Burdened Aerialist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Pirate
Abilities Treasure
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Burdened Aerialist enhances decks through card draw and resource ramp, enabling more robust gameplay.
  2. Instant speed abilities offer tactical advantages, making it a formidable option during matches.
  3. While it requires careful hand management, its utility can outweigh its discard cost in many scenarios.

Text of card

When Burdened Aerialist enters the battlefield, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.") Whenever you sacrifice a token, Burdened Aerialist gains flying until end of turn.

"Curse this glorious golden weight!"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Burdened Aerialist can potentially offer card advantage through its unique interactions with a well-structured deck. By synergizing with strategies focused on counters or flying creatures, it lets you draw into more options and keep the pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: As Burdened Aerialist enters the battlefield, it helps you ramp up your resources quickly. Played in a deck designed to capitalize on its ability, it triggers sequences that streamline your game plan and propel you into a high-tempo play style. This allows a smoother transition into the mid and late game where you can deploy bigger threats.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of using Burdened Aerialist’s abilities at instant speed means it integrates seamlessly into a fast-paced match. Swift interactions during combat or at the end of the opponent’s turn can leave them scrambling to respond, providing a tactical edge in any duel.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Burdened Aerialist demands that you discard a card to trigger its prowess. While this can provide a merit under the right conditions, it can severely handicap your play if you’re already grappling with a depleted hand.

Specific Mana Cost: The Aerialist comes with a specific mana requirement that could constrict it to certain deck archetypes, lessening its versatility across various strategies and limiting its adaptability in diverse play environments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost at the upper end for its effects, Burdened Aerialist contends with a broad array of alternatives which might offer similar or enhanced abilities for a lesser mana investment, potentially relegating it to a lesser-picked option.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Burdened Aerialist can seamlessly adapt to various deck themes, especially those that capitalize on flying creatures or countering strategies.

Combo Potential: This card is a wonderful addition to setups that thrive on synergy, unlocking potential with prowess-like abilities each time you cast a noncreature spell.

Meta-Relevance: As the landscape of magic shifts, having Burdened Aerialist could offer an advantage against opponents, particularly in environments where evasion is crucial.


How to Beat

Burdened Aerialist joins the ranks of intriguing flyers in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card presents a unique challenge due to its ability to strengthen with +1/+1 counters each time you or your opponents cast a noncreature spell. To effectively counteract this threat, one strategy is to minimize the number of noncreature spells in your play, putting an emphasis on creature-heavy deck builds. Alternatively, employing removal spells that can bypass the counters, such as those causing exile or using “-X/-X” effects, can give you an advantage and eliminate the Burdened Aerialist no matter how buffed it has become.

Spot removal spells are particularly useful since they can target and take down the Aerialist before it becomes too large of a threat. Enchantment-based removals that neutralize abilities without destroying the creature, like Pacifism, are another avenue, ensuring that even if the Aerialist survives, it will be rendered harmless. Remember, understanding the meta and preparing your deck with the appropriate responses will keep you one step ahead of cards like the Burdened Aerialist and secure your standing in the game.


Cards like Burdened Aerialist

Burdened Aerialist enters the lineup of creatures with the ability to manipulate counters in Magic: The Gathering. It’s in the same league as Skyship Plunderer, which also interacts with counters by adding them to other permanents whenever it deals combat damage to a player. Although Burdened Aerialist doesn’t share the direct counter placement ability, it compensates by providing a cost-reduction feature for playing spells with the improvise mechanic. This ability can create significant advantages by allowing faster deployment of larger threats.

Sailor of Means also brings something unique to the table, granting a Treasure token when it enters the battlefield. While both Sailor of Means and Burdened Aerialist assist in resource acceleration, the former offers an immediate yet finite boost, as opposed to the repeatable improvise cost-reduction of the latter. Another similar card, Etherium Sculptor, provides a blanket cost reduction for artifact spells, yet Burdened Aerialist specifically supports the improvise strategy by helping cast costly spells ahead of curve.

Assessing the strengths of Burdened Aerialist in the context of creatures that aid with cost-efficiency, it’s evident that the card has a special role, particularly in decks that heavily utilize the improvise mechanic, fortifying its position as a valuable asset in MTG deck-building.

Skyship Plunderer - MTG Card versions
Sailor of Means - MTG Card versions
Etherium Sculptor - MTG Card versions
Skyship Plunderer - Aether Revolt (AER)
Sailor of Means - Ixalan (XLN)
Etherium Sculptor - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Cards similar to Burdened Aerialist by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Burdened Aerialist MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Burdened Aerialist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Burdened Aerialist Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 382015normalblackZoltan Boros
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 1732015normalblackZoltan Boros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Burdened Aerialist has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-06-18 Burdened Aerialist's ability will trigger whenever you sacrifice a token for any reason, not just when you sacrifice Treasure tokens.
2021-06-18 If a blocked creature gains flying after blockers are declared, it won't cause that creature to become unblocked, even if the blocking creature doesn't have flying or reach.

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