Aurora Griffin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Griffin
Abilities	Flying
Released	2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Planeshift
Set code	PLS
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	2
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ciruelo

Key Takeaways

Aurora Griffin’s ability to grant protection disrupts removal tactics, enhancing its card advantage appeal.
Its modest mana cost aligns with swift strategy execution, fitting smoothly within early to mid-game plays.
Encourages a reactive playstyle, augmenting decks that thrive on maintaining open mana for instant-speed spells.

Text of card

Flying o W: Target permanent becomes white until end of turn.

Though a fierce fighter, its true value is that it inspires beleaguered forces.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aurora Griffin is an asset for your strategy by providing a consistent presence in the sky. Its inherent ability to protect itself and your other creatures from a color of your choice can disrupt opponents’ plans, potentially leading to card advantage as their removal or combat tricks fall short.

Resource Acceleration: While Aurora Griffin doesn’t directly ramp your mana resources, its moderate casting cost facilitates a smooth early to mid-game curve. It perfectly complements decks that aim to establish board presence quickly and maintain momentum, effectively accelerating your overall game plan.

Instant Speed: While the Aurora Griffin itself is a creature card without instant speed, it empowers instant-speed strategies. Since it requires you to hold mana for its activation, this plays well into a deck design that values keeping mana available for other instant spells, thereby maintaining the element of surprise and forcing your opponent to play around unknown variables.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Aurora Griffin, players may find themselves at a bit of a setback if they have to discard another valuable card from their hand. This trade-off is crucial to consider in tight situations where each card in hand could sway the course of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Aurora Griffin’s mana cost demands a specific combination of colors, which may not be easily splashed into decks that don’t already run white mana. This often renders the card less flexible and could pose a challenge for deck builders looking to optimize mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Griffin offers a decent suite of abilities, its mana cost is on the higher side when compared to other creatures in its class. Savvy players might ponder if the investment is worth the payoff, especially when there are other creatures in the same mana range that could offer more immediate board impact.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aurora Griffin offers flexible play across various decks, adapting beautifully to strategies that value flying creatures, particularly in white-focused flying or angel tribal builds.

Combo Potential: This card proves synergistic in combos that revolve around creatures with flying. Its potential to safeguard permanents with protection from a chosen color can turn the tides to your advantage.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to provide both offensive and defensive utility in a meta with diverse color threats, Aurora Griffin emerges as a pragmatic pick for maintaining board presence and combating multifarious strategies.

How to beat

Aurora Griffin is an interesting card to encounter in MTG, bolstering both flying and vigilance to give players a defensive edge. It brings a challenge to the field with its potential to block and then swing back without tapping. Understanding the mechanics behind this dual-natured creature is key to developing a strategy that effectively counters its strengths.

To surpass Aurora Griffin at the gaming table, consider adding cards that neutralize flying creatures to your deck. Cards that force creatures to lose flying or that can deal damage regardless of flying — such as plummet, windstorm, or even a simple arachnophobia — can shift the balance in your favor. Spot removal spells that bypass Aurora Griffin’s vigilance by targeting it directly are also useful. Look for removals that can efficiently remove creatures at a low cost, like path to exile or fatal push, to maintain mana advantage.

Remember to keep your plays flexible and reactive when facing cards like Aurora Griffin. Capitalize on moments when your opponent is tapped out or has committed to a strategy, leaving Aurora Griffin vulnerable. By balancing your deck with a combination of flying counters and removals, you can create favorable matchups and set yourself on a path to victory.

Understanding Aurora Griffin

Aurora Griffin holds a distinctive place in the realm of flying creatures within MTG. This graceful card combines the classic defensive mechanism of flying with an additional layer of utility. It shares similarities with other flying creatures such as Sunspire Griffin, both providing a solid defensive air block while supporting your board presence.

Cards like Aurora Griffin

Aurora Griffin often draws comparison to other flyers like Concordia Pegasus in terms of cost and function. Both cards prop up your aerial defense at a fair mana value. Where Aurora Griffin takes flight, however, is in its activated abilities—offering a protective edge by granting your permanents protection from a color of your choice. This adaptability outlines a key tactical advantage over simple stat-based cards like Concordia Pegasus.

Looking into other comparable options such as Suntail Hawk reveals the value of Aurora Griffin’s protective abilities. While Suntail Hawk is a cost-effective flyer, it lacks additional utilitarian features. In this light, Aurora Griffin not only serves as an airborne shield but also as a strategic tool in warding off color-specific threats, a versatility that simple one-drop creatures often miss.

In weighing Aurora Griffin against its counterparts, we recognize its dual role as an aerial defender and a safeguard against colored spells or abilities, presenting itself as a commendable choice for decks that prize flexibility and protection on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Aurora Griffin by color, type and mana cost

Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions

Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions

Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions

Sunspire Gatekeepers - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aurora Griffin MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Aurora Griffin and other MTG cards: