Aerial Volley MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2015-07-17
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Origins
Set code	ORI
Number	168
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Lake Hurwitz

Key Takeaways

Aerial Volley can eliminate multiple threats at once, offering significant card advantage.
Its low cost and instant speed grant strategic flexibility within your mana curve.
While specific to green decks, it’s a formidable defense against airborne assaults.

Text of card

Aerial Volley deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures with flying.

Drakes can swerve to avoid a single arrow, but they can't dodge the whole sky.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although Aerial Volley itself does not let you draw cards, it can potentially remove multiple threats at once. This potential for a one-to-many trade can swing the balance in your favor, putting you ahead in the game by diminishing your opponent’s resources while conserving your own spells and creatures.

Resource Acceleration: Aerial Volley’s low casting cost means it fits seamlessly into your mana curve, keeping your resources free for other plays. Efficient removal lets you stay ahead on the board without setting back your plan for growth and development.

Instant Speed: The key advantage of instant speed is flexibility, and Aerial Volley capitalizes on this by allowing precise timing. You can cast it in response to your opponent’s actions, perhaps destroying creatures they would use for an attack or blocking strategy, disrupting their tactical plays and maintaining control over the battlefield dynamics.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Aerial Volley’s utility can plummet if it necessitates discarding cards to fulfill other mechanics or synergies in your deck, effectively stripping you of valuable hand advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Aerial Volley demands green mana, which pigeonholes it into green-centric or multicolor decks that can accommodate green mana, possibly hindering its integration into a wider array of strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing one green mana may seem minimal, but in a game where efficiency is key, there could be alternative spells that offer more impact or broader versatility for the same or lesser mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aerial Volley offers an adaptable solution against powerful flying creatures, making it a strong sideboard card for decks looking to improve their defenses in the skies.

Combo Potential: This card works well in strategies that capitalize on dealing damage to multiple creatures, thus enabling synergies with cards that trigger upon dealing damage or destroying creatures.

Meta-Relevance: With a rise in decks that rely on flying creatures for victory, Aerial Volley serves as an efficient answer, making it an essential tool for staying competitive in evolving playing environments.

How to beat

Aerial Volley is a versatile spell in the vast landscape of MTG cards, known for its ability to swiftly dispatch multiple flying creatures. To effectively counteract this card, the first thing is to diversify your threats on the battlefield. Avoid heavy reliance on creatures with flying as a single Aerial Volley can dismantle your aerial dominance. Instead, you can bolster your deck with creatures that have hexproof or protection from green to safeguard them from this damaging spell.

Adaptability in your gameplay approach is paramount. Consider using instant-speed spells that can buff your creatures’ toughness during the combat phase or spells that can negate the effects of a spell like Aerial Volley. Packing counterspells or including indestructible creatures in your deck can also serve as a deterrent. When facing an opponent who keeps mana open specifically for such tricks, it’s crucial to bait out the Aerial Volley at a less critical moment or when it’s less devastating. The key lies in managing your resources cautiously and maintaining pressure without overextending into a potential Aerial Volley setback.

Ultimately, understanding and anticipating this card can nullify its advantage. Adjust your strategy and you’ll be able to navigate through the volleys and secure your victories on the battlefield.

Cards like Aerial Volley

Aerial Volley stands as a practical response to flying creatures in Magic: The Gathering, not unlike cards such as Plummet and Hurricane. These cards also offer solutions to creatures with flight, providing players with control over aerial threats. Aerial Volley is especially useful as it can target multiple creatures for a low cost of just one green mana. This is a sharp contrast to Plummet that targets only a single creature, though it does remove it outright.

Looking at Hurricane, it has a wider impact, potentially damaging all flying creatures and players as well. However, its scalable cost makes it potentially more expensive and less favorable in the early stages of the game. Wing Snare is another relevant card, allowing the targeting of a specific flying creature, yet it requires three mana, making Aerial Volley a more efficient choice in fast-paced situations.

Ultimately, Aerial Volley claims its niche in green decks as a cost-effective and versatile spell capable of handling swarms of flying creatures, a scenario that singular-target spells may not address as effectively. Its place in the roster of anti-flying measures within Magic: The Gathering is secured thanks to its ability to adapt to multiple threats with minimal mana investment.

Cards similar to Aerial Volley by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aerial Volley MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins, 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 Aerial Volley and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aerial Volley 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 Aerial Volley card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2015-06-22	If some (but not all) of the targets become illegal before Aerial Volley tries to resolve, the original division of damage still applies, but no damage is dealt to illegal targets. If all targets become illegal, Aerial Volley won't resolve.
2015-06-22	You choose how many targets Aerial Volley has and how the damage is divided as you cast the spell. Each target must receive at least 1 damage.