Treetop Sentinel MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Bird Soldier
Abilities	Flying,Protection
Released	2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Odyssey
Set code	ODY
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	111
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Offers strategic deck building edge by disrupting opponents without direct card draw benefits.
Speeds up gameplay with its low mana cost, allowing for early game aerial dominance.
Instant speed with vigilance provides continuous pressure and flexible threat management.

Text of card

Flying, protection from green

Crian's patrols afford him plenty of opportunity to take potshots at the "dirtwalkers" far below.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Treetop Sentinel offers a strategic edge in deck building, as it provides players with the potential to disrupt opponent’s setups while advancing their board position. While not offering direct card draw, it can effectively negate an opponent’s card, evening out the balance.

Resource Acceleration: Although Treetop Sentinel does not generate additional mana or tokens, its low mana cost signifies quick deployment in the early turns. This leads to an accelerated game pace, enabling you to establish a presence in the air sooner than many other creatures in MTG.

Instant Speed: One of the key advantages of Treetop Sentinel is its capability to engage in combat or use its abilities at near-instant speed, thanks to vigilance. This allows for continuous pressure on the opponent, whilst leaving mana open to respond to threats without sacrificing offensive momentum.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Whenever you want to leverage the Treetop Sentinel’s abilities, remember that it often requires you to discard a card. While this may fuel certain strategies, it can also be a detriment when your hand is already stretched thin, thereby forcing you to lose potentially valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Treetop Sentinel demands a specific combination of mana, which includes green. This requirement can constrain deck building, particularly if you’re aiming for a multi-colored strategy but lack the necessary mana fixing to ensure a consistent play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its mana value might be higher than what you would expect for its offered abilities. This presents a trade-off, as there are alternatives in the MTG universe that could fulfill a similar role at a lower mana investment, potentially giving your opponents a tempo advantage.

Reasons to Include Treetop Sentinel in Your Collection

Versatility: Treetop Sentinel offers a flexible role in decks requiring evasive creatures. Its flying ability allows it to bypass ground-based defenses, making it a reliable source of damage and a good defender against other flying threats.

Combo Potential: With its flying trait, Treetop Sentinel easily synergizes with strategies that capitalize on creatures with evasion. It can also pair well with cards that benefit from having a variety of creature abilities or those that equip and enhance flying creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Within the constantly evolving MTG landscape, an elusive flier like Treetop Sentinel can become particularly valuable. Its ability to soar over stall tactics or pressurize control archetypes grants it significance, adapting deftly to shifting game conditions.

How to beat

The Treetop Sentinel is a compelling creature card for flying enthusiasts in MTG, but even its evasive maneuvers can be outmaneuvered. The key to defeating it lies in exploiting its inherent limit — it can only block creatures with flying. On the ground, it’s as vulnerable as any. To counter this, prioritize keeping the skies clear with removal spells specifically tailored for flying creatures. Spells like Plummet or Windstorm can clip the Sentinel’s wings and turn the tides in your favor.

Furthermore, cards that grant reach to your creatures or even enchantments that neutralize flying abilities will put the Sentinel at a disadvantage. Another strategy includes using spells that force it to block when it’s ill-equipped to do so. Inducing fights with cards like Arena or Prey Upon could efficiently remove the Sentinel from play. Lastly, consider deploying creatures with first strike or deathtouch which pose a lethal threat to the Treetop Sentinel in aerial combat, deterring any attacks and safeguarding your life total.

With these tactics at your disposal, the seemingly untouchable Treetop Sentinel can be grounded, offering a clear passage to victory in your MTG matches.

Cards like Treetop Sentinel

In the verdant world of Magic: The Gathering, Treetop Sentinel stands out as an evasive creature. Its kindred in stealth and subtlety include Flying Men, perhaps the most straightforward comparison, sharing the trait of simple evasion by flying. However, the Sentinel’s superior toughness enables it to withstand scenarios that would fell the more fragile Flying Men.

Other relatives in the MTG realm include the Spire Owl, which offers utility in its ability to rearrange the top four cards of your library upon entry. Though the Spire Owl is a utility player unlike the straightforward combatant that is Treetop Sentinel. Then there’s the Skyknight Legionnaire, boasting both flying and haste, rapidly bringing the battle to the skies. However, the Legionnaire’s lower toughness compared to the Treetop Sentinel means it doesn’t linger in the air as reliably.

Comparatively speaking, Treetop Sentinel claims a secure niche among the aerial warriors of Magic: The Gathering. Its blend of flying and sturdier constitution makes it a respectable choice in decks that favor consistent airborne threats.

Skyknight Legionnaire - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Treetop Sentinel MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Treetop Sentinel and other MTG cards: