Storm Fleet Aerialist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Pirate
Abilities	Flying,Raid
Released	2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set name	Ixalan
Set code	XLN
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	83
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jesper Ejsing

Key Takeaways

Storm Fleet Aerialist enhances board state via raid, offering above-curve stats for its casting cost.
Pairs with instants for unexpected momentum shifts, maximizing turn efficiency in MTG clashes.
Requires strategic attacking for raid activation, demanding thoughtful play to leverage fully.

Text of card

Flying Raid — Storm Fleet Aerialist enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if you attacked with a creature this turn.

"Only one thing beats the freedom of the sea: the freedom of the sky."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Playing Storm Fleet Aerialist can often result in an advantageous board state especially if you enable its raid ability. Getting a 2/3 flyer for two mana is a solid deal, outpacing many other options in the mana cost range, effectively keeping your hand fuller with quality cards.

Resource Acceleration: While the Storm Fleet Aerialist itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources like a ramp spell, its low casting cost and raid potential mean you’re getting more for your mana, allowing a quicker buildup of threats on the board. This can indirectly lead to squeezing out extra plays in a turn, snowballing an advantage.

Instant Speed: Although this card isn’t itself an instant, it pairs exceptionally well with actual instant spells. Casting a cheap instant on your opponent’s turn and following it up with a Storm Fleet Aerialist on your own turn to take advantage of the raid mechanic can lead to sudden shifts in momentum, often catching opponents off guard.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Storm Fleet Aerialist necessitates that you have attacked with a creature this turn to utilize its Raid ability. While this isn’t a card discard, it’s a specific requirement that might not always align with your play state, especially if you’re facing a board with stronger defenses.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both blue and generic mana, its cost demands a dedicated color source. This can complicate your mana base, especially in a multi-colored deck, potentially causing delays or restricting its deployment to blue-centric archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a 2/2 creature with flying, the total cost of two mana can be considered steep, particularly when there are various other two-mana creatures with flying that offer additional benefits or lower mana requirements for similar stats.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Storm Fleet Aerialist offers flexibility to a variety of blue-based decks. Thanks to its Raid ability, it can be an early aggressive play in tempo decks or a valuable addition to aerial focused strategies that look to maintain a board presence.

Combo Potential: When played in a deck with numerous low-cost creatures, the Storm Fleet Aerialist can be leveraged as an efficient way to populate the skies. Its synergy with cards that care about flying creatures or number of creatures can be the linchpin in some interesting and rewarding combos.

Meta-Relevance: As the game ebbs and flows with creature-based strategies, having a 2-drop with the potential to be a 2/3 flyer can be quite impactful. It positions well against decks that are vulnerable to flying creatures and can serve as an essential part of a player’s early game plan in an ever-shifting meta.

How to beat

Storm Fleet Aerialist presents an interesting challenge due to its Raid ability, which can turn it into a more formidable creature when you’ve attacked with another creature on the turn it’s cast. To effectively beat Storm Fleet Aerialist in MTG, timing and control are key. A direct approach is to play removal spells like Shock or Fatal Push, which can take it out before the Aerialist becomes a threat or immediately in response to it hitting the battlefield.

You could also use blockers with reach or flying to neutralize the Aerialist’s evasion, ensuring they can’t get over or around your defenses. Ensnaring the Aerialist in a Pacifism or similar enchantment can prove effective, rendering it an idle card on the board. Additionally, counter spells like Cancel or Negate are very useful when facing creatures with Raid, as they prevent your opponent from ever benefiting from the Raid-triggered bonus.

Strategically, forcing your opponent to play creatures pre-combat to activate Raid, and then disrupting their plans with instant-speed removal or creature abilities, can break the rhythm and efficiency of their gameplay, helping you stay ahead of their threats like Storm Fleet Aerialist.

Cards like Storm Fleet Aerialist

Storm Fleet Aerialist stands out within the roster of two-drop creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Sharing the skies with creatures like Kitesail Corsair, both have the ability to take an aggressive stance early on in the game, with Kitesail Corsair gaining flying during your turn. Yet, Storm Fleet Aerialist brings an advantage to the battlefield with its Raid ability, allowing it to enter with a +1/+1 counter if you’ve attacked with another creature this turn. This additional power can swiftly change the game dynamic and put pressure on your opponent.

Comparatively, Welkin Tern must also be mentioned, a creature that features the exclusive flying ability but lacks the potential for a power boost on entry. While the Tern’s consistent flying trait is advantageous, Storm Fleet Aerialist provides a potentially stronger presence with careful planning. Similarly, Skyship Plunderer also presents an interesting comparison with its ability to add +1/+1 counters or proliferate after dealing combat damage. However, the immediate impact of Storm Fleet Aerialist when the Raid condition is met can be more impactful in the early game.

Consequently, Storm Fleet Aerialist fits nicely into strategies that reward aggressive playstyles and early combat interactions, making it a favorable option for those looking to capitalize on swift attacks, particularly in decks that encourage such tactics.

Cards similar to Storm Fleet Aerialist by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Storm Fleet Aerialist MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Storm Fleet Aerialist and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Storm Fleet Aerialist has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-01-19	Raid abilities care only that you attacked with a creature. It doesn’t matter how many creatures you attacked with, or which opponent or planeswalker controlled by an opponent those creatures attacked.
2018-01-19	Raid abilities evaluate the entire turn to see if you attacked with a creature. That creature doesn’t have to still be on the battlefield. Similarly, the player or planeswalker it attacked doesn’t have to still be in the game or on the battlefield, respectively.