Abzan Skycaptain MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Bird Soldier |
| Abilities | Bolster,Flying |
| Released | 2015-01-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Fate Reforged |
| Set code | FRF |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 4 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Matt Stewart |
Key Takeaways
- Flying provides evasion and consistent pressure, making Abzan Skycaptain a persistent threat on the board.
- Bolster ability at instant speed post-mortem enhances your creature’s strength, disrupting opponent’s plans.
- Mana-specific casting cost limits versatility but ensures a powerful addition to Abzan-aligned decks.
Text of card
Flying When Abzan Skycaptain dies, bolster 2. (Choose a creature with the least toughness among creatures you control and put two +1/+1 counters on it.)
"A tempest is coming. Turn your faces toward the wind!"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Abzan Skycaptain falls in battle, bolstering brings a beneficial twist to your board state. This ability guarantees that not only do you get a creature in the air to apply pressure but also that when it’s taken down, it leaves behind a stronger ally, ensuring you’re still ahead in terms of resources on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Although it doesn’t directly produce mana or treasure, the flying aspect of Abzan Skycaptain can be indirectly translated into resource acceleration. By evading common ground defenses and applying consistent pressure, it forces opponents to deal with it, potentially diverting resources that could have been used against your more crucial threats or development plays.
Instant Speed: While Abzan Skycaptain itself is not an instant, its bolster ability after death occurs at instant speed. This means that even during your opponent’s turn, your strategy adjusts by strengthening other creatures unexpectedly. This reactive nature of the card can complicate your opponent’s decisions and alter their tactics, especially in combat scenarios or when targeting with removals.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In some deck strategies, having to discard a card can pose a significant drawback. This requirement might force the player to make undesirable decisions, especially when the hand size is critical for maintaining leverage over the opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Abzan Skycaptain demands a precise mana combination to cast, restricting its inclusion to decks that can consistently produce white and black mana. Unfortunately, this makes it less flexible for decks that are not tailored to the Abzan color identity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the array of creatures available in MTG, the cost of deploying Abzan Skycaptain can be steep considering its abilities. Its mana valuation might be seen as unfavorable when contrasted with other creatures in the same mana range that can offer immediate board impact or higher stats.
Reasons to Include Abzan Skycaptain in Your Collection
Versatility: As a flying creature, Abzan Skycaptain can be a valuable addition to many deck types. Its evasion ability makes it a reliable damage dealer and its bolster ability upon death ensures a lasting impact on the game state, enhancing either itself or another creature on the field.
Combo Potential: The card’s death-triggered bolster ability has substantial synergy with decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters. It pairs well with mechanics such as proliferate or modular, potentially setting the stage for powerful combinations and enhanced board presence.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where the presence of flying creatures and counter strategies are prevalent, incorporating Abzan Skycaptain could provide the edge needed. Its ability to contribute to aerial dominance and strengthen other creatures ties into various strategies that could shift the tide of battle in your favor.
How to beat
The Abzan Skycaptain is a steadfast inclusion in flying creature decks across the MTG platform. Its presence aligns with renowned cards such as Serra Angel due to its flying attribute, providing a tactical advantage over ground-based threats. However, Abzan Skycaptain presents a unique dynamic with its bolster ability upon death, contributing growth to your remaining forces.
Handling this aerial threat requires a strategy that focuses on removal spells or abilities that can negate flying. Cards like Ultimate Price or Doom Blade offer efficient removal options at a low mana cost. Additionally, enchantments like Dead Weight can reduce the Skycaptain’s effectiveness, making it an easier target for combat damage. Silklash Spider and Windstorm can deliver sweeping solutions against flying creatures, drastically tipping the balance in your favor. Furthermore, utilizing counter spells such as Counterspell or Negate when the Skycaptain is cast, ensures it never takes to the skies.
In essence, devising a plan that incorporates these elements can effectively mitigate the impact of Abzan Skycaptain, maintaining control of the skies and steering the game towards your victory in the realm of MTG.
Cards like Abzan Skycaptain
Abzan Skycaptain soars into the realm of creature cards in MTG with the useful bolster mechanic. It can be compared with creatures like Ainok Bond-Kin, which also takes advantage of the bolster synergy, enhancing the battlefield presence of your smallest creatures. However, Abzan Skycaptain presents a unique edge with its flying ability, granting an aerial advantage over ground-based creatures like Ainok Bond-Kin.
When considering similar flyers, Sandsteppe Outcast emerges as a card with a comparable effect, delivering a spirit token with flying. Yet, it doesn’t directly impact other creatures like Abzan Skycaptain does when it dies. Another kindred card is Elite Scaleguard which exploits the bolster ability to a higher degree, affecting not just one but multiple creatures on the field, though it lacks the airborne prowess of the Skycaptain.
Assessing these comparisons highlights Abzan Skycaptain as a versatile choice for MTG players who value both flying and bolster mechanics. Its afterlife presence in strengthening your smallest creature can be a game-changer, especially in decks that capitalize on counter strategies.
Cards similar to Abzan Skycaptain by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Abzan Skycaptain MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Abzan Skycaptain and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Abzan Skycaptain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Abzan Skycaptain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-11-24 | Bolster itself doesn't target any creature, though some spells and abilities that bolster may have other effects that target creatures. For example, you could put counters on a creature with protection from white with Abzan Skycaptain's bolster ability. |
| 2014-11-24 | You determine which creature to put counters on as the spell or ability that instructs you to bolster resolves. |