Mesa Pegasus MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 28
1993-10-04 - Number 29
1993-12-01 - Number 29
1993-12-10 - Number 29
1993-12-10 - Number 29
1994-04-01 - Number 28
1994-04-01 - Number 28
1994-06-21 - Number 28
1995-04-01 - Number 35
1995-04-01 - Number 35
1996-07-01 - Number 5
1996-12-31 - Number 5
1997-03-24 - Number 47
2007-09-10 - Number 20
2022-11-28 - Number 325
2022-11-28 - Number 28
| Card sets | Released in 16 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Pegasus |
| Abilities | Banding,Flying |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Flying, bands
Before a woman marries in the village of Sursi, she must visit the land of the Mesa Pegasus. Legend has it that if the woman is pure of heart and her love is true, a Mesa Pegasus will appear, blessing her family with long life and good fortune.
Cards like Mesa Pegasus
Mesa Pegasus stands as a classic creature card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It shares its 1/1 stats with many other one-cost creatures but has the unique advantage of flying and banding abilities. Comparably, Sun Tail Hawk is another one-cost flyer without the banding feature, but its simplicity also means it’s less restrictive in deck building.
Looking at similar creatures, Squadron Hawk emerges as part of the conversation. Although it costs an additional mana, it comes with an advantage – searching your library for up to three more Squadron Hawks, potentially offering greater long-term value.
Weathered Wayfarer also has a notable comparison to Mesa Pegasus. Despite not having flying, this one-cost creature can significantly influence the game by fetching key lands directly into your hand, potentially outpacing the Mesa Pegasus with strategic land acceleration.
In the landscape of one-cost flyers, Mesa Pegasus has its place, especially in decks that leverage banding. Its unique offering in the early game can give it an edge over similar cards, particularly in formats that value this old-school mechanic.
Cards similar to Mesa Pegasus by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mesa Pegasus may not directly draw you cards, but its ability to consistently engage in combat due to flying gives it a higher chance of survival. This persistency on the battlefield can lead to a form of card advantage, as it forces your opponent to deal with it or risk taking damage turn after turn.
Resource Acceleration: While Mesa Pegasus itself doesn’t accelerate resources in traditional ways, its modest mana cost allows you to deploy other spells more freely. It’s a cost-efficient creature that fits well into a curve, allowing for a smoother development of your board presence without sacrificing early game tempo.
Instant Speed: Mesa Pegasus isn’t an instant, but it pairs exceptionally well with combat tricks at instant speed. Its evasion through flying makes it an ideal candidate for instant-speed boosts or protective spells during combat, potentially turning the tide of battle in your favor without requiring a significant investment of resources.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Mesa Pegasus requires white mana for casting, potentially restricting its integration to decks that have access to that mana color or a solid mana base, making it less flexible.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When we evaluate Mesa Pegasus within the context of other creatures at its mana cost, it can feel underwhelming in terms of power and toughness, which might not be as impactful on the game state when compared to other options.
Discard Requirement: While Mesa Pegasus itself does not have a discard requirement, it often has to be paired with cards that do, which can put you at a disadvantage by decreasing your hand size and potential plays.
Reasons to Include Mesa Pegasus in Your Collection
Versatility: Mesa Pegasus is a classic card that melds seamlessly with white decks known for life gain and damage mitigation. As a flying creature, it can often evade ground-level defenses, providing consistent board presence in various match-ups.
Combo Potential: With its banding ability, Mesa Pegasus can enhance combat tactics, allowing for strategic pairings with other creatures to optimize damage distribution and defensive plays. This synergizes well with abilities that trigger upon dealing damage or during combat.
Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-cycling nature of the metagame, Mesa Pegasus maintains relevance as a low-cost flyer that can combat the prevalence of ground-based aggro strategies. Furthermore, its banding ability offers a nuanced layer of strategy that can catch opponents off guard in certain game scenarios.
How to Beat Mesa Pegasus
Mesa Pegasus is a classic creature card in Magic: The Gathering, bringing with it the ever-valuable flying and banding abilities. While not a powerhouse in terms of attack and defense, its tactical advantages in the air and potential for cooperative defense make it a subtle threat on the battlefield. Overcoming the Pegasus requires a nuanced approach, focusing on its inherent weaknesses.
Removal spells that don’t target, like “Wrath of God”, can clear the board irrespective of flying, making them effective weapons against Mesa Pegasus. Additionally, since banding is most effective in multi-creature blocks, cards that forbid or punish blocking, such as “Goblin War Drums” or “Caltrops”, can nullify this second ability. It’s also worth considering the use of creatures with reach or those that can easily outclass the Pegasus in combat due to higher toughness will frustrate this nimble flyer’s offensive efforts.
Therefore, while Mesa Pegasus can be a beneficial component in a strategic MTG player’s deck, especially one that leverages banding, its impact can be considerably diminished with proper planning and the right countermeasures. Understanding the card’s strengths and weaknesses is key to ensuring it doesn’t become an obstacle in your path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mesa Pegasus MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Mesa Pegasus and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Mesa Pegasus Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Melissa A. Benson.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 28 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 29 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 29 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 29 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 29 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 28 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 28 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 28 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 35 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 35 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 11 | 1996-07-01 | Rivals Quick Start Set | RQS | 5 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 12 | 1996-12-31 | Introductory Two-Player Set | ITP | 5 | 1993 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 13 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 47 | 1997 | Normal | White | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 14 | 2007-09-10 | Masters Edition | ME1 | 20 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 15 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 325 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson | |
| 16 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 28 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Melissa A. Benson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mesa Pegasus has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mesa Pegasus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it. |
| 2008-10-01 | Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned. |
| 2009-10-01 | If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment. |