There are sooooo many applications for this. Lots of little dude for Ajani Goldmane to pump. Dudes to discard to Survival of the Fittest or Fauna Shaman. And about a billion other things I can't think of off the top of my head.
The fact of the matter is, any card that costs 2 and draws you three cards is very, very good.
MagicStick
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
IM giving this card 5 of 5 because it helped me win both my sealed and draft events at the pre-release. if you have four or even three of these in limited be prepared to get all up in that honeycomb. This card is so versatile, just watch the expression on your opponents face when you play this guy on turn two and thin out your deck by 3 cards!5/5!
noobs dunno about bird tribal. Soulcatchers' aerie And knowing is half the battle children
Tobinator
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(4 votes)
got 3 at the pre-release. saw them all every game. it was awesome. pinging fliers, stalling blockers, something to dump Armored Ascension on. it was really cool. I love these little guys.
izzet_guild_mage
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(4 votes)
I had the potential to create a combo deck with my sealed pool at the prerelease using 3 of these and Mass Polymorph. I didn't do it. That will always be the tourney opportunity that got away :P
littlebeast
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Well it's a lot better than Daru Cavalier and the rest of that cycle. Seems fairly powerful, and a good way to get a lot of creatures without having to draw for them all. I imagine it would be pretty funny to topdeck later on, too. "I play three Squadron Hawks."
All in all: Not that special, but a pretty good filler creature.
JackP
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is great! First off it works great with honor of the pure (when all that matters is getting white creatures onto the battlefield). Works great with Ajani because you can pump them all with +1/+1 counters OR consider them chump blockers. A great deck thinner as well. 5/5
allmighty_abacus
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(4 votes)
This is what screaming seahawk should have been. Or, as my playgroup calls it, screaming sh!thawk.
flipsyalec
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
pardon me for stating the obvious, but...
i'm pretty sure the best application for this is reviving vengevine(s).
next to mass polymorph, fauna shaman, honour of the pure and combos of the like.
or storm crow.
just saying.
SilvanWolf
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
This card has always been there for me when I use my bird deck. It may not be inherently combat effective at first, but wait till I pull out Soulcatcher's Aerie, start chump blocking with the hawks, then recycle my graveyard with something like Elixir of Immortality. Always keeping one hawk in my hand, I can always fish out any that have died and been recycled. I can easily have 8/8 birds on the field, all thanks to this versatile critter.
don_miguel
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
this + Brainstorm = Ancestral Recall
murder100
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Can be used as Fauna Shaman fodder.
zidanemaxout
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Definitely should have been names seekhawk.
ratchet1215
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(9 votes)
Every time you play this guy, you have to screech "SQUAWK!!!" It's in the Comp rules somewhere.
HPS
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(11 votes)
I love it for it's shuffling effect.
I love it for it's cheap mana cost.
I love it for it's flying.
I love it for it's four (4) birds at once capability.
I'm in love with this card. I'm gonna marry this CARD someday!
=D
LOL! Foolishness aside, this card is the only creature card in my Jace, the Mind Sculptor deck.
dark_hero
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Nice Howling Wolf ability, and with a decent casting cost.
Gelzo
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Two mana and a card to not only thin your deck by three cards, but you keep them in your hand as well. Even if you don't like 1/1 fliers for two, it's going to be nice to have them if your deck makes use of discarding.
It'd be pretty annoying to get more than one in your opening hand, though.
A0602
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Card advantage is card advantage (no matter how weak the card is). Wheel of Sun and Moon keeps a steady stream of blockers available.
EDIT: Played with this card in a bird deck. It's the best card in the deck, I will take a hand with only one creature as long it's sqauwk.
rinoh20
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
sure storm crow can take these on 1v1, but the problem is that these come in units of four.
Troutz
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(51 votes)
I propose, in the interest of fairness in the Magic color wheel, a cycle of Squadron Hawks for the other colors: White -- Squadron Hawks Blue -- Squadron Squids Black -- Squadron Rats Red -- Squadron Ball Lightnings Green -- Squadron Bears
Magnor_Criol
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(5 votes)
Boros uses it, Caw-Go / UW Control uses it, Quest White Weenie uses it...there's not a single competitive deck in standard that uses white and doesn't use the little squawker. Card advantage, evasion, deck thinning, and shuffle opportunities rolled into one mana-efficient package. No way around how solid this card is.
Played at a tourney the other day where a gel had modified the art for some of these so she had a Squadron Duck, Eagle, and Parrot. Pretty funny looking.
blink182zombies
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Amazing board wipe with Sunscour. Only cost two mana, and you still can have a bird in your hand.
rawsugar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(5 votes)
early bird gets the worm tho...this is soooo sloooow it hurts just to look at it. gimme spectral procession plz
TheSwarm
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(14 votes)
Who would have thought that a 1/1 flying dude would be such a fearsome force in standard?
Enemy_Tricolor
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(38 votes)
Huh. They got the art wrong. I don't see any swords in its talons.
ninjaboy05
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(25 votes)
"Standard is a very open format. You either play squadron hawk, or you play legacy."
