Birds of Paradise

Creature — Bird

Flying

: Gain one mana of any colour.

Discussion (51)

SaberTech on Pattern Recognition #141 - Voltron

3 days ago

Hey Berryjon, thank you once again for producing another fun article.

I just wanted to say though, I don't think that you gave Green all the kudos that it's due for what it can add to a voltron strategy. So just to even things out a bit, I'm going to toss some additional info here for people who might be new to the format and/or the voltron strategy.

First off, Green does offer protection for your commander with cards like Heroic Intervention and Vines of Vastwood, which not only protects your creature but can also help it hit harder as well. Granted, White's color protection spells also allow your creatures to attack past blockers while Blue's counterspells can stop wrath effects and enchantment/artifact removal, so I do understand that Green's additions may seem lackluster in comparison.

But where green can shine is that it is the primary color for Hexproof, which shows up on a number of its creatures. You see it on the Sigarda, Host of Herons that is mentioned in the article, and on other classic voltron commanders like Uril, the Miststalker. Being able to save some card slots on protection because your commander already has some built in allows you to include more cards for hindering your opponents so that your commander has more opportunities to swing in.

Speaking of hindering, Sigarda, Host of Herons's ability to prevent sacrifice effects is part of the green color pie, although I think it only also appears on Tajuru Preserver. Green can hate on counterspells, which are a particular bane of strategies like voltron that focus primarily on producing single big threats, with the help of cards like Prowling Serpopard, Vexing Shusher, Rhythm of the Wild, and the newly printed Destiny Spinner. Green likes to see its creatures hit the board and it has the tools to help make it happen.

Green is also one of the colors for a notable selection of effective voltron commanders beyond the ones that have already been mentioned, so just to list a couple more:

Jenara, Asura of War can often enter the battlefield as early as turn 2 with the help of something like Birds of Paradise, has built in evasion with flying, and is capable of permanently pumping herself. If nothing is done about her, A turn 2 Jenara can potentially kill an opponent as early as turn 5 all on her own.

Rafiq of the Many is another classic voltron commander that can quickly kill opponents with his exalted boosts and double strike. Giving double strike with cards like Silverblade Paladin is really effective at ramping up a voltron commander's kill time, and Rafiq already has it built in. Rafiq's double strike also make him a dangerous carrier of equipment like Sword of Fire and Ice since it lets you get twice the number of triggers if you manage to deal combat damage.

As a side note, both of those commanders being Bant colors means that they get access to Finest Hour. Who needs red for extra combat steps? :D

So yeah, Green can contribute some pretty strong tools when it comes to the voltron game. Is it better than Red? I have to admit that all the extra combat step cards that Red has makes a compelling argument for its superiority. But when I see an Aggravated Assault teamed up with a Nature's Will or Bear Umbra to create infinite combat steps, you'll have to forgive me for smiling just a bit. ;)

Randomsome1 on Kethis, this deck is legendary

5 days ago

I like the self mill cards, but have you thought about a mana dorks, reanimation, or recursion package to make it a little faster/resilient? Like Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves (and the mechanical reprints), Elves of Deep Shadow, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Animate Dead, Entomb, Reanimate, Dance of the Dead, Noxious Revival

Also highly recommend Sylvan Library if you can afford it.

multimedia on Ghired, Conclave Exile (Token; Populate)

1 week ago

Hey, nice upgrades of the Tutors and Smothering :)

What the precon needs is to cut a lot of the fat. The avg. CMC of the precon is 3.9 which is too high. You have reduced that number to 3.7, but that's still too high. Instead of adding lots of other high mana cost cards, 4 CMC or higher, cut some of what's already here for more low mana cost ramp. More ramp is good with Ghired and the precon lacks early game ramp:

• Mana Dorks: Birds of Paradise, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Faeburrow Elder
• Mana Rocks: Arcane Signet, Talisman of Impulse, Talisman of Unity, Talisman of Conviction

Cards to consider cutting for these:

• Blossoming Sands
• Kazandu Refuge
• Desolation Twin
• Emmara Tandris
• Soul of Zendikar
• Heart-Piercer Manticore
• Scaretiller

---

Other low mana cost cards to consider adding:

• Eladamri's Call
• Mother of Runes: repeatable protection for Ghired from targeted removal or in combat.
• Swords to Plowshares
• Luminarch Ascension: repeatable Angels and it can activate fast in multiplayer Commander because it looks at each opponents end step.
• Ulvenwald Tracker: repeatable fight with big tokens.

