Wingmate Roc MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying,Raid
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates strategic card advantage by creating an additional creature token during play.
  2. Encourages offensive play with its Raid mechanic, rewarding attacks with extra utility.
  3. Lifelink ability provides a valuable life gain, bolstering player resilience during matches.

Text of card

Flying Raid — When Wingmate Roc enters the battlefield, if you attacked with a creature this turn, put a 3/4 white Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield. Whenever Wingmate Roc attacks, you gain 1 life for each attacking creature.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Wingmate Roc enters the battlefield, it brings along a feathered friend, allowing you to secure an instant presence in the skies. This effectively gives you two creatures for the price of one, helping you to outpace opponents in terms of board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Wingmate Roc doesn’t directly generate additional mana, but its ability to bolster your aerial forces can lead to a decisive advantage, often manifesting in a way that accelerates your win condition by pressuring your opponent and dominating the combat phase.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Wingmate Roc’s Raid mechanic encourages strategic play at faster speeds. Attacking with a creature before casting the Roc can leverage the battlefield at a pivotal moment, reflecting the utility commonly found in instant speed interactions. Its lifelink ability also offers immediate impact during combat, functioning similarly to instant speed life gain effects that can turn the tide mid-battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Wingmate Roc does not require you to discard a card outright, it works best when you’re attacking with another creature—that requirement can sometimes feel like you’re discarding an opportunity to play defensively. Without another attacker, Wingmate Roc’s raid ability, which creates a 3/4 bird token, won’t activate, potentially diminishing its value on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Wingmate Roc’s mana cost includes two white mana symbols. This specificity necessitates a strong white mana base, which may not always align with multi-colored or less white-centric decks. This sometimes hinders its inclusion in diverse mana-base strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a five mana value, with a cost of 3WW, Wingmate Roc is considered to have a relatively high casting cost. When compared with other creatures and options available at a similar cost, players might opt for cards that provide immediate impact or have more flexible casting requirements. It’s a competitive slot, and decks looking for high-impact plays may find other cards more appealing for their mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Wingmate Roc seamlessly adapts to various playstyles, thriving in midrange and control decks alike. Its ability to bolster life totals while developing a board presence makes it an asset in numerous matchups.

Combo Potential: Flying alongside creatures that synergize with lifegain or token creation, Wingmate Roc has the potential to become part of powerful synergistic combinations, elevating both offensive and defensive game states.

Meta-Relevance: With a format that often shifts to favor creature-based strategies, Wingmate Roc’s dual impact on life and board state gives it an edge in many of the common play environments, allowing it to maintain a strong foothold in the meta.


How to beat

Wingmate Roc is a powerful card that can tip the scales in Magic: The Gathering matches with its ability to soar above the battlefield and heal its controller with every attack. Unlike other formidable fliers, this bird brings along a feathered friend when raiding in full force, doubling the threat. In assessing how to clip its wings, consider removal spells that can specifically target airborne creatures or ones that can handle multiple creatures at once. Cards like Doom Blade for solo removal or Wrath of God for a wider impact, are great at grounding the Roc and its companion. It’s also effective to use enchantments that negate flying or prevent its raid-triggered abilities, cementing your defense from the aerial onslaught.

Moreover, timing is key when facing Wingmate Roc. Keep mana available for instant-speed interaction, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy and leaving them vulnerable. Minimize the Roc’s healing advantage by focusing on high-impact plays that force your opponent to defend rather than attack. Through strategic planning and the right answers, overcoming the challenge posed by Wingmate Roc can lead to maintaining control of the game and soaring to victory yourself.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into MTG’s strategic depth with Wingmate Roc as your airborne ally. Perfect for players who value card advantage and enjoy dominating the skies, this card serves as a dual threat that can bolster your army and sustain your life total. Whether you’re adding resilience to your deck or seeking to capitalize on combo potential, Wingmate Roc offers a blend of agility and power that’s hard to match. Explore the nuances of this winged powerhouse and other dynamic cards in our detailed guides. Ready for tactical dominance with every turn? Uncover the secrets to mastering MTG with Wingmate Roc by your side.


Cards like Wingmate Roc

Wingmate Roc makes a notable impact on the battlefield within the realm of creature cards in Magic the Gathering. It bears resemblance to Broodmate Dragon, as both creatures generate a secondary token when entering the battlefield. The Wingmate Roc brings along a bird token with flying, whereas Broodmate Dragon brings a Dragon token with flying and a beefier presence. What gives Wingmate Roc an edge is its raid mechanic, which allows for an additional benefit if a creature attacked this turn. Additionally, during the combat phase, Wingmate Roc’s ability to grant life points for each attacking creature differentiates it from Broodmate Dragon, adding a layer of resilience to the strategy.

Looking at another comparable card, Geist-Honored Monk, we see a similar creature token generation. However, the monk’s strength lies in accruing power and toughness equal to the number of creatures you control, emphasizing a wide strategy, unlike Wingmate Roc’s life-gain tactic. Wingmate Roc, on the other hand, offers consistent life gain and aerial aggression. Finally, comparing it with Cloudgoat Ranger, which also presents a token-generated squadron, Wingmate Roc trumps in aerial superiority and the life-gain mechanic, making it more than just a simple beatdown card but also a tool for stabilizing one’s health.

In essence, although there are strong contenders in the category of creature cards with token-generating abilities, Wingmate Roc stands out with its unique blend of raid-triggered utility and consistent life-gain during combat phases, marking its spot as a powerful card in MTG decks focused on creature synergy and aerial domination.

Broodmate Dragon - MTG Card versions
Geist-Honored Monk - MTG Card versions
Cloudgoat Ranger - MTG Card versions
Broodmate Dragon - Resale Promos (PRES)
Geist-Honored Monk - Innistrad (ISD)
Cloudgoat Ranger - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Wingmate Roc by color, type and mana cost

Veteran Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
Master Healer - MTG Card versions
Angel of Mercy - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Border Patrol - MTG Card versions
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Sigardian Savior - MTG Card versions
Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions
Collector Protector - MTG Card versions
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions
Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Shu Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Conclave Phalanx - MTG Card versions
Veteran Bodyguard - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Rashida Scalebane - Mirage (MIR)
Avenging Angel - Tempest (TMP)
Lancers en-Kor - Stronghold (STH)
Radiant, Archangel - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Master Healer - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Angel of Mercy - The List (PLST)
Serra Angel - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Border Patrol - Judgment (JUD)
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Sigardian Savior - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Celestial Gatekeeper - Legions (LGN)
Collector Protector - Unhinged (UNH)
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - Saviors of Kamigawa Promos (PSOK)
Belfry Spirit - Guildpact (GPT)
Petra Sphinx - Masters Edition (ME1)
Barrenton Medic - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Ivory Gargoyle - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Shu Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Conclave Phalanx - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wingmate Roc MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir and Commander 2019, 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 Wingmate Roc and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wingmate Roc Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2019-08-23. Illustrated by Mark Zug.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 312015normalblackMark Zug
22019-08-23Commander 2019C19 782015normalblackMark Zug

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wingmate Roc has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-09-20 Count the number of attacking creatures when the last ability resolves, including Wingmate Roc itself if it’s still on the battlefield, to determine how much life you gain.
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.

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