Healer's Hawk MTG Card


Lifelink and flying make Healer’s Hawk a potent early game contributor, pressuring opponents and gaining life. Despite lacking discard synergy, it’s a strategic piece in mono-white or white-leaning decks in MTG. It’s an essential pick for its versatility, combo potential, and relevance in current fast-paced gameplay.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying,Lifelink
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying, lifelink

The wounded see the glow of its vials long before they see its wings diving out of the clouds.


Cards like Healer's Hawk

Healer’s Hawk offers players of Magic: The Gathering a unique blend of early aggression and lifegain potential. Comparable to other one-mana creatures, such as Suntail Hawk, Healer’s Hawk distinguishes itself with lifelink, granting players the chance to stabilize against faster decks by gaining life with each attack. Suntail Hawk, while similar in cost and flying ability, does not provide this additional benefit.

Another card that resonates with Healer’s Hawk’s essence is Vampire’s Hawk. It also features flying and lifelink but differs in tribal affiliation and color, pointing to the versatility of these mechanics across different deck themes. It’s interesting to note that Vampire’s Hawk is part of the vampire tribe, making it a more synergistic choice in vampire-themed decks. Additionally, as a two-mana creature, it may not fit into strategies aiming for a quicker gameplay pace like those employing the Healer’s Hawk.

When examining these creatures side by side, Healer’s Hawk emerges as a solid, cost-effective choice for decks that benefit from early presence and incremental life gain. This balance of offensive and defensive capabilities makes it a distinctive option in the vast array of one-drop creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Suntail Hawk - MTG Card versions
Suntail Hawk - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Healer's Hawk by color, type and mana cost

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Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Warrior - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Honorable Scout - MTG Card versions
Devoted Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions
Eager Cadet - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Healer's Hawk. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Boros AggroBoros Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 12 2024
Esper AggroEsper Aggro GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Orzhov Death & TaxesOrzhov Death & Taxes GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Orzhov NorinSistersOrzhov NorinSisters ModernOrzhov NorinSistersModern League 2024-01-14
BurnBurn PauperBurnPauper Challenge 32 2023-12-30
Mono-White HeroMono-White Hero PauperSprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 2^ tappa MILANO 2024
MonoW MetalcraftMonoW Metalcraft PauperPoznańska Liga Paupera #2

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although Healer’s Hawk itself does not draw cards directly, its low-cost efficiency can lead to card advantage by reliably pressuring opponents and demanding answers early on.

Resource Acceleration: This nimble creature may not provide direct resource acceleration in the form of mana, however, its Lifelink ability subtly boosts your sustain, potentially saving resources otherwise spent on stabilizing your life total.

Instant Speed: Healer’s Hawk does not have an instant speed casting time, but with its Flying keyword, it excels at bypassing ground defenses swiftly and opens doors for instant speed synergies with equipment or combat tricks that benefit from evasive creatures.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Healer’s Hawk is a low-cost creature card, it lacks any discard synergy which leaves players without the chance to capitalize on discard strategies often prevalent in white or black decks in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost is entirely in white, which means it’s only readily available without constraint in mono-white or decks that heavily favor white. It might not fit as smoothly into multicolored decks that require a more diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Healer’s Hawk itself is not high in mana cost, when evaluating its overall impact on the game, the value can be disproportionate. A single white mana for a 1/1 flyer with lifelink is efficient, but as the game progresses, the initial cost may not hold up against more potent cards that become available to players. Larger, more impactful creatures and spells often overshadow the incremental advantage provided by the Healer’s Hawk.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Healer’s Hawk offers a flexible role in various deck builds, fitting in seamlessly as an early flyer with its lifelink ability. It can strengthen your board presence from the get-go.

Combo Potential: The card holds the potential to create powerful combinations with equipment and aura spells, amplifying its impact on the game and tilting the life totals in your favor significantly.

Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of current gameplay, having a one-drop creature that can immediately affect life totals is crucial. Healer’s Hawk’s evasion and healing bolster defensive and aggressive strategies alike, adapting to a diverse meta.


How to Beat

Healer’s Hawk has swiftly fluttered its way into many aggressive life-gain decks in MTG due to its flying ability and lifelink. It is a low-cost creature with the potential to be pesky early on but manageable with the right strategy. Overlooking the Hawk may result in a series of unfavorable life total swings.

To effectively ground this little bird, you can implement removal spells that deal even one damage, such as Shock or Dead Weight. Sweepers are another efficient means to deal with hordes of small creatures, including Healer’s Hawk. Cards like Cry of the Carnarium or Electrickery can simultaneously clear multiple one-toughness threats. Planeswalkers that produce blocking tokens or create de-buff effects also hinder the Hawk’s ability to hit home.

Lastly, remember that Healer’s Hawk shines brightest when combined with other cards that benefit from lifegain. Disrupting these synergies can often reduce the Hawk’s impact. Always be prepared to deal with more than just the creature itself in decks focused around it.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you’ve seen, Healer’s Hawk serves as a valuable asset in MTG, bringing a blend of aggression and life-gain to your early game. The card’s aerial prowess and lifelink ability position it uniquely in the one-drop slot, offering strategic advantages from the outset of play. Reflect on the card’s synergies, meta-relevance, and combo potential when considering it for your collection. We encourage you to further investigate ways to integrate Healer’s Hawk into your repertoire for resilient gameplay. Delve deeper into tactics, deck building, and effective counters to optimize your experience. Ready to gain an edge in your next duel? Join us to expand your MTG capabilities with insights that matter.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Healer's Hawk MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Mystery Booster, 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 Healer's Hawk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Healer's Hawk Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Milivoj Ćeran.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Guilds of RavnicaGRN 142015NormalBlackMilivoj Ćeran
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 1322015NormalBlackMilivoj Ćeran
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 1072015NormalBlackMilivoj Ćeran
42020-09-26The ListPLST GRN-142015NormalBlackMilivoj Ćeran

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Healer's Hawk has restrictions

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