Cards to consider cutting for these:

• Valor
• Soul Foundry
• Growing Ranks
• Doomed Artisan
• Full Flowering

Good luck with your deck.

TheAnnihilator on H: Devoted Druid Combo; W: ...

1 week ago

Hey all! I've recently decided to let go of my Druid combo stuff, since I prefer a more Pod-like approach as opposed to all-in combo, so I have the following available:

Playsets of:
Devoted Druid (Ultimate Masters)
Vizier of Remedies
Giver of Runes
Finale of Devastation
3 Duskwatch Recruiter  ^Flip
Eladamri's Call
Knight of Autumn
Birds of Paradise (2 M12, M11, Battlebond)

also:
1 Silent Clearing
2 Walking Ballista
1 Ranger-Captain of Eos
3 Postmortem Lunge
1 Chord of Calling (M15, Russian)
1 Collector Ouphe
3 Veil of Summer
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (Dark Ascension)
4 Restoration Angel (Avacyn Restored)
3 Wall of Omens
1 Spellskite

So yeah, I'm keeping the lands, Hierarchs, Eldritch Evolutions, and Pod stuff (you can't pry Voice of Resurgence or Kitchen Finks from my cold dead hands), but most everything else I have is fair game. If there's anything else I may not have listed, feel free to ask about it. I probably have it. :)

I'm looking for:
Sword of Feast and Famine
4 Ice-Fang Coatl
1 Spell Queller
2 Monastery Mentor (I have 1 Korean if anyone wants to swap their English one)
1x Cavern of Souls (preferable Innistrad, either printing is fine tho)
2x Selesnya Sanctuary
1x Hornet Queen
I will also binder dive, but my binder seems to show only the foil/promos?

SideBae on Graveyard Shift

1 week ago

Hey man! Welcome to magic. I have a few suggestions... feel free to ignore any/all of them.

1. Dorks are one mana creatures that tap for mana. A lot of the time people don't like them, because before you play with them you don't realize how absurdly powerful they are; people are wrong. I highly suggest running at least a handful of these guys, like Llanowar Elves, Elves of Deep Shadow, Birds of Paradise, Deathrite Shaman, Fyndhorn Elves, Elvish Mystic... In general, ramping turn one is REALLY strong, since it lets you play a turn ahead of everyone else. Though they aren't one mana, you could also consider some cards like Priest of Titania or (if you're rich) Bloom Tender, which are also pretty strong.

2. Slate of Ancestry is an interesting card to consider. You're running a lot of creatures, so I think in general using Slate of Ancestry will be card-positive for you. Note also that if you discard a creature card with it, Meren of Clan Nel Toth can just get it back for you.

3. Plaguecrafter: This guy is messed up, and he gets you an experience counter from sac-ing himself. Also, once you're at 3 exp, you can just keep recurring him.

4. Abrupt Decay/Assassin's Trophy: Personally, I like Abrupt Decay more since I play in a meta with a lot of counterspells and low-to-the-ground decks, but both are good. Being able to kill any card type is generally pretty powerful.

5. Casualties of War/Windgrace's Judgment: Like (4), these can kill anything. I am preferential to Windgrace's Judgment because it's an instant, but again, both are powerful cards.

6. Nature's Claim is a really efficient piece of spot removal for things like Rest in Peace, Grafdigger's Cage or Leyline of the Void. I suggest running it.

7. If you're in a counter-heavy meta, Veil of Summer is an absurd card.

8. Finally, running Ancient Tomb is worth considering. It's pricy, but the price is lower these days than it has been in a while; the ramp it offers is really, really good.

