Gustcloak Harrier MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird Soldier
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Its evasion techniques can turn the tide of battle by dodging poor combat alignments and attacks.
  2. Efficient mana use makes Gustcloak Harrier a swift play to pressure adversaries and sustain momentum.
  3. The card’s reactive untapping skill offers a form of vigilance, crucial for maintaining an offensive presence.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Gustcloak Harrier becomes blocked, you may untap it and remove it from combat.

Banking steeply, the aven streaked toward the ground—and vanished.


Card Pros

The Gustcloak Harrier is a versatile addition to your deck, notable for its tactical advantages on the battlefield. Understanding its strengths can bolster your gameplay and give you an upper hand during matches.

Card Advantage: Gustcloak Harrier’s key strength lies not in drawing cards but in forcing your opponent into unfavorable blocks or deterring attacks altogether. This can indirectly lead to card advantage by preserving your creatures on the board and leaving your opponent with fewer options.

Resource Acceleration: While the Gustcloak Harrier doesn’t directly increase your mana resources, its low casting cost allows for an efficient use of mana. Deploying this card early on can put pressure on your opponent while you build up your mana base for larger threats.

Instant Speed: The power of the Harrier isn’t rooted in instant speed capabilities; nevertheless, its untapping ability can be a tactical asset. It effectively grants a form of vigilance, allowing you to defend during your opponent’s turn without having to forego an attack on your own, thus maintaining an aggressive board presence.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gustcloak Harrier doesn’t explicitly require a discard, but its position in a deck could force tough decisions. In a hand where mana efficiency is key, having it alongside cards with synergistic abilities might lead to regrettable discards to maintain tempo.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one white mana may seem trivial, but it can be restrictive. Decks with a greedy mana base or those running multiple colors might struggle to consistently cast Gustcloak Harrier on curve, impacting its overall effectiveness.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana for a 2/1 flier, Gustcloak Harrier competes with many other cards in the two-drop slot. Players might find better value with other creatures that offer additional abilities or greater stat value for the same cost, making Gustcloak Harrier a less tempting choice for deck inclusion.


Reasons to Include Gustcloak Harrier in Your Collection

Versatility: Gustcloak Harrier has the ability to dodge unfavorable combat scenarios thanks to its unique ability. This makes it a flexible defender in decks that require creatures to stay on the battlefield for continuous effects or blocking purposes.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Gustcloak Harrier can be part of combos that capitalize on triggered abilities when a creature attacks or leaves combat. This can be especially useful for synergies that involve tapping or untapping creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In environments saturated with aggressive strategies, having a flyer like Gustcloak Harrier can help control the skies and offer a tactical advantage. Its evasion can prove crucial in overcoming ground-stalled board states and maintaining pressure on the opponent.


How to beat Gustcloak Harrier

Gustcloak Harrier presents a unique challenge in MTG with its ability to untap and remove itself from combat. To effectively counter this creature, players should consider utilizing removal spells that don’t rely on combat to take it down. Options like Murder or Doom Blade allow you to target and destroy the Harrier outright, circumventing its combat-based ability.

Alternatively, spells that reduce a creature’s toughness to zero, such as Dismember or Dead Weight, can effectively bypass the need for combat altogether. For those looking for a more strategic approach, using abilities or spells that force a creature to tap can render the Harrier’s untapping ability moot. Players can also opt for enchantments like Pacifism, which prevent the creature from attacking or blocking, effectively neutralizing the threat it poses on the battlefield.

In the end, while Gustcloak Harrier may initially seem difficult to manage due to its evasive capabilities, a well-planned strategy involving non-combat removal or control elements can easily keep it in check, ensuring your opponent’s clever plays are swiftly grounded.


Cards like Gustcloak Harrier

Gustcloak Harrier offers a unique twist on creature dynamics in Magic: The Gathering, sharing similarities with other defensively oriented fliers. For instance, the card compares to cards like Suntail Hawk, both being 1/1 flying creatures for a low mana cost. However, Gustcloak Harrier steps ahead with its ability to untap and remove itself from combat, giving players a defensive edge and a recurring air blocker.

Another card that echoes this tactical evasion is Kitesail Scout. Although it doesn’t possess the same untap feature, it still stands as a low-cost flyer providing a reasonable choice for early sky control. But Gustcloak Harrier brings in additional strategic depth, allowing it to survive encounters that Kitesail Scout cannot. Lastly, Aven Riftwatcher enters the fray with not only flying but also vanishing and life gain, catering to a slightly different strategy that emphasizes temporary board presence and immediate life increase.

To sum up, while there are many small flyers in the game, Gustcloak Harrier carves out its niche through its capacity to dodge unfavorable clashes, making it a noteworthy option for players aiming to maintain aerial dominance with a degree of tactical flexibility.

Suntail Hawk - MTG Card versions
Kitesail Scout - MTG Card versions
Aven Riftwatcher - MTG Card versions
Suntail Hawk - Judgment (JUD)
Kitesail Scout - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Aven Riftwatcher - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Cards similar to Gustcloak Harrier by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Snow Hound - MTG Card versions
Elvish Healer - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Stern Marshal - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Kitsune Palliator - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Snow Hound - Ice Age (ICE)
Elvish Healer - Ice Age (ICE)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Stern Marshal - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Kitsune Palliator - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gustcloak Harrier MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Vintage Masters, 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 Gustcloak Harrier and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gustcloak Harrier Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2015-02-27. Illustrated by Dan Frazier.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-10-07OnslaughtONS 341997normalblackDan Frazier
22014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 302015normalblackDan Frazier
32015-02-27Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. KioraDDO 102015normalblackDan Frazier

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gustcloak Harrier has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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