Castle Raptors MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird Soldier
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Boasts deterrent abilities, creating advantageous blocking scenarios for strategic deck play.
  2. Efficient mana cost complements early to mid-game with its sizable flying presence.
  3. Enhances instant speed plays by forcing opponents into difficult combat decisions.

Text of card

Flying As long as Castle Raptors is untapped, it gets +0/+2.

"Each place we see is as ruined and lifeless as the last. So here we stay, because this ruin is *ours*."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Castle Raptors card can be a strategic addition to your deck as it can sometimes deter opponents from attacking, potentially leading to advantageous blocking situations that can preserve your hand while depleting theirs.

Resource Acceleration: Though Castle Raptors doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its competitive mana cost for a sizable flying creature allows for a more efficient use of mana in the early to mid-game, contributing to a well-curved deck strategy.

Instant Speed: While Castle Raptors itself doesn’t have instant speed, its presence can impact the board in such a way that it complements your instant speed spells. By presenting a defensive aerial threat, it can force your opponent into unfavorable combat decisions, allowing you to make the most of your instant speed interactions during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Castle Raptors doesn’t require an actual discard from hand to be played, it does suffer from the issue that if it’s forced into the graveyard, there lacks an inherent mechanism within the card to recoup that loss, unlike other creatures with graveyard synergy abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Castle Raptors comes with a mana cost that demands both white and generic mana. This specificity can be problematic for decks not tuned to consistently produce the required white mana, making the card less flexible across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a total of five mana to cast, including two white, Castle Raptors can be considered costly given its stats and abilities. For the same mana investment, players might find other creatures or spells that provide greater impact on the game or come with additional utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Castle Raptors has a flexible role in various strategies, seamlessly integrating into decks that capitalize on flying creatures and defensive positions. With a solid toughness, it can hold the fort against numerous threats from the air and ground alike.

Combo Potential: This card works well within synergy-driven decks, especially those involving “flicker” or “bounce” mechanics. By reusing Castle Raptors’ abilities through these interactions, you can maximize its defensive utility and maintain a strong presence on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where air superiority can dictate the pace of play, Castle Raptors proves its worth. Its resilience against popular removal spells and ability to stave off aggressive flying creatures makes it a judicious pick for decks looking to sustain in the current meta.


How to beat

Castle Raptors is an intriguing creature card, offering tactical advantages with its flying ability and favorable toughness in Magic: The Gathering. Its presence on the battlefield can be quite the hurdle. As with any flying creatures, ground blockers won’t be a reliable defense against it. Instead, securing cards with reach or ones with direct flying creature removal is key. Spells that destroy flying creatures or any creature regardless of its abilities, like Murder, can effectively counter Castle Raptors. Additionally, since Castle Raptors is a white creature, it can be vulnerable to color-specific spells that target white creatures or those that penalize creatures without specific immunities.

Enchantment-based removals or those inducing pacifism-like effects also provide a solution by restricting the creature’s ability to attack or block without removing it from the field. As a card with considerable toughness, direct damage might not always be efficient unless it’s substantial. Board clearing spells could be the trump card, completely resetting the state of play. Keep in mind, staying aware of your opponent’s mana and potential combat tricks is crucial when facing Castle Raptors. Plan your strategy accordingly to maintain control of the game against this soaring adversary.


Cards like Castle Raptors

Castle Raptors, as a flying creature card in Magic: The Gathering, takes to the skies alongside other notable winged warriors of the game. When assessing avian allies, Serra Angel emerges as a card to compare. Both share the ability to fly, but Serra Angel stands out with its vigilance, allowing it to attack without tapping, unlike Castle Raptors which must commit and be vulnerable the next turn. However, Castle Raptors has a distinct threshold – it gains a toughness bonus when defending, making it a surprisingly resilient blocker under the right conditions.

Assessing similar cards, there’s Aven Mimeomancer, offering a more strategic angle in gameplay by altering creatures’ stats. It can’t quite match the reliable defensive bolstering of Castle Raptors but does add another layer of board manipulation. Stormfront Pegasus is another, simpler card – it’s a low-cost flyer, straightforward and efficient for early pressure, though it lacks the situall toughness buff that makes Castle Raptors an asset in the later game.

All things considered, Castle Raptors serves as a balanced choice in a fliers deck, especially in games where controlling the sky-lanes is crucial, providing a diligent defense with its conditional toughness increase.

Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Aven Mimeomancer - MTG Card versions
Stormfront Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Aven Mimeomancer - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Stormfront Pegasus - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Castle Raptors by color, type and mana cost

Veteran Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
Master Healer - MTG Card versions
Angel of Mercy - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Border Patrol - MTG Card versions
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Sigardian Savior - MTG Card versions
Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions
Collector Protector - MTG Card versions
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions
Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Shu Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Conclave Phalanx - MTG Card versions
Veteran Bodyguard - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Rashida Scalebane - Mirage (MIR)
Avenging Angel - Tempest (TMP)
Lancers en-Kor - Stronghold (STH)
Radiant, Archangel - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Master Healer - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Angel of Mercy - The List (PLST)
Serra Angel - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Border Patrol - Judgment (JUD)
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Sigardian Savior - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Celestial Gatekeeper - Legions (LGN)
Collector Protector - Unhinged (UNH)
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - Saviors of Kamigawa Promos (PSOK)
Belfry Spirit - Guildpact (GPT)
Petra Sphinx - Masters Edition (ME1)
Barrenton Medic - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Ivory Gargoyle - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Shu Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Conclave Phalanx - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Castle Raptors MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Castle Raptors and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Castle Raptors Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 52003normalblackChristopher Moeller
22021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 122015normalblackChristopher Moeller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Castle Raptors has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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