Cards I'd consider cutting:

Eldrazi Monument: Your experience may be different from mine, but I feel like this card is probably a win-more type thing in that it's only really good if you're already winning the game. You're probably better off just running card draw by something like Phyrexian Arena or Slate of Ancestry.

A few lands: If you run the dorks mentioned in (1), generally people don't play more than 33 lands.

Butcher of Malakir: The effect is good, but you already have Grave Pact and Dictate of Erebos. I think the third piece of redundancy is probably too much.

Black Sun's Zenith: Like Butcher of Malakir, I think you have plenty of ways to make your opponents lose creatures already. You're probably better off running more universal removal, like Windgrace's Judgment.

Algae Gharial, Flesh Carver, Scavenger Drake: While these aren't bad, you can probably do better. I think overall they don't have enough punch to end up in a final decklist.

Also, since you're a new player, I'd like to point out edhrec.com is an excellent resource I use a lot. You should check it out if you haven't already.

Good luck!

multimedia on Ghired's Rampage EDH

1 week ago

Hey, consider ways to make Ghired better? Repeatable protection for him in combat and more attacking with him.

Cards within the budget to consider adding:

• Mother of Runes: can protect Ghired from targeted removal or protect him in combat.
• Eladamri's Call: instant creature tutor.
• Birds of Paradise: one drop mana dork.
• Aggravated Assault: more combat phases in a turn means more attacking. Assault untaps all your creatures, doesn't matter if those creatures attacked or not which is helpful with creatures who have a tap ability such as mana dorks, Mother, Rhys, Tracker, etc.
• Reconnaissance: repeatable way to protect Ghired in combat by removing him from combat after he attacks.
• Idyllic Tutor: lots of powerful enchantments to tutor for.
• Open the Armory: tutor for Helm of the Host.
• Smothering Tithe: fantastic repeatable ramp in muliplayer Commander.
• Bastion Protector: give Ghired protection in combat and from most removal spells.
• Aurelia, the Warleader: additional combat phases, more ways to attack and combos with Helm of the Host for infinite hasty Aurelias/combat phases.

Cards to consider cutting:

• Temple of the False God
• Grand Coliseum
• Adorned Pouncer
• Samut, Voice of Dissent
• Thunderfoot Baloth
• Rampaging Baloths
• Giant Adephage
• Ancient Stone Idol
• Ezuri's Predation
• Skyshroud Claim

Good luck with your deck.

Azeworai on Ghired's Rampage EDH

1 week ago

A favourite of mine is Sylvan Safekeeper. It can mess up your opponents' plans to deal with your board, and you often don't even need to activate. The threat of activation is enough to ward off removal.

Remorseful Cleric and Containment Priest are fine and graveyard hate is necessary in every deck. (In my opinion, at least)

Grand Abolisher is as good as it reads, and Charming Prince can be cute with your commander, but I wouldn't recommend him.

Just Birds of Paradise or Avacyn's Pilgrim can advance your game plan far enough, and people don't kill them as they would in a 1v1 format. When they do die to the inevitable wrath, their value has already been gotten. But, if you prefer land-based ramp, Wood Elves is fine. Fauna Shaman can also be fun.

For six-drops and more, I almost never run them unless they can command a game on their own or are powerful enough to warp your game plan around them, save for my Xenagos, God of Revels deck. :)

Pathbreaker Ibex can end games on one attack, and thus is fun for one player. Sigarda, Host of Herons is one I include in some decks, fulfilling a similar role to the Sylvan Safekeeper. Many creatures are just incidentally humans. Dragonlord Dromoka can really defend your turn nicely, so that can be fun. For a more on-theme finisher, Omnath, Locus of Rage beseems this strategy.

Hope this helps!

Ardeo on Where the wild weenies are (Gruul aggro weenie)

1 week ago

I'm sorry that I have to tell you, but Birds of Paradise is not legal in Pioneer. TappedOut does indeed tell you that the deck is legal in Pioneer, but with the Birds it isn't. Don't trust TappedOut for legality questions, their database is really bad.