Crosswinds MTG Card


Crosswinds - Urza's Saga
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Saga
Set codeUSG
Number246
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRandy Elliott

Key Takeaways

  1. Crosswinds grants simultaneous disruption, giving players card and tempo advantage over multiple opponents.
  2. The ability to cast Crosswinds at instant speed offers players strategic flexibility and responsive play.
  3. While powerful, its specific mana requirements and discard cost affect deck fluidity and resource management.

Text of card

All creatures with flying get -2/-0.

Harbin's ornithopter had been trapped for two days within the currents of the storm. When the skies cleared, all he could see was a horizon of trees.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Crosswinds provides a player the ability to potentially disrupt multiple opponents’ strategies simultaneously, gaining a notable advantage in card value and tempo within a game.

Resource Acceleration: This card can act as a soft form of resource acceleration by effectively saving you mana in the long term. By delaying your opponents’ plays, you preserve the mana you would have spent on more expensive reactive measures.

Instant Speed: The power of Crosswinds is greatly amplified by its instant speed, giving players the flexibility to cast it in response to an opponent’s actions. This ensures that you can carefully choose the most opportune moment to maximize its impact on the game’s progress.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Crosswinds requires users to let go of another card, which might not always be feasible, especially in games where hand size is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Crosswinds necessitates a blend of color-specific mana, making it less adaptable for decks that run on a tighter color scheme or those looking to maintain mana fluidity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that could be considered steep for its effects, players might find other cards to fill that slot more cost-effectively. Crosswinds’ mana investment could influence deck building and in-game resource management.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Crosswinds can be quite a flexible addition to a variety of blue-based decks, offering a form of control to manipulate the flow of the match to your advantage.

Combo Potential: This card serves as a puzzle piece in decks that capitalize on the instants and sorceries synergy, enhancing the effectiveness of counterspells or draw strategies in the deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment heavy with flying creatures, Crosswinds emerges as a tactical play. It can shift the tide of aerial combat your way, potentially providing a significant edge over opponents who rely on such strategies.


How to beat

The Crosswinds card plays a unique role in altering the pace of aerial combat within the game. It’s designed to give players an edge when they are up against decks that heavily rely on flying creatures, imparting a strategic advantage to those on the ground. In light of this, overcoming Crosswinds requires a shift in deck composition and playstyle. Strategies to beat Crosswinds include ramping up non-flying threats that can bypass its influence or deploying enchantment removal cards to directly eliminate the card from the field.

Additionally, cards specializing in counter magic can intercept Crosswinds before it can manifest its effects on the board, maintaining the balance in flying creature superiority. It’s equally efficient to utilize hexproof or shroud abilities to safeguard crucial creatures from being affected by such global enchantments. By adapting to the current meta, where Crosswinds may be prevalent, players can prepare their decks with an arsenal of utility spells and robust creatures, effectively mitigating the card’s potential impact and maintaining the momentum of their own strategic plays.


Cards like Crosswinds

Crosswinds holds a unique position in the realm of flying enhancers within Magic the Gathering. It’s often compared to cards like Favorable Winds, a well-known enchantment that gives flying creatures a +1/+1 boost. Where Crosswinds diverts from the norm is in its ability to grant all creatures flying until the end of the turn, not just those that you control. This situational application can be both a powerful offensive tactic and a defensive maneuver.

Standing beside it is another card, Wings of the Guard. This one, while not an enchantment, can repeatedly provide a singular creature with flying through its rebound capability. It underlines a more targeted approach compared to Crosswinds’ sweeping affect. Then there’s also Levitation, granting all your creatures flying with no end turn restriction, making it a more permanent solution at a higher mana cost.

Assessing the scope of utility and adaptability, Crosswinds has its merit among flying-support cards in MTG, offering a unique and potentially game-altering play during a match, depending on the timing and strategic application.

Favorable Winds - MTG Card versions
Wings of the Guard - MTG Card versions
Levitation - MTG Card versions
Favorable Winds - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Wings of the Guard - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
Levitation - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Crosswinds by color, type and mana cost

Aspect of Wolf - MTG Card versions
Regeneration - MTG Card versions
Lifeforce - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Touch - MTG Card versions
Night Soil - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Primal Rage - MTG Card versions
Survival of the Fittest - MTG Card versions
Fortitude - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Grove - MTG Card versions
Treetop Bracers - MTG Card versions
Root Cage - MTG Card versions
Elfhame Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Compost - MTG Card versions
Thoughtleech - MTG Card versions
Weaver of Harmony - MTG Card versions
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - MTG Card versions
Fertile Ground - MTG Card versions
Mark of Sakiko - MTG Card versions
Fists of Ironwood - MTG Card versions
Aspect of Wolf - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Regeneration - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Lifeforce - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Gaea's Touch - The Dark (DRK)
Night Soil - Commander 2013 (C13)
Sylvan Library - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Primal Rage - Stronghold (STH)
Survival of the Fittest - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fortitude - Urza's Saga (USG)
Tranquil Grove - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Treetop Bracers - Tenth Edition (10E)
Root Cage - Prophecy (PCY)
Elfhame Sanctuary - Invasion (INV)
Compost - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Thoughtleech - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Weaver of Harmony - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fertile Ground - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Mark of Sakiko - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Fists of Ironwood - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crosswinds MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Crosswinds and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crosswinds has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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