Squadron Hawk MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Squadron Hawk excels in creating card advantage, replenishing your hand while applying steady pressure.
  2. Combines well with instant speed spells, adding a layer of defensive surprise against opponents.
  3. Its mana specificity to white limits versatility, but shines within white-focused decks.

Text of card

Flying When Squadron Hawk enters the battlefield, you may search your library for up to three cards named Squadron Hawk, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle your library.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Squadron Hawk offers a unique ability to search your library for up to three more copies of itself when it enters the battlefield. This not only fills your hand but ensures a steady flow of creatures to deploy in subsequent turns.

Resource Acceleration: While Squadron Hawk itself doesn’t accelerate mana directly, the consistent presence it guarantees allows players to exploit synergies with other cards, effectively optimizing mana usage and potentially leading to quicker plays.

Instant Speed: Even though Squadron Hawk is a creature card, pairing it with instant speed spells or flash cards can create unexpected defensive lines. The ability to swarm the battlefield quickly can surprise opponents and disrupt their strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Squadron Hawk encourages deck thinning by allowing you to search for additional copies, each card drawn demands the sacrifice of another card from your hand. This ask can be detrimental in gameplay situations where your hand size is already diminished or when holding onto key cards is essential for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Squadron Hawk requires white mana to cast, which fits exclusively within white or multicolor decks. This specificity can restrain its integration in a diverse array of decks, limiting the card’s versatility and utility across different playing styles.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Squadron Hawk’s cost may seem reasonable at first, but considering its stats and the fact that it does not have immediate board impact, some players may find its mana investment too high. In environments entrenched with low-cost, efficient threats, Squadron Hawk may fall short in tempo and competition.


Reasons to Include Squadron Hawk in Your Collection

Versatility: Squadron Hawk shines in a variety of decks, particularly those that capitalize on card advantage through its ability to retrieve multiple copies of itself from the deck, ensuring a consistent presence on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: With the ability to search for additional copies, this card works seamlessly in strategies that focus on synergies with flying creatures or those that require creatures to sacrifice.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ebb and flow of the competitive landscape, Squadron Hawk remains a strong consideration in environments where having multiple creatures is beneficial, and where its cost-effective nature can help outpace opponents.


How to beat

Squadron Hawk has been a pivotal card in MTG, especially in decks that utilize strategies revolving around card advantage and extensive searching capabilities. The power of this creature lies in its ability to fill your hand with additional copies of itself upon entering the battlefield, a feature that not only boosts your card advantage but also synergizes well with cards that benefit from having multiple instances of the same card.

However, to effectively counter Squadron Hawk’s strategy, players should focus on preventing creature abilities that trigger when a creature enters the battlefield. Utilize cards that can counter creature spells, which halt the hawk’s search ability before it even begins. Moreover, employing graveyard disruption can also be pivotal, since it can interfere with card recurrence strategies that aim to bring Squadron Hawk back to the hand or battlefield. Strategic use of board wipes can also clear multiple hawks in one fell swoop, greatly reducing the opponent’s potential for repeated plays. In essence, stymieing the hawk’s search ability, disrupting the graveyard, or removing multiple hawks at once can be key components in conquering this feathery foe.


Cards like Squadron Hawk

Squadron Hawk is a renowned creature card that has etched its place within the Magic: The Gathering framework. This card, known for its ability to fetch other copies of itself from the deck, is reminiscent of the concept seen in cards like Elvish Visionary. While Elvish Visionary allows a player to draw a card upon its entrance to the battlefield, shaping the hand with fresh options, Squadron Hawk’s search and retrieve mechanism focuses on swarming the field with duplicates.

Another card worth noting in comparison is Selfless Spirit. Both are creatures with flying; however, Selfless Spirit offers a form of insurance, sacrificing itself for the greater good to grant indestructibility to the rest of your creatures. Squadron Hawk, in contrast, leans towards offensive strategy by expanding aerial threats. Finally, there’s Battle Screech, a spell that also ushers in a flock of flying creatures. Though a sorcery and not a creature like Squadron Hawk, it can overwhelm opponents with immediate airborne power.

Considering these perspectives, Squadron Hawk holds a solid position in terms of utility and strategic depth in creature-based decks, offering repeatable value that can have a significant impact on the game’s momentum.

Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Selfless Spirit - MTG Card versions
Battle Screech - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Selfless Spirit - Eldritch Moon (EMN)
Battle Screech - Judgment (JUD)

Cards similar to Squadron Hawk by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Soltari Priest - MTG Card versions
Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions
White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Squadron Hawk MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2011, 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 Squadron Hawk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Squadron Hawk Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 396752003normalblackMartina Pilcerova
22010-07-16Magic 2011M11 332003normalblackRob Alexander
32011-01-01Friday Night Magic 2011F11 52003normalblackMartina Pilcerova
42016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 312015normalblackMartina Pilcerova
52018-03-16Masters 25A25 342015normalblackMartina Pilcerova

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Squadron Hawk has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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