Spotted Griffin MTG Card
1997-05-01 - Number 28
2011-01-10 - Number 28
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Griffin |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Grants card draw and tough-to-block advantage, enhancing your MTG match momentum significantly.
- Triggers synergistic effects for creature spells or flyers, accelerating your MTG resource accumulation.
- Flash potential via deck mechanics, surprising opponents in MTG by altering the battlefield dynamic.
Text of card
Flying
When the cat flies and the bird stalks, guard your horses carefully.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Spotted Griffin card provides the opportunity to refill your hand, maintaining momentum in the match. Its flying ability also makes it harder for opponents to block, potentially letting you draw a card each time it attacks and isn’t blocked.
Resource Acceleration: Should you have synergistic mechanics that trigger upon casting a creature spell or when a creature with flying enters the battlefield, Spotted Griffin can offer resource acceleration by triggering those effects, setting the stage for more powerful plays as the game progresses.
Instant Speed: Spotted Griffin might not have an instant speed ability inherently, but in a deck that can grant flash to your creatures, being able to deploy it at the end of your opponent’s turn can be a game changer. This sudden appearance in the air can throw off your adversary’s calculations, potentially snagging you the advantage for your next turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One drawback of Spotted Griffin is that to play it effectively, you might have to let go of another card from your hand. This could significantly strain your play strategy, especially if your hand size is already dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: Spotted Griffin requires a particular combination of mana to cast, which could hamper its inclusion in a wide array of decks. If your mana base isn’t set up to specifically accommodate its color requirements, you might find it challenging to summon the Griffin in crucial moments.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing the utility you gain versus the mana spent, Spotted Griffin might not come out on top, especially when compared to other creatures in the same mana range. Weighing options is essential as there could be creatures that offer better value or more impactful effects for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Spotted Griffin in Your Collection
Versatility: Spotted Griffin offers a wide range of utility across various deck types. Its flying ability makes it a solid choice for aerial strategies, and it can be seamlessly included in both aggressive and defensive builds.
Combo Potential: This card has the potential to synergize with decks that capitalize on flying creatures. Pairing it with cards that boost fliers or benefit from creature tokens, Spotted Griffin can be a key piece in an aerial combo.
Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of ground-based creatures in many current metas, Spotted Griffin can easily evade blockers and consistently chip away at an opponent’s life total, making it a relevant inclusion in your collection for battling the latest trends.
How to beat
Confronting a Spotted Griffin on the battlefield calls for specific tactics due to its flying ability and potential to bolster its power and toughness. Its presence is often felt in aerial combat, making ground creatures ineffective in deterring it. Key to gaining the upper hand against the Spotted Griffin is the employment of removal spells capable of targeting flying creatures or those that aren’t restricted by creature type.
Pieces such as Plummet or Rapid Hybridization can neutralize the threat efficiently due to their low mana costs and ability to either destroy or transform the winged adversary. Alternatively, strategies may include the use of enchantments that pacify or diminish the Griffin’s capability, like Lignify or Dead Weight. Strategic blocking with reach capabilities can also be a sound tactic in stalling or annihilating the creature through combat.
Ultimately, as with most creatures in the varied landscape of Magic: The Gathering, understanding and anticipating the diverse range of solutions at your disposal will guide you to victory over the Spotted Griffin and other formidable aerial threats.
Cards like Spotted Griffin
The Spotted Griffin joins the ranks of flying creatures in Magic: The Gathering, sharing similarities with cards like Aven Fisher and Dawnglare Invoker. Like the Spotted Griffin, both of these creatures can impact the aerial battlefield, but each has unique abilities that set them apart. The Aven Fisher allows you to draw a card when it dies, providing you with a future advantage. On the flip side, while the Spotted Griffin doesn’t offer card draw, it brings consistent flying damage to the game.
Examining Dawnglare Invoker, players get an option to lock down the opponent’s board at the late game stages. Despite this, the Spotted Griffin’s lower mana cost gives it quicker access to the battlefield, potentially leading to faster gameplay dynamics. Additionally, the Invoker has a higher mana ability, whereas the Spotted Griffin stays straightforward in its function.
When considering the strategic value of these creatures, the Spotted Griffin competes well with others in its category, particularly for players looking for stable flyers to build an offensive line in the early to mid-game stages of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Spotted Griffin by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spotted Griffin MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Masters Edition IV, 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 Spotted Griffin and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Magic products
Printings
The Spotted Griffin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by William Simpson.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 28 | 1997 | normal | black | William Simpson | |
| 2 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 28 | 1997 | normal | black | William Simpson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spotted Griffin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
