Combat Calligrapher MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Bird Cleric
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Combat Calligrapher allows for more cards drawn through inkling token damage, enabling deeper strategic plays.
  2. It offers token-based resource acceleration, adding creatures to your battlefield without extra mana.
  3. Instant-speed spells complement its abilities, leading to unexpected and potent combat scenarios.

Text of card

Flying Inklings can't attack you or planeswalkers you control. Whenever a player attacks one of your opponents, that attacking player creates a tapped 2/1 white and black Inkling creature token with flying that's attacking that opponent.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Equip your battlefield with Combat Calligrapher and observe as it propels you into an advantageous position, allowing you to draw additional cards whenever your inkling tokens deal combat damage to your opponents. The influx of fresh options from your deck can significantly enhance your strategic depth during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: Combat Calligrapher stands out by enabling you to swiftly deploy more creatures onto the field. Though not directly providing mana or tokens, the consistent creation of inkling tokens represents a form of resource acceleration, offering new offensive assets each turn without requiring additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: While Combat Calligrapher itself is not an instant, it synergizes profoundly with spells of instant speed. It emboldens a dynamic gameplay style, which can catch opponents off-guard during combat. By playing other instants alongside this card, you fortify your battle strategy, keeping your adversaries relentlessly off-balance.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Combat Calligrapher may cause a disadvantage in card advantage if it stipulates the need to discard cards, which can be particularly damaging when you’re already behind in resources or seeking to maintain a full grip of options in your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature requires a specific color combination in its mana cost which could potentially restrict its inclusion predominantly to dedicated decks that can accommodate its color identity, limiting its versatility across the broader array of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that may be considered high relative to its impact on the game, players will have to weigh its utility against other available options. They may find that there are alternative cards that provide similar or greater effects at a lower mana investment, thereby potentially undermining its cost-efficiency.


Reasons to Include Combat Calligrapher in Your Collection

Versatility: Combat Calligrapher boasts a unique ability to involve your creatures in combat strategies even when they aren’t attacking. Since it can supplement a variety of white-based decks ranging from aggressive flyers to diplomatic builds focused on politics in multiplayer games, its adaptability is a key factor for consideration.

Combo Potential: This card presents the potential to create clever synergies with cards that capitalize on the number of attacking creatures or abilities that trigger upon dealing combat damage to a player. Its innate ability to grant you a benefit from “inklings” unable to block helps to fuel such interactions.

Meta-Relevance: With the meta always in flux, cards that give you an edge in multiplayer formats can be particularly impactful. Combat Calligrapher can shift the dynamics of a game, encouraging alliances and offering indirect ways to pressure opponents, which can be pivotal in games like Commander where politics and incremental advantages lead to victory.


How to Beat Combat Calligrapher

Combat Calligrapher is a unique creature card that can provide its controller a strategic advantage by creating inkling creature tokens with the ability to bypass an opponent’s creatures when attacking. This quality makes it an asset in multiplayer games, adding pressure to opponents without strong flying defenses. The card excels in decks that focus on aggressive strategies and can synergize with other cards that boost flying creatures or benefit from additional tokens.

To effectively counter Combat Calligrapher, consider using removal spells that can target and eliminate creatures directly, such as Murder or Path to Exile. Cards that restrict an opponent’s ability to attack, like Ghostly Prison, can also be pivotal against Combat Calligrapher’s token-generating mechanism. Additionally, incorporating creatures with reach or flying into your deck will directly contest the inkling tokens’ evasion ability. Tapping into cards that punish token creation, like Illness in the Ranks, can stifle Combat Calligrapher’s influence on the battlefield as well. Staying ahead of this card requires a well-planned strategy tailored toward disabling its token advantage.

Understanding the dynamics of Combat Calligrapher and devising a plan to mitigate its impact will be crucial for maintaining control in your MTG duels. Prioritize cards that handle the tokens and the source with precision, ensuring that your deck is prepared to neutralize the threat posed by this crafty creature.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhancing your deck with Combat Calligrapher infuses your MTG play with savvy strategy and a touch of aerial finesse. Drawing additional cards through inkling tokens, while also generating board presence, provides a dynamic edge in gameplay. Yet, to fully harness this card’s potential, understanding its synergies and limitations is key. Whether it’s leveraging instant speed spells for surprise maneuvers, mitigating the downsides of specific mana costs, or strategically choosing cards that counteract its cons, your deck can transform into an even more formidable collection. Explore further guidance on maximizing Combat Calligrapher’s strengths and offsetting its weaknesses by diving into our comprehensive insights. Join us and refine your strategy to soar to new heights in your MTG encounters.


Cards like Combat Calligrapher

Combat Calligrapher is a card that brings a unique twist to the flying mechanic in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to grant the invaluable Inklings flying when attacking certain opponents, it’s worth pondering how it compares to other creature cards offering similar benefits. Birds of Paradise, for example, is another card that offers flying, but it’s primarily valued for its mana-generating ability rather than combat advantages.

Looking at Skyknight Vanguard, we find another creature with flying that also creates tokens when attacking. Though these tokens aren’t equipped with flying themselves, this card provides a steady stream of aerial attackers. Then there’s Migratory Route, a card that offers multiple flying tokens in one swoop. It lacks Combat Calligrapher’s ongoing effect but instantly bolsters your board presence.

Ultimately, Combat Calligrapher’s innate synergy with cards that manipulate combat ensures its place in strategic aerial assault decks, making it stand out in its niche. The balance between generating value through tokens and enhancing combat efficiency makes this card a thought-provoking choice for players aiming for high-flying victories.

Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Skyknight Vanguard - MTG Card versions
Migratory Route - MTG Card versions
Birds of Paradise - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Skyknight Vanguard - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Migratory Route - Commander 2016 (C16)

Cards similar to Combat Calligrapher by color, type and mana cost

Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
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Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Northern Paladin - Revised Edition (3ED)
Moorish Cavalry - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Witch Hunter - Chronicles (CHR)
Carrier Pigeons - Alliances (ALL)
Tormented Angel - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Seasoned Marshal - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Coalition Honor Guard - Apocalypse (APC)
Teroh's Vanguard - Torment (TOR)
Mangara, the Diplomat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Akroma's Devoted - Legions (LGN)
Leonin Abunas - Mirrodin (MRD)
Kami of Old Stone - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aven Cloudchaser - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Blinking Spirit - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Seht's Tiger - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Valor - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Veteran of the Depths - Lorwyn (LRW)
Guardian Seraph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Lightkeeper of Emeria - Worldwake (WWK)
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Combat Calligrapher MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2021, 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 Combat Calligrapher and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Combat Calligrapher Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Joseph Weston.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 899842015normalblackJoseph Weston
22021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3412015normalblackJoseph Weston
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 142015normalblackJoseph Weston

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Combat Calligrapher has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

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