Setessan Griffin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Griffin
Abilities	Flying
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	30
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Greg Staples

Key Takeaways

Scry ability of Setessan Griffin ensures beneficial draws, greatly increasing play consistency in your game.
Quick board presence is possible with the Griffin’s creature type, affecting early-game combat dynamics significantly.
Setessan Griffin adapts to combat needs with flying, making it a versatile contender at crucial moments.

Text of card

Flying : Setessan Griffin gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.

Most griffins must be caught and broken into the service of the polis. Not so in Setessa, where they volunteer.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Setessan Griffin offers a robust ability to scry, setting up your future draws. This technique can lead toward a more consistent performance by ensuring that the cards you draw are more likely to be useful, enhancing your overall card quality rather than quantity.

Resource Acceleration: As a creature that can be included within lower mana curve strategies, it can contribute to board presence quickly. Though it might not produce mana or treasures, its presence can help maintain pressure, allowing you to accelerate your resource deployment by affecting combat dynamics early on.

Instant Speed: Sporting a flying ability, Setessan Griffin has the tactical advantage of engaging at critical moments unobstructed. This provides flexibility in both defending against airborne threats and asserting dominance in the aerial combat space when timing is pivotal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Setessan Griffin doesn’t require a discard itself, it’s worth noting that decks including discard mechanics may not favor this card. Discarding a valuable card to help play or activate abilities can hinder synergy, especially in a deck where each card is pivotal.

Specific Mana Cost: Setessan Griffin’s mana cost includes Green mana, making it exclusive to green decks or ones that can handle multicolor cards. This limitation can prevent the Griffin from being a staple in various decks, potentially not seeing play in competitive formats where mana efficiency and flexibility are crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Fielding a Setessan Griffin requires a total of four mana, which in the current metagame, can be considered somewhat costly for its stats and effects. Other creatures at the same or lower cost bracket may offer additional abilities or more substantial board presence, leading to the Griffin being overlooked unless it fits a particular niche within a Green deck strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Setessan Griffin offers a flexible role in deck-building, conveniently fitting into both aggressive and defensive strategies. Its ability to fly gives it an edge over ground defenses, allowing you to apply pressure on your opponent or hold the skies in your favor.

Combo Potential: With its monowhite identity, the Setessan Griffin can easily be paired with enchantments or artifacts that exploit its flying ability. It’s particularly effective in decks that capitalize on creature synergies or those that pump flying creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where flying creatures are crucial for securing an aerial advantage, Setessan Griffin proves to be a valuable asset. Its presence can deter opponents from leaving themselves open to air attacks, while its decent stats for its mana cost keep it relevant at various stages of the game.

How to beat

Setessan Griffin is a unique card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, known for its flying trait and the potential for enchantment-based power-ups. This card can be a real obstacle, especially when buffed, making it a significant threat on the battlefield. To effectively combat a Setessan Griffin, the most straightforward method lies in utilizing removal spells. Enchantment removal specifically can strip it of any buffs, drastically reducing its threat level. Spells like Pacifism can also neutralize it without dealing with its base stats.

Another strategy against Setessan Griffin is to manage the board efficiently. Having creatures with reach or your own flyers can help maintain aerial control. Don’t underestimate the timing of plays; sometimes holding back on removal until the opponent has invested more into their creature can offer a more substantial blow to their strategy. Utilize cards that can force sacrifices or deal damage to flying creatures, as these can often offer a more cost-effective solution than targeted removal. In essence, maintaining card advantage while systematically dismantling your opponent’s threats will pave the way to victory against a card like Setessan Griffin.

Whether through direct removal, enchantment disruption, or controlling the skies with your own creatures, there are multiple angles to address the challenges posed by Setessan Griffin. Evaluating the board state and making informed decisions on the fly will be key in overcoming this flying adversary.

Cards like Setessan Griffin

Setessan Griffin joins the ranks of creature-based aerial attackers in Magic: The Gathering. It bears comparison with similarly-costed creatures like Concordia Pegasus, which also takes to the skies with a steady 1/3 stat line for two mana. What distinguishes Setessan Griffin is its potential for growth; the ability to pump its power makes it a versatile threat over time, unlike the static nature of Concordia Pegasus.

When pitted against another card, like Sunspire Griffin, Setessan Griffin again shines for its mana efficiency. Sunspire Griffin offers a higher base power and toughness but at the cost of an additional white mana, potentially slowing down your battlefield development. The adaptability of Setessan Griffin gives it an edge in fast-paced games where mana efficiency is crucial.

In essence, Setessan Griffin holds its own when compared to its peers, with a respectable starting point and the advantageous ability to become a more formidable creature mid-game. Its power adjustment potential and cost-effectiveness make it a solid choice for players looking to add a flexible flier to their deck.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Setessan Griffin 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 Setessan Griffin card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-09-15	If Setessan Griffin's ability is activated by one player, then another player gains control of it during the same turn, the second player can't activate its ability that turn.