Kinsbaile Balloonist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Kithkin Soldier
Abilities	Flying
Released	2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Lorwyn
Set code	LRW
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	23
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Key Takeaways

Kinsbaile Balloonist elevates MTG strategies, granting temporary flight to creatures and bypassing ground defenses.
It requires careful resource management due to its discard cost, and a specific white mana investment.
Incorporating it can enhance deck versatility and combo potential, but consider meta relevance and cost.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Kinsbaile Balloonist attacks, you may have target creature gain flying until end of turn.

Even when a giant's tantrum turns the sky into a chaotic gale, the path of the balloonist never falters.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kinsbaile Balloonist can create multiple triggers allowing you to deliver more threats across the battlefield. When played strategically, this ability ensures you’re always a step ahead, potentially turning each creature you control into an aerial menace. By giving your creatures flying until end of turn, you’re simultaneously sidestepping ground blockers and applying pressure from the air where your opponent may be vulnerable.

Resource Acceleration: Leveraging Kinsbaile Balloonist in synergy with other cards can accelerate your access to valuable resources. Specifically, it pairs well with cards that reward you for attacking with flying creatures, enhancing your resource pool indirectly through various means such as life gain, token creation, or additional draw.

Instant Speed: The power of the Balloonist doesn’t come from instant speed itself but from the instant-like surprise it provides during combat. By turning your nonflying creatures into potential aerial threats right before damage is dealt, you can catch an unprepared opponent off guard, mimicking the advantages of instant speed maneuvers within combat phases.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike certain utility creatures that offer a bonus without additional cost, Kinsbaile Balloonist’s ability might not sufficiently offset the requirement to discard a card, which could set you back, especially in a tight game where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Kinsbaile Balloonist demands a white mana cost that could be restrictive. Decks not focused on white mana may find this creature less accessible, which challenges its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the higher side for its size and effect, Kinsbaile Balloonist may compete for a deck slot with other creatures that provide more impact or versatility for a similar investment in mana resources.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kinsbaile Balloonist can seamlessly become a part of various white deck builds, giving creatures the opportunity to fly over blockers and swing games in your favor, especially in aerial combat scenarios or when evasion is key.

Combo Potential: This card holds potential in combos, particularly in strategies revolving around +1/+1 counters, as it enables a sudden shift in the board state, allowing for unexpected offensive maneuvers or defensive adjustments.

Meta-Relevance: Given its cost-effectiveness and ability to provide evasion, Kinsbaile Balloonist stands as a solid choice in a meta where board presence and creature dominance can dictate the outcome of a match.

How to beat Kinsbaile Balloonist

The Kinsbaile Balloonist card brings an interesting twist to battlefield dynamics in Magic: The Gathering. This creature’s ability to grant flying to another creature until the end of the turn can turn the tides of combat in the air. Overcoming this card often involves strategic removal at key moments. Removal spells that can target creatures irrespective of their flying status, like Doom Blade or Murder, are highly effective when the Balloonist tries to lift an attacker or blocker into the air.

Moreover, countering the Balloonist before it even hits the field with counterspells such as Cancel or Essence Scatter ensures that your opponent can’t leverage its aerial advantage. As the Balloonist itself doesn’t have inherent protection, it is vulnerable to most removal spells. If you’re facing a deck that heavily relies on this card’s flying mechanic, incorporating cards that can neutralize flying threats, like Windstorm or Spidersilk Net, into your deck can be a good preemptive measure to safeguard your strategy against an airborne assault.

Ultimately, while the Kinsbaile Balloonist provides a tactical benefit to creature-based strategies, its impact can be mitigated with timely removal or preparation against aerial threats. Understanding the opportune moment to disrupt your opponent’s plans is key to maintaining control of the battlefield.

Cards like Kinsbaile Balloonist

Kinsbaile Balloonist is an intriguing creature card that finds its place in the aerial combat strategies often seen within the Magic: The Gathering universe. Drawing parallels, it shares some similarities with other flying creatures such as Stormfront Pegasus, which also provides an immediate airborne threat at a low cost. Kinsbaile Balloonist differentiates itself with its ability to grant another target creature flying until the end of the turn, lending versatility in situations where you might want to elevate a non-flying powerhouse to swoop in for critical damage.

Healer’s Hawk is another flyer that costs less and comes with lifelink, favoring defensive strategies over Kinsbaile Balloonist’s offensive assist. Skyknight Legionnaire, however, offers not only flying but also haste, though at a higher mana cost, allowing it to impact the board right away. Kinsbaile Balloonist’s potential to tactically give another creature flight can unexpectedly shift combat dynamics in your favor, making it a card worth considering in decks that aim to dominate the skies.

Evaluating these creatures alongside Kinsbaile Balloonist helps MTG players pinpoint the correct choice for their deck based on their tactical preferences, balancing costs, abilities, and synergies within their flying arsenals.

Skyknight Legionnaire - MTG Card versions

Skyknight Legionnaire - Arena League 2005 (PAL05)

Cards similar to Kinsbaile Balloonist by color, type and mana cost

Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions

Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions

Veteran of the Depths - MTG Card versions

Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions

Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions

Northern Paladin - Revised Edition (3ED)

Seasoned Marshal - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)

Coalition Honor Guard - Apocalypse (APC)

Mangara, the Diplomat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Kami of Old Stone - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kinsbaile Balloonist MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Kinsbaile Balloonist and other MTG cards: