Battle Screech MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Key Takeaways

  1. Battle Screech creates four tokens over two phases, doubling your initial creature count without extra cost.
  2. Its instant-speed flashback adds surprise and tactical depth to gameplay, making it a versatile choice.
  3. When included in your collection, it enhances decks that thrive on wide strategies and flying tokens.

Text of card

Put two 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying into play. Flashback— Tap three untapped white creatures you control. (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Battle Screech, you not only get one, but two creature tokens immediately. Furthermore, you can flashback this sorcery simply by tapping three white creatures you control for another wave of two tokens, essentially doubling your initial investment without dipping into your hand or mana pool further. This grants you a significant uptick in board presence and potential card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Battle Screech excels in decks focused on going wide with lots of creatures. The tokens generated can quickly amplify the effects of other cards that benefit from having numerous creatures on the field, effectively escalating your resource acceleration in terms of available attackers or blockers.

Instant Speed: While Battle Screech itself is a sorcery, its flashback ability can be used at instant speed since it doesn’t require mana but rather the tapping of white creatures. This permits strategic plays during your opponent’s turn, aligning perfectly with surprise tactics and ensuring your resources are allocated efficiently.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For players using Battle Screech, one of the setbacks is its flashback mechanic that comes with a discard requirement. Activating this from the graveyard necessitates tapping three white creatures you control, potentially leaving you unable to block incoming threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Battle Screech demands a specific color combination of mana to cast. With a cost that requires two white mana, this card fits primarily in mono-white or white-centric decks, restricting its versatility in multicolor deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While summoning flying creatures can be advantageous, the original casting cost of Battle Screech sits at four mana, which is considered steep for creating just two 1/1 tokens. This is particularly noticeable when compared to other token-generating options in the game, which may offer similar or better value for a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Battle Screech offers a dual play potential – casting it initially and then utilizing its flashback from the graveyard. This makes it a strong fit for various white decks, particularly those focused on creating a multitude of flying tokens for both offensive strategies and defensive blocking tactics.

Combo Potential: The four bird tokens generated can be pivotal in synergizing with cards that trigger upon creature entering the battlefield or with those that benefit from a wide board presence. It supports token doubling effects and can boost the efficiency of convoke spells, further expanding its utility in combo-oriented decks.

Meta-Relevance: Given the emphasis on creatures in many current formats, being able to amass a flying army at an efficient cost can swing games. Especially in formats where the graveyard is easily accessible, Battle Screech’s return from the graveyard to the battlefield capability keeps it relevant in an evolving meta.


How to beat

Battle Screech is a well-known Magic: The Gathering card that poses a unique challenge when faced on the battlefield. This card allows players to create multiple token creatures, potentially overwhelming opponents with a swarm of fliers. To counteract this, having strategies to prevent or respond to token generation is key.

One effective strategy is utilizing cards with “sweepers” or mass removal effects. A spell like Supreme Verdict can clear the board of all creatures, nullifying the advantage gained by your opponent’s Battle Screech. Another method is to include cards that can counteract flying creatures specifically, such as Windstorm or Silklash Spider, which can be exceptional in clearing out those token creatures.

Additionally, cards with the “reach” ability or those that can create flying blockers are also valuable in staving off the aerial assault. Cards like Spidersilk Armor not only give your creatures the ability to block flying tokens but also provide a much-needed toughness boost. Remember, managing your resources effectively and anticipating your opponent’s plays is crucial in overcoming the Battle Screech’s potential impact on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the strategic depth of MTG is a continuous adventure. Whether you’re fine-tuning a white-focused token deck or building a repertoire that features versatile cards like Battle Screech, recognizing the ebb and flow of the game is crucial. Cards with profound battlefield impact like Battle Screech showcase the importance of thoughtful play and adaptability. Expanding your collection with this type of card enhances not only your strategy but also your enjoyment of the game. We invite you to expand your understanding and strategy with valuable insights into MTG’s dynamic play. Grow your skills with us and become a more formidable player in your MTG community.


Cards like Battle Screech

Battle Screech stands out in the arena of token-generating spells in Magic: The Gathering thanks to its capacity to quickly amass a flock of flying tokens. Its kinship is closely tied to cards like Lingering Souls, which similarly brings forth spirit tokens with flying. Where Battle Screech takes flight is in its flashback ability, allowing users to cast it twice and double the aerial forces, albeit with a unique tap-four-creatures requirement.

Another counterpart is Midnight Haunting, which produces two flying tokens instantly at the player’s behest. This card’s instant speed grants the tactician flexibility to surprise opponents during combat or at the end of their turn. However, it lacks the secondary opportunity for token generation that Battle Screech provides with flashback. Conversely, Spectral Procession adds spectral clout with three spirit tokens for a flexible mana cost, marrying quantity with a color weight that can fit more snugly into mono-white decks.

Pinpointing the utility and strategic advantage of Battle Screech among its peers reveals why this card resonates with players who value an expansive presence in the skies and the crafty play potential the flashback mechanic offers within Magic: The Gathering.

Lingering Souls - MTG Card versions
Midnight Haunting - MTG Card versions
Spectral Procession - MTG Card versions
Lingering Souls - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Midnight Haunting - Innistrad (ISD)
Spectral Procession - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Cards similar to Battle Screech by color, type and mana cost

Wrath of God - MTG Card versions
Armageddon - MTG Card versions
Resurrection - MTG Card versions
Cleanse - MTG Card versions
Breath of Life - MTG Card versions
Path of Peace - MTG Card versions
Vengeance - MTG Card versions
False Defeat - MTG Card versions
Ravages of War - MTG Card versions
Replenish - MTG Card versions
Gerrard's Wisdom - MTG Card versions
Decree of Justice - MTG Card versions
Presence of the Wise - MTG Card versions
Divine Congregation - MTG Card versions
Retether - MTG Card versions
Windborne Charge - MTG Card versions
Day of Judgment - MTG Card versions
Excoriate - MTG Card versions
Cataclysm - MTG Card versions
Great Teacher's Decree - MTG Card versions
Wrath of God - Commander Masters (CMM)
Armageddon - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Resurrection - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Cleanse - Legends (LEG)
Breath of Life - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Path of Peace - Portal (POR)
Vengeance - Eighth Edition (8ED)
False Defeat - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Ravages of War - Fallout (PIP)
Replenish - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gerrard's Wisdom - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Decree of Justice - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Presence of the Wise - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Divine Congregation - Time Spiral (TSP)
Retether - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Windborne Charge - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Day of Judgment - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Excoriate - The List (PLST)
Cataclysm - From the Vault: Annihilation (V14)
Great Teacher's Decree - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Battle Screech MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Vintage Masters, 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 Battle Screech and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Battle Screech Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-05-27JudgmentJUD 31997normalblackRandy Gallegos
22014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 152015normalblackRandy Gallegos
32019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 42015normalblackAnastasia Ovchinnikova
42021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 532015normalblackAnastasia Ovchinnikova
52023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 22015normalblackRandy Gallegos
62023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 592015normalblackRandy Gallegos
72023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 1742015normalblackAnastasia Ovchinnikova
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 172015normalblackAnastasia Ovchinnikova

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Battle Screech has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Battle Screech card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-03-19 A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
2021-03-19 If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
2021-03-19 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2021-03-19 You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
2021-03-19 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.
2021-03-19Flashback
-ost]” means “You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying
-ost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.”
2022-12-08 You can tap any untapped white creatures you control to pay for Battle Screech’s flashback cost, even ones you haven’t controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn.

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