone, allows players to draw a card by sacrificing it, which the Ebony Fly doesn’t offer, but again, it doesn’t compare in terms of offering a creature that can press an airborne advantage.

When looking at functionality and combat potential, the Ebony Fly achieves an ideal balance of mana augmentation and tactical offense within the game, securing its spot as a high-value card for players who value flexibility and board presence.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ebony Fly MTG card by a specific set like Forgotten Realms Commander, 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 Ebony Fly and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ebony Fly has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-07-23	An ability that tells you to roll a die will also specify what to do with the result of that roll. Most often, this is in the form of a “results table” in the card text.
2021-07-23	An effect that says “choose a target, then roll a d20” or similar still uses the normal process of putting an ability on the stack and resolving it. Choosing targets is part of putting the ability on the stack and rolling the d20 happens later, as the ability resolves.
2021-07-23	Dice are identified by the number of faces each one has. For example, a d20 is a twenty-sided die.
2021-07-23	Dice used must have equally likely outcomes and the roll must be fair. Although physical dice are recommended, digital substitutes are allowed, provided they have the same number of equally likely outcomes as specified in the original roll instruction.
2021-07-23	Some abilities, like that of Pixie Guide and Barbarian Class, replace rolling a die with rolling extra dice and ignoring the lowest roll. The ignored rolls are not considered for the effect that instructed you to roll a die, and do not cause abilities to trigger. For all intents and purposes, once you determine which dice count, any extra dice were never rolled.
2021-07-23	Some effects instruct you to roll again. This uses the same number and type of dice as the original roll, and that roll will use the same set of possible outcomes.
2021-07-23	Some effects may modify the result of a die roll. This may be part of the instruction to roll a die or it may come from other cards. Anything that references the “result” of a die roll is looking for the result after these modifications. Anything that is looking for the “natural result” is looking for the number shown on the face of the die before these modifications.
2021-07-23	The instruction to roll a die and the effect that occurs because of the result are all part of the same ability. Players do not get the chance to respond to the ability after knowing the result of the roll.
2021-07-23	Tournament events have more specific rules regarding dice and die-rolling. For more information, please see the most recent version of the Magic Tournament Rules at https://wpn.wizards.com/en/document/magic-gathering-tournament-rules.
2021-07-23	While playing Planechase, rolling the planar die will cause any ability that triggers whenever a player rolls one or more dice to trigger. However, any effect that refers to a numerical result will ignore the rolling of the planar die.