Skyblinder Staff MTG Card

Skyblinder Staff offers card advantage by making flyers harder to block, thereby pressuring opponents. Cost-effective and instant-speed equipping aligns well with decks running interactive instants. Inclusion requires strategic deck building to optimize its benefits and mitigate mana constraints.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Number	238
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Winters

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and can't be blocked by creatures with flying. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

"If bats are the only thing between me and a mountain of Orzhov coins, then I'm about to be a very rich thief."

Cards like Skyblinder Staff

Skyblinder Staff is a unique artifact in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, providing creatures with flying an extra edge. Standing side by side with other equipment cards like Ghostfire Blade, it boosts attack capabilities. Ghostfire Blade, however, offers a more generalized stat increase and can be attached to any creature, but Skyblinder Staff narrows its focus to enhancing evasion against blocking creatures without flying.

Another comparison could be made with Cobbled Wings, which not only grants a boost but also the crucial ability to fly. This is particularly valuable for decks that rely on ground creatures looking to bypass blockers altogether. Skyblinder Staff doesn’t give flight but makes existing flying creatures nearly untouchable by non-flyers. Yet another parallel can be drawn with Kitesail, which is another artifact that grants flying. Kitesail and Cobbled Wings help ground creatures take to the skies, but Skyblinder Staff offers the already aerially-abled creatures an offensive advantage.

Within the spectrum of MTG equipment focused on empowering aerial strategies, Skyblinder Staff holds a specialized position. It provides a targeted benefit for flying creatures, serving decks that capitalize on the skies for their victory. This focus on aerial domination sets it apart from other equipment options.

Cards similar to Skyblinder Staff by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While not directly providing card draw, Skyblinder Staff can effectively make your flying creatures harder to block, leading to possible repeated damage and indirectly contributing to card advantage by dwindling your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: Skyblinder Staff is cost-effective for only three mana and can be equipped for a mere two mana, offering an inexpensive way to enhance your flying creatures and speed up your offensive strategy.

Instant Speed: Though the staff itself is an artifact, it fits seamlessly into decks that operate at instant speed, allowing you to keep mana open for other instant speed interactions and only committing to equipping when it’s most advantageous.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Skyblinder Staff does not inherently have a discard requirement but its inclusion could influence the deck composition or strategy, potentially requiring discards from other synergistic elements to maintain a focused deck.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact requires a specific blue mana to cast. This mana requirement can restrict its immediate playability in multi-colored decks that may not always have the necessary blue mana available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana and an equip cost of three, Skyblinder Staff can be perceived as having a high mana investment for the benefit it grants. There are cards with lower equip costs that provide comparable or better benefits to the equipped creature.

Reasons to Include Skyblinder Staff in Your Collection

Versatility: The Skyblinder Staff can be a handy tool in a variety of decks, especially those that revolve around flying creatures. Its ability to grant +1/+1 and make a creature unblockable by creatures with flying offers tactical advantages in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: For players keen on building combos, this artifact’s effect opens up space for synergies with cards that capitalize on unblockable creatures or benefit from artifact interactions, amplifying their impact on the game.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where flying creatures are prevalent, the Skyblinder Staff can turn the tides by pushing through critical damage during stalemates or protecting key creatures from aerial blockers, making it a card worth considering for your arsenal.

How to beat

Skyblinder Staff is an equipment card in MTG that offers a unique strategic advantage to creatures with flying. When equipped, the creature gets +1/+0 and becomes nearly untouchable to creatures without flying or reach. To counter this card, you’ll want to have removal spells at the ready. It’s essential to target the creature it’s attached to before the opponent can fully utilize the evasion it provides.

Direct damage spells or effects that can target creatures with flying negate the defensive benefit of Skyblinder Staff. Moreover, look into including cards in your deck that can destroy or disable equipment, such as Naturalize or Shatter, thus negating its benefits entirely. Another tactic is using cards that can force the opponent to sacrifice flying creatures, circumventing the equipment’s protection. This way, Skyblinder Staff’s influence on the game is minimized, allowing you to regain control of the battlefield.

It’s crucial to be prepared for artifacts like Skyblinder Staff in MTG, especially in a meta where evasion can turn the tides of a game. Keep your options versatile, and don’t let this particular equipment dictate the match’s outcome.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skyblinder Staff MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Skyblinder Staff and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skyblinder Staff has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-01-24	If the equipped creature is blocked by a creature and then that creature gains flying, the equipped creature will remain blocked.
2013-01-24	The equipped creature can still be blocked by a creature with reach.