Kingfisher MTG Card


Kingfisher - Urza's Destiny
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying
Released1999-06-07
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Destiny
Set codeUDS
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number36
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byEdward P. Beard, Jr.

Key Takeaways

  1. Kingfisher accelerates mana and provides card selection, enhancing your deck’s consistency and reach.
  2. Despite its advantage, it demands careful mana management and could strain hand resources.
  3. Its flexibility makes it a valuable asset for adept players seeking strategic depth in gameplay.

Text of card

Flying When Kingfisher is put into a graveyard from play, draw a card.

It's tastiest when served with the fish it stole.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Kingfisher card enables you to sift through your deck quickly, finding the spells or creatures you need for your strategy. This type of advantage can often tip the scales in a game, ensuring you’re never without options.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to potentially untap lands or generate additional resources, Kingfisher can ramp up your mana pool. This acceleration is key in casting high-impact spells earlier than your opponent expects, creating a significant leverage in a match.

Instant Speed: Kingfisher can be played at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react during your opponent’s turn. This not only allows you to be more strategic with your plays but also keeps your opponents guessing, as they must consider the possibility of you having a response up your sleeve.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Kingfisher, you may find your hand size dwindling as it requires a card to be discarded, which can be detrimental during the late game when every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The Kingfisher card demands a precise mana composition to cast, potentially clashing with mana bases in multicolored decks that may not always have the required colors readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Equipped with a cost that may be on the higher side, Kingfisher competes with other cards in your deck that could offer similar or enhanced effects with a lower mana investment, impacting its overall efficiency.


Reasons to Include Kingfisher in Your Collection

Versatility: Kingfisher’s low casting cost and flying ability make it a compatible choice for various blue-based decks. It works well in strategies that emphasize evasion or require airborne creatures for synergy purposes.

Combo Potential: This card can play a role in decks that capitalize on creature-based combos or those that benefit from having a high count of creatures with flying. It can also contribute to strategies that use creatures’ presence to manipulate game mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: Depending on the current competitive environment, Kingfisher might shine in metas where air superiority is crucial or where lightweight creatures with secondary abilities can tip the scales in early game dominance.


How to beat

Kingfisher may appear to be an intriguing card, with the ability to impact the flow of gameplay and potentially disrupt opponents’ strategies in MTG. It’s the kind of card that, at first glance, offers both a threat and a tactical advantage on the board. However, when it comes to countering Kingfisher, there are several effective strategies to employ. Firstly, remember that removal spells are your ally, as they can target and eliminate Kingfisher before it becomes an issue. Direct damage spells or those that can force a sacrifice are especially potent against this card.

Another method is to use cards that prevent abilities from activating, thus neutralizing Kingfisher’s effects. Countering the card before it even hits the battlefield is also a strong strategy. Counter spells can be a decisive way to prevent it from impacting the game. Lastly, remember to adjust your own tactics; if Kingfisher relies on a certain type of card or condition, modifying your gameplay to avoid these can diminish its power, rendering it less of a threat. With the right combination of foresight and response, overcoming the challenge posed by Kingfisher is definitely achievable.


Cards like Kingfisher

Kingfisher, a curious entrant in the realm of flying creatures for MTG, finds its wings matched by the likes of Spiketail Hatchling and Faerie Seer. Like Kingfisher, Spiketail Hatchling takes to the skies and offers an additional layer of strategy by allowing players to counter a spell unless its caster pays an additional cost. However, Kingfisher distinguishes itself with a more straightforward approach, requiring no extra mana for its evasion.

Moving to Faerie Seer, we see a similar mana value and flying trait but with a more control-oriented bonus. Faerie Seer allows a peek at the top cards of your library and a chance to reorganize them, tactical advantages that Kingfisher doesn’t provide. Nevertheless, Kingfisher’s simplicity can be its strength, exchanging subtle nods of strategy for pure, unadulterated flying ability.

Exploring the nuances of these creatures illustrates Kingfisher’s place in Magic: The Gathering. Where intricate effects and abilities abound, sometimes the uncluttered and uninterrupted ability to fly is all that’s needed. As players evaluate their deck-building options, Kingfisher remains a solid choice for those who value flying straightforwardness over complex synergies.

Spiketail Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Spiketail Hatchling - Prophecy (PCY)
Faerie Seer - Modern Horizons (MH1)

Cards similar to Kingfisher by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Infuser - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Dragon - MTG Card versions
Havengul Runebinder - MTG Card versions
Elgaud Shieldmate - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Vapor - Chronicles (CHR)
Tradewind Rider - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Archivist - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Thieving Magpie - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Inga Rune-Eyes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Laboratory Drudge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dream Prowler - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Cytoplast Manipulator - Dissension (DIS)
Crookclaw Transmuter - Time Spiral (TSP)
Turtleshell Changeling - Lorwyn (LRW)
Glen Elendra Archmage - Eventide (EVE)
Fatestitcher - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Argent Sphinx - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Lumengrid Drake - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Vedalken Infuser - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Phantasmal Dragon - Magic 2012 (M12)
Havengul Runebinder - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Elgaud Shieldmate - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kingfisher has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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