Water Wings MTG Card


Water Wings offers card advantage and reuses impactful creature effects when bouncing back to hand. Instant speed play allows for a more reactive, adaptable strategy during crucial moments. While resourceful, the discard requirement and mana specificity of Water Wings can limit its utility.
Water Wings - Wilds of Eldraine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2023-09-08
Set symbol
Set nameWilds of Eldraine
Set codeWOE
Number77
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byArash Radkia

Text of card

Until end of turn, target creature you control has base power and toughness 4/4 and gains flying and hexproof. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

Luckily for the plummeting Johann, the hydroloft spell was one he had actually mastered.


Cards like Water Wings

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Water Wings adds a distinctive twist to the suite of aura enchantments. Its kinship with cards like Flight is evident, since both aim to grant flying to a creature. Flight, while straightforward in its effect, does not offer the flexibility that Water Wings provides. The ability to return Water Wings to its owner’s hand when the enchanted creature is targeted represents a layer of protection not found in many similar enchantments.

Considering other parallels, Jump stands out due to its single-use effect that gives a creature flying until end of turn, a minimalist approach contrasting with Water Wings’ ongoing advantage. On the flip side, cards like Invisibility offer a more permanent evasion capability, giving the enchanted creature unblockable in addition to flying. Although Water Wings doesn’t render a creature unblockable, its resilience to targeted spells or abilities by bouncing back to the player’s hand is a tactical edge that can frustrate opponents’ plans.

In sum, Water Wings may not always appear powerful at first glance when compared to other aura cards in Magic: The Gathering, but its inherent defensive utility through its bounce-back feature can make it a sly choice for decks centered on preserving key creatures and outmaneuvering opponent tactics.

Flight - MTG Card versions
Jump - MTG Card versions
Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Flight - MTG Card versions
Jump - MTG Card versions
Invisibility - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Water Wings by color, type and mana cost

Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Updraft - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Response - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Flash Counter - MTG Card versions
Echoing Truth - MTG Card versions
Counterspell - MTG Card versions
Hurkyl's Recall - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare - MTG Card versions
Lat-Nam's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Flash - MTG Card versions
Boomerang - MTG Card versions
Updraft - MTG Card versions
Rebound - MTG Card versions
Memory Lapse - MTG Card versions
Hoodwink - MTG Card versions
Tidal Bore - MTG Card versions
Accumulated Knowledge - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Response - MTG Card versions
Aether Burst - MTG Card versions
Impulse - MTG Card versions
Cyclonic Rift - MTG Card versions
Thassa's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Metamorphose - MTG Card versions
Flash Counter - MTG Card versions
Echoing Truth - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Water Wings. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Azorius HeroicAzorius Heroic StandardAzorius HeroicTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 22, 2024
DecklistDecklist Free form81#CS

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Water Wings can be a pivotal card by offering a strategic mechanism for returning creatures to their owner’s hands. This move can replenish your hand, particularly when you retrieve your own creatures with beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects.

Resource Acceleration: By bouncing your creatures, Water Wings may indirectly contribute to resource acceleration. This can reset mana dorks or untap lands tied to creature abilities, further propelling your game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Water Wings at instant speed provides flexibility, enabling you to react swiftly to the evolving battlefield. It’s especially useful for interrupting opponent combos or avoiding unfavorable trades during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To achieve lift-off with Water Wings, you’ll have to let go of a card from your hand, which can tie up your game plan, especially when you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Donning these wings requires a very specific set of mana — one that’s splashed with blue. This can pigeonhole the card into decks that run heavily on Islands, restricting its versatility across various builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you compare the mana required to cast Water Wings, it’s evident that its cost is a bit steep for its benefits. There are many other spells and creatures out there that can provide similar or even better effects without consuming as much of your mana pool.


Reasons to Include Water Wings in Your Collection

Versatility: Water Wings brings a level of adaptability to blue decks that require evasion. By granting flying to a creature, it can turn ground-based threats or strategic defenders into potent attackers capable of soaring over opponents’ lines.

Combo Potential: This enchantment can be a key component in synergistic interactions, especially with cards that benefit from flying creatures or enchantment synergies, potentially opening the door to powerful combo plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where combat is dominated by ground forces, Water Wings provides a straightforward solution to bypass crowded battlefields, making it a relevant choice for decks that need to pivot their attack strategy to the skies.


How to beat

Water Wings is an enchantment aura that gives a creature the ability to fly over the battlefield in the game of Magic: The Gathering. Although granting flight can pose a significant advantage, there are still strategies you can employ to counter this card effectively. For instance, you might use removal spells that specifically target enchanted creatures or enchantments directly, such as Naturalize or Disenchant. Casualties of War also offers a versatile option to destroy multiple types of permanents, including enchantments.

Additionally, you could take advantage of board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation to clear the field of all creatures, including those with enchanted Water Wings. Don’t forget, cards with reach or any flying blockers are also effective deterrents to creatures enhanced by Water Wings. It’s crucial to tailor your strategy to the composition of your deck and the dynamics of the game. By remaining aware of these potential solutions, you’ll be prepared to ground any aerial threats posed by Water Wings and maintain control of the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Water Wings MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine, 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 Water Wings and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Water Wings has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-09-01 Water Wings overwrites any previous effects that set the creature's power and/or toughness to specific values. Effects that otherwise modify its power and toughness will still apply no matter when they took effect. The same is true for +1/+1 counters.