Windreaper Falcon MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Bird
Abilities	Flying,Protection
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	289
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tony Roberts

Key Takeaways

Library scouting ability grants tactical advantages through better draw potential and game momentum.
Resource acceleration via library access without extra card expenditure enhances strategic options.
Despite a higher mana cost, its versatility makes it a valuable card for decks that optimize flying.

Text of card

Flying, protection from blue

Watching the windreaper —Zhalfirin phrase meaning "daydreaming"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With its ability to scout ahead, Windreaper Falcon helps sift through your library, potentially smoothing out your draws and keeping your hand filled with options. Each attack phase becomes an opportunity to anticipate your next moves, making it a tactical asset for sustaining momentum in the match.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially granting access to the top card of your library, the Windreaper Falcon can act as a form of resource acceleration. Although it doesn’t directly produce mana, it allows you to utilize the resource on top of your library as though it were in your hand, thereby expanding your available options without expending additional cards.

Instant Speed: While the Windreaper Falcon itself does not have instant speed, its flying ability means it can swiftly enter the combat phase and circumvent ground-based blockers. Additionally, its synergy with cards that can be played at instant speed increases its strategic value, allowing players to maintain flexibility and responsiveness during the unfolding of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Holding Windreaper Falcon in your hand means you must be prepared to part with other valuable cards. This falcon demands a discard, which can place you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already stretched thin on resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Summoning the Windreaper Falcon requires a precise blend of mana. Its casting cost not only seeks a specific mix but potentially narrows the scope of decks it can soar in, leaving those without the exact mana combination on the ground.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While this feathery friend offers a unique set of skills, its mana cost is on the heftier side. Weighing the abilities it brings to the battlefield against the mana it consumes, many players may find alternatives that achieve similar results without such a demanding cost.

Reasons to Include Windreaper Falcon in Your Collection

Versatility: Windreaper Falcon can adapt to a range of deck styles, particularly those needing a flying creature that’s affordable in terms of mana cost. Its ability to offer life gain while warding off enemies makes it a multifunctional asset on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies that magnify the effects of life gain or benefit from having a creature with evasion. The Falcon can serve as a conduit for triggering life-oriented synergies or enabling quicker assaults from the air.

Meta-Relevance: As the game environment fluctuates, the Falcon’s modest cost and efficient abilities can trouble opponents in a meta filled with ground-based creatures, making it a tactical choice for players who want to stay ahead of the curve.

How to beat

Windreaper Falcon is a versatile creature in MTG that can be a thorn in an opponent’s side due to its ability to grant a life advantage while posing an aerial threat. Tackling this card head-on requires a strategic approach. Firstly, removal spells are your best friend. Instant-speed removal like Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push can dispatch the Falcon before it starts tipping the scales in your opponent’s favor. Since Windreaper Falcon is also often seen in decks with a focus on flying creatures, cards that negate flying abilities, such as Archetype of Imagination, can level the playing field.

For those looking to be more preemptive, cards that restrict your opponent from casting creatures, like Cavern of Souls, can block the Falcon’s entrance onto the battlefield altogether. Alternatively, ensnaring the Falcon with a pacifism-style enchantment will effectively ground it, hindering its ability to attack or block. It’s essential to anticipate its presence in decks that capitalize on life gain and flying synergies, so having a sideboard plan designed to counter such threats is paramount.

In essence, while the Windreaper Falcon may provide short-term benefits to your opponent, swift removal, negation of flying capabilities, and prevention strategies can ensure that this bird of prey doesn’t soar to victory.

Cards like Windreaper Falcon

The Windreaper Falcon finds its niche within the wide array of creature cards in MTG. When we observe cards with comparable features, Squadron Hawk immediately comes into view. Squadron Hawk also revolves around the theme of flying creatures but excels with its ability to search for additional copies of itself from the deck. As opposed to Windreaper Falcon’s focus on enhancing other creatures, Squadron Hawk seeks to build a tactical advantage through numbers.

Another card worth mentioning is the Welkin Tern. It shares the flying attribute and has a similar mana cost. However, Welkin Tern is restricted in its defensive capabilities, as it can only block creatures with flying, unlike the Windreaper Falcon which is not bound by such limitations. Then there is Gust of Wind, which although not a creature, synergizes well with flying creatures by providing removal and card draw, echoing the utility aspect of the Windreaper Falcon in controlling the board.

Drawing comparisons, the Windreaper Falcon stands out amongst similar MTG cards due to its potential to empower the player’s battlefield presence, especially when coupled with other creatures that could benefit from its abilities, establishing it as a card with strategic versatility for any deck emphasizing aerial dominance.

Cards similar to Windreaper Falcon by color, type and mana cost

Giant Trap Door Spider - MTG Card versions

Wilderness Elemental - MTG Card versions

Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator - MTG Card versions

Hallar, the Firefletcher - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Windreaper Falcon MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Windreaper Falcon and other MTG cards: