Deck Name: Birds of War

Format: Legacy
Deck Type: Tribal-Control
Deck Theme: Bird Tribal – Aerial Warfare and Counter Growth
Colors: White-Blue-Green (Bant)

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Description

“Birds of War” is a Legacy tribal-control deck that commands the skies with precision and discipline. By uniting small, evasive birds under layers of anthems and counters, the deck builds unstoppable aerial dominance. Through the synergy of Empyrean Eagle, Watcher of the Spheres and Cathars’ Crusade, each creature becomes both a threat and a growth engine. White removal keeps the ground clear, Blue counters protect the flock, and Green acceleration lets the warbirds take flight ahead of curve.

This deck thrives in multiplayer and 1v1 Legacy, excelling against midrange and creature-heavy strategies. With efficient interaction (Swords to Plowshares, Counterspell, Dovin’s Veto) and planeswalkers (Serra the Benevolent, Tamiyo, Field Researcher), the deck maintains tempo and card advantage until its board becomes an overwhelming storm of feathers and steel.

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How to Play

Early Game:
Use Birds of Paradise and Gilded Goose to ramp and fix colors. Deploy early flyers (Judge’s Familiar, Siren Stormtamer) to begin pressure and protect key spells. Control aggressive starts with Swords to Plowshares and Fateful Absence while smoothing draws with Ponder or Brainstorm. Keep Counterspell and Dovin’s Veto for removal or sweepers that threaten your core pieces.

Mid-Game:
Establish your lords (Empyrean Eagle, Watcher of the Spheres) and anthem effects (Favorable Winds, Glorious Anthem). Aether Vial lets you deploy Birds at instant speed to dodge counters or trigger Cathars’ Crusade multiple times per turn. Protect your board with counters and Stormtamer while Tamiyo or Serra add draw and resilience.

Late Game:
Resolve Cathars’ Crusade and watch the flock escalate beyond control — each new Bird adds counters to all others. Finish the game with Sephara, Sky’s Blade granting indestructibility or Serra the Benevolent creating a 4/4 Angel token and a permanent emblem for your air army. Your board quickly becomes lethal through sheer numbers and permanent growth.

Ideal Opening Hand:
Two lands (one white, one blue preferred)
a mana accelerant (Birds of Paradise or Goose)
one early flyer
a removal spell
a cantrip for consistency.

Hands lacking interaction or mana fixing should be mulliganed aggressively.

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How the Engine Works

Set Up the Formation:
Play Watcher of the Spheres and Empyrean Eagle to reduce costs and boost your flyers. Each Bird you cast strengthens the next one.

Fuel the Growth:
Once Cathars’ Crusade enters play, every creature you summon places +1/+1 counters on the entire team. Multiple entries in one turn (Aether Vial plus normal cast) create explosive power swings.

Seal the Skies:
With Sephara or Serra’s emblem, your army becomes nearly unkillable. Even after board wipes, Serra Paragon and Tamiyo help rebuild the formation, ensuring continued air supremacy.

This engine is resilient and scales naturally — no fragile two-card combo, but a progressive snowball that forces opponents to answer an ever-growing sky legion.

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Sideboard Strategy

Against Aggro Decks:
Settle the Wreckage handles wide boards, while Timely Reinforcements provides life and tokens to stabilize. Trim high-cost lords if tempo is crucial.

Against Control Decks:
Veil of Summer, Mystical Dispute, and Spell Pierce protect your key spells. Bring in Tamiyo’s emblem plan for inevitability.

Against Combo Decks:
Rest in Peace and Containment Priest disrupt graveyard and cheat strategies. Dovin’s Veto stops non-creature combos cleanly.

Against Artifact/Enchantment Strategies:
Krosan Grip offers uncounterable removal for problem permanents. Maintain pressure while holding interaction for key pieces.

Against Midrange and Sweepers:
Keep Sephara and Serra Paragon for rebuild potential. Trim redundant anthems if board presence is risky; protect your Crusade with counter backup.

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Skill Level and Playability

“Birds of War” rewards careful sequencing and resource management. Knowing when to commit and when to hold is key to avoiding board wipes and maximizing Crusade triggers. Players who enjoy tempo control and incremental growth will find the deck deeply satisfying.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Playstyle: Tempo Control with Scalable Finish
Best For: 1v1 and multiplayer Legacy competitive-casual tables

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Competitive Profile and Ratings

Power Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Efficient engine and scaling finish dominate creature matchups but require setup time.

Tribal vs Control Ratio: 70% Tribal / 30% Control
Functions as a control shell early and a tribal finisher late.

Speed: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
Starts fast with mana Birds but kills between turns 6–8.

Resilience: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Multiple anthems, counters, and recursion protect the formation from attrition.

Best Format Fit:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1v1 Competitive Casual
⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Multiplayer (4+ players)
⭐☆☆☆☆ Legacy Tournaments without meta optimization

Complexity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
High reward for correct sequencing and timing of Crusade and protection spells.

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Play Like a Pro – 5 Tips for Mastering the Deck

Never cast Cathars’ Crusade without a follow-up creature or counter ready. It’s your finisher — guard it.

Use Aether Vial to deploy Birds at instant speed for surprise Crusade triggers and protection.

Keep countermagic for sweepers and key removal, not for tempo skirmishes.

If a board wipe is coming, bait it then rebuild immediately with Serra Paragon or Sephara.

When Crusade is active, stack multiple entries in one turn (Vial + cast) to create instant lethal power.

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Quote:
“With wings of faith and talons of war, we own the sky.”

Last Update: 31/10/2025