Cloudchaser Kestrel MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying
Released	2006-10-06
Set symbol
Set name	Time Spiral
Set code	TSP
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	10
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daren Bader

Key Takeaways

Cloudchaser Kestrel can draw extra cards with enchantment plays, giving players a significant card advantage.
The Kestrel facilitates enchantment-based ramp, potentially leading to faster and more powerful plays.
Its enchantment synergy at instant speed can unexpectedly alter the board state, offering tactical surprises.

Text of card

Flying When Cloudchaser Kestrel comes into play, destroy target enchantment. : Target permanent becomes white until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cloudchaser Kestrel’s ability to soar over opponents grants you an edge by potentially drawing more cards when enchantments come into play under your control.

Resource Acceleration: This feathery friend can be a subtle form of ramp, as it may allow for enchantment-based resource acceleration, leading to more dynamic and potent plays as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: Although Cloudchaser Kestrel itself isn’t an instant, its synergy with enchantments that can be cast at instant speed can create surprising shifts in board state, catching opponents off guard during their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not applicable to the Cloudchaser Kestrel itself, players must always consider the overall card balance of their deck. Cards with discard effects, even if strong, might force unwanted decisions when it comes to hand management.

Specific Mana Cost: Cloudchaser Kestrel’s casting cost includes one white mana, which might not be a hurdle for mono-white or two-color decks but can be restrictive for those running three or more colors, especially in formats with a less consistent mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though a cost of three mana is not excessively high, for a creature with modest stats like the Cloudchaser Kestrel, some players might find it difficult to justify its spot in a deck over other options that provide more impactful board presence or abilities for a similar investment.

Reasons to Include Cloudchaser Kestrel in Your Collection

Versatility: Cloudchaser Kestrel can be a flexible addition to decks that capitalize on flying creatures or require enchantment control, offering strategic adaptability in various situations.

Combo Potential: Its ability to destroy enchantments upon entry gives it synergy with cards that benefit from enchantments being sent to the graveyard, enabling potent combo setups.

Meta-Relevance: As enchantment-based decks fluctuate in popularity, having Cloudchaser Kestrel on hand ensures you have a relevant tool to address enchantment-heavy opponents, maintaining competitiveness in evolving metas.

How to beat

The presence of Cloudchaser Kestrel on the battlefield brings unique strategic depth to the game. This flyer from the Time Spiral expansion not only commands the sky but also gives players the ability to convert nonbasic lands into basics upon dealing combat damage. The Kestrel can dismantle carefully laid land strategies and sever crucial mana sources. That said, your game plan should involve either preventing it from reaching the battlefield in the first place through counterspells, or ensuring its time in play is short-lived with removal spells.

Having efficient blockers or spells that can deal with flying creatures is key. Instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or creature-based strategies utilizing reach or flying to intercept the Kestrel can effectively neutralize this threat. Alternatively, you can turn the tables with spells that benefit from land transformation or use land reanimation tactics to recover your nonbasics. Adapting your deck to either withstand or mitigate the Kestrel’s ability can make all the difference, ensuring your lands, and game, remain firm.

Overall, staying flexible and prepared for the potential impact of Cloudchaser Kestrel in the game will keep your deck resilient against this particular feathered foe.

Cards like Cloudchaser Kestrel

Cloudchaser Kestrel stands out within the realm of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering, joining the ranks of flying creatures with modest mana costs. It finds parallels with the likes of Aven Squire, both being feathered friends with a primary role of providing utility in aerial combat. Though Aven Squire comes with exalted, enhancing another attacker’s capabilities, our Kestrel carries a unique ability to destroy enchantments, a feature not to be underestimated in enchantment-heavy metas.

Diving deeper into comparison, we look at cards like Leonin Iconoclast. While holding the same enchantment-busting capability, the Iconoclast demands another creature to trigger its effect. Cloudchaser Kestrel, in contrast, boasts independence, needing no additional board presence to exercise its power upon entry. Another noteworthy comparison is with Reclamation Sage, an omnipresent choice in green decks for similar purposes. Though the Sage can target artifacts as well as enchantments, it does lack the flying attribute which elevates Cloudchaser Kestrel’s utility in providing both board control and pressure from above.

Evaluating these options, Cloudchaser Kestrel competently serves the dual function of controlling the skies and keeping enchantments in check, earning its place in decks looking for versatile and capable winged allies.

Cards similar to Cloudchaser Kestrel by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cloudchaser Kestrel MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Cloudchaser Kestrel and other MTG cards: