Raven Familiar MTG Card
1999-02-15 - Number 39
2010-11-08 - Number A30
2013-11-01 - Number 55
2020-09-26 - Number C13-55
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Bird |
| Abilities | Echo,Flying |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Flying; echo (During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay its casting cost or sacrifice it.) When Raven Familiar comes into play, look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Cards like Raven Familiar
Delving into the world of card advantage in MTG, Raven Familiar offers a unique approach. This creature stands out with its echo cost and an ability that provides a glimpse of future draws. Taking a closer look, we can compare it to cards like Augury Owl or Wall of Omens. While Augury Owl provides scry instead of card draw, giving you control over the upcoming cards, it lacks the creature retrieval that Raven Familiar’s ability offers. Conversely, Wall of Omens grants you a card upon entering the battlefield without the need to pay additional costs in subsequent turns.
Another noteworthy comparison is Sea Gate Oracle, which also allows you to look at the top two cards and choose one, similar to Raven Familiar’s conditional draw. However, Sea Gate Oracle lets you put the chosen card directly into your hand, whereas Raven Familiar gives you a peek and the card later. Moreover, the Familiar’s flying ability provides a tactical edge in terms of board presence over the non-flying Sea Gate Oracle.
Evaluating these comparisons highlights the nuances of card advantage mechanisms within MTG and showcases the strategic potential of Raven Familiar, especially when you’re looking to synergize with a deck that flourishes on knowing or retrieving the top cards of your library.
Cards similar to Raven Familiar by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Raven Familiar gains you a glimpse into the future by revealing the top three cards of your library, granting an opportunity to select the best fit for your current strategy while helping maintain card flow.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Raven Familiar itself doesn’t generate additional resources directly, by efficiently sifting through your library, it allows for a more streamlined access to your crucial spells and lands, indirectly speeding up your gameplay.
Instant Speed: While Raven Familiar lacks the instant speed trait, its synergy with cards that allow you to cast creatures as though they had flash, pairs well with unexpected plays and catching opponents off-guard during their turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One limitation of the Raven Familiar card is that it requires you to engage in a cumulative upkeep that involves discarding cards. This can be problematic when your hand is already running low, potentially decreasing your tactical options on subsequent turns.
Specific Mana Cost: Unlike some flexible mana-cost cards, Raven Familiar requires a precise combination of generic and blue mana to cast. This can be restrictive and may not seamlessly fit into all deck types, particularly those that don’t prioritize blue mana or are not structured around flying creatures.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Raven Familiar provides the advantage of scrying and potentially drawing a card, its casting cost is considered high when compared to other cards with similar abilities. This can slow down your game tempo, as the resource investment to get the card into play could be directed toward other spells with immediate impact.
Reasons to Include Raven Familiar in Your Collection
Versatility: Raven Familiar offers a unique balance of early game flying presence and draw mechanics. Suitable for blue-focused decks, it contributes to both aerial defense and card selection that can adapt across game phases.
Combo Potential: As a creature with echo, Raven Familiar complements decks that manipulate or benefit from additional cast triggers, and when paired with top-deck control, it ensures getting the most out of its card draw ability.
Meta-Relevance: With shifting deck trends, Raven Familiar maintains relevance as it provides deck cycling capabilities crucial for finding answers or key combo pieces against prevailing strategies.
How to beat Raven Familiar
Raven Familiar’s entry to the realms of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering provides a unique approach to deck scrying. With its ability to offer a peek at the top three cards of your library, it can be an invaluable asset. The card’s echo cost also ensures that your opponent must pay twice if they want to keep it around, making it a potentially fleeting threat.
To counter Raven Familiar effectively, players might consider removal spells that can sidestep the creature’s ability before it gains value. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push can dispatch the bird before its echo cost comes around. The use of counter spells such as Negate can also prevent Raven Familiar from hitting the board in the first place. Moreover, by employing graveyard manipulation, such as with cards like Tormod’s Crypt, players can ensure that the creature offers no further value even if it’s nearing a return with effects like reanimation.
Overall, while Raven Familiar presents an interesting strategic element for players, with proper planning and a keen sense of timing, overcoming this feathered card can be woven seamlessly into the fabric of your victory strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Raven Familiar MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Raven Familiar 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
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Printings
The Raven Familiar Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-02-15 | Urza's Legacy | ULG | 39 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 2 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | A30 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 3 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 55 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | C13-55 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Raven Familiar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Raven Familiar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | This is not a draw. |