TPmanW
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(5 votes)
I remember win this little guy had just come out and everyone laughed at me for saying he'd be pretty good in the right deck. Mostly I just thought he was pretty cool and that he could maybe breath new life into my Sigil Captain deck.They said an overcosted 1/1 that draws you more overcosted 1/1's isn't worth anything. Now I have a whole thread proving my point (except the Sigil Captain part).
hatriarch
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Storm Crow *** all over this
dragonking987
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Troutz white dose not get a version of every good blue,black,red and green card so why should they get a version of this?
Hoonster
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(6 votes)
The only reason why Squadron Hawk is seeing play is because of the swords . . Strength of the creature doesn't matter anymore as long as you have access to the swords . .
jonb86
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(6 votes)
This card is very overpowered in Standard. It's pure card advantage for 2 mana including having a flying blocker and making Jace say "0: draw three cards". If the DCI was going to ban one card in Standard, it would be Squadron Hawk just because of how it too easily and conveniently fuels so many decks; god forbid if they ever reprint this card; this card should have been at least 3 mana for what it does.
Drewsel
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Too bad the art sucks. Otherwise I'd be putting it into my Bird Soldiers. I hope Wizards makes some Aven's that don't suck one day.
mrhardy12
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(6 votes)
Two things:
1. This guy is something that you need to have in any white deck. He's awesome. Soul's Attendant (and her other forms) and Suture Priest ADORE this thing. Throwing Ajani's Pridemate alongside that is epic. With Swords, of course, it's broken. But, still, alone, Squadron Hawks are amazing.
2. Storm Crow. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH STORM CROW?!? I mean, this card, minus one toughness, swarms faster and easier for the same CMC, just 1W instead of 1U. Explain to me what Storm Crow did to gain such praise.
superguero
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Squadron Hawk is secretly bluey blue.
>>Troutz BWAHAHA that made me laugh far more than it should have. Also, as fantastic as Squadron Squid would be, I'm pretty sure it would actually be Squadron Crow.
Shadoflaam
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(9 votes)
Storm Crow and Squire had a love child and this was the result. It promptly ate Squire and was abandoned by Our Lord its Crowness, where it met Jace, the Mind Sculptor and destroyed the already scarred land of Standardia.
Paleopaladin
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(22 votes)
@mrhardy12: Storm Crow jokes are the "All your base are belong to us!" of the MtG community--except without an as easily-identifiable antecedent. These days, everyone makes and laughs at the same goofy storm crow jokes to fit in.
BTW, this card dies to Storm Crow. No, really, it does!
MirranforLife
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@Magnor_Criol Tempered Steel, Paladin White Weenie. Theres two
ZestuXIII
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(10 votes)
If I buy one Squadron Hawk, do I get three more free?
olegna
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
good bye to you My friend. x(
MindAblaze
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Sarkhan the mad loves this guy. He hears CAW! and next thing he knows you have some 5/5s. Gotta love insanity.
@ mrhardy12 : Storm Crow has been a staple of tournament decks for years. If you can't understand why, you've got a lot to learn about Magic.
JFM2796
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So THIS is why it is called Caw-Blade. I sort of took a break during the Scars block, but I remember this being printed. Who would have thought it would be such a force in standard?
EvilCartographer
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(8 votes)
Even without Jace 2.0 and Stoneforge, the card is easily 4.5/5 for the mind boggling number of applications and combos. Acctually, I think I would value it more now post-ban since people will be forced to think outside of the box. But, you know, I'm just going to saw it since nobody else seems to want to...
...that is one ugly bird.
Annoyingblueplayer
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Guess who's baaaack.......
God_Of_The_Smurfs
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
The only reason you're running it is so everyone else doesn't kill you with THEIR squadron hawks. It's a vicious circle.
kiseki
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Howling Wolf was a tournament level card back in the day. This costs half as much and it flies. Wow.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
And yet even after its trainer and his wife have left for legacy, this beautiful bird still gracefully bashes people's faces in with gigantic swords and leaves them to die
HAHAHAHAH HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LOSE THE CORNERSTONE OF YOUR DECKS
infernox10
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(7 votes)
I think the only reason they didn't make this an Uncommon (which they would have since it's a little more complicated than what Commons normally receive as a rule-of-thumb) is for Limited. They were a blast in Draft, when you got a hold of three or four, But if they were Uncommon, you'd be lucky to get two.
Melil16
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(22 votes)
@Troutz: "Squadron Ball Lightning". SQUADRON. BALL LIGHTNING. WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING.
DaMaster012
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(21 votes)
First I was like; "Huh, they printed a creature card with an effect similar to Kraby's 'Call for Family' move."
But then I was like; "Wait; it's effect essentially means that one Squadron Hawk = four Squadron Hawks."
And finally I was like; "Your starting hand could consist of six lands and a Squadron Hawk, and it'd be a playable hand."
Then all of the Standard Professional Circuit was like; "We already knew that, moron."
GlassJoetheChamp
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(6 votes)
I once knew someone who ran only one of these in his deck.
I really hope he doesn't reproduce any time soon.
Wolfman17
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This creature card is basically the gangsta of MTG ... If you get on the wrong side of him he'll get his home boys and they'll pop a cap in yo ass using a Sword of Feast and Famine as early as turn 4!
adrian.malacoda
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(8 votes)
I hear this thing is overpowered in EDH.
DacenOctavio
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Keeper of the Nine Gales wants to know what you're doing after you rotate out of Standard. Maybe you can go and take your friends over to his place. . .
How this card became anything to write home about in a format with Scattershot Archer completely eludes me.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
DarthParallax: you realize that Storm Crow isn't the best Bird in Magic. Or the best Creature. It's the best CARD in Magic. Ever.
(New players: I may be insane, but not that much. It's a joke.)
If Storm Crow would be reprinted as anything other than itself, it'd be a wound in the universe. That includes, especially, having different flavor text.
LordRandomness
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Why did they limit it to three? I wanted my _____ =(
Endomarru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I don't think this card will ever be reprinted.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run 4 over Wall of Omens. Great chump block if i need, thins my deck, gives me allot of plays every turn, and combos superbly with ajani.
5.5/5 is that possible
^^^ My above rating was before standard exploded with caw blade. People don't play there own decks anymore, they all net deck and think good cards are bad. Until someone wins a tourney with them, then the price triples.
mflanaga
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I would totally rock quadruple 1/1 islandwalking Squadron Squids...
MagicalMacabre
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
I just started getting into magic the gathering right before this left standard. I knew it was good even when I had just begun playing. Now that I have a lot more experience and a LOT more cards, this is still one of my favorites. I now play modern as well just so I can use it lol.
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I think that Stormcrow should be reprinted with this ability. It's not right that Stormcrow not be the best Bird in Magic. :p
Skyshroud Sentinel was pretty cool, but a little underwhelming. This was just a mistake. For a 1/1 flyer, it sure caused some problems. Standard eventually became "play Caw-blade or not at all". Of course, the problem was more with the other cards involved, but the little hawk proved to be big trouble all by itself.
EGarrett01
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
Ancestral Bird Call.
blurrymadness
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(11 votes)
Perfect for EDH
Tiggurix
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I simply call it "the white Ancestral Recall". One really has to be a moron not to realise that a card that gives this much card advantage for only two mana, even if it is restricted to a single kind of card, is good.
Zetan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Card advantage, deck thinning, and a 1/1 flier for 2. Seems good.
anonymous1burger
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Is it okay to like both this and Storm Crow? This is probably less abusive.
sweetgab
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Creature seeing play in control decks need to either have extremely good stats and abilities and be meant to end games (Wurmcoil Engine, Angel of Serenity) or provide very efficient card advantage (Augur of Bolas). This card sits in the middle and do both. It's probably the only low cost creature played in control decks meant for attacking. (also Geist of Saint Traft, but that one is more aggro-control than pure control; Lingering Souls follows this card's spirit more closely.)
Chump block, sacrifices, fuel for Crusader of Odric and Wayfaring Temple...the possibilities really are endless. I had all 4 of these guys out and 2 Favorable Winds out at once in my UW flying deck. I know, it's cheap, but when it's that effective, you can't really argue with it.
My opponent cast this turn two in a caw blade deck. I proceeded to cast cabal therapy after using gut shot on his original hawk. he proceeded to glare at me the remainder of the game.
Comments (89)
Lots of little dude for Ajani Goldmane to pump.
Dudes to discard to Survival of the Fittest or Fauna Shaman.
And about a billion other things I can't think of off the top of my head.
The fact of the matter is, any card that costs 2 and draws you three cards is very, very good.
And knowing is half the battle children
All in all: Not that special, but a pretty good filler creature.
i'm pretty sure the best application for this is reviving vengevine(s).
next to mass polymorph, fauna shaman, honour of the pure and combos of the like.
or storm crow.
just saying.
I love it for it's cheap mana cost.
I love it for it's flying.
I love it for it's four (4) birds at once capability.
I'm in love with this card. I'm gonna marry this CARD someday!
=D
LOL! Foolishness aside, this card is the only creature card in my Jace, the Mind Sculptor deck.
It'd be pretty annoying to get more than one in your opening hand, though.
EDIT: Played with this card in a bird deck. It's the best card in the deck, I will take a hand with only one creature as long it's sqauwk.
White -- Squadron Hawks
Blue -- Squadron Squids
Black -- Squadron Rats
Red -- Squadron Ball Lightnings
Green -- Squadron Bears
Played at a tourney the other day where a gel had modified the art for some of these so she had a Squadron Duck, Eagle, and Parrot. Pretty funny looking.
Strength of the creature doesn't matter anymore as long as you have access to the swords . .
1. This guy is something that you need to have in any white deck. He's awesome. Soul's Attendant (and her other forms) and Suture Priest ADORE this thing. Throwing Ajani's Pridemate alongside that is epic. With Swords, of course, it's broken. But, still, alone, Squadron Hawks are amazing.
2. Storm Crow. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH STORM CROW?!? I mean, this card, minus one toughness, swarms faster and easier for the same CMC, just 1W instead of 1U. Explain to me what Storm Crow did to gain such praise.
>>Troutz BWAHAHA that made me laugh far more than it should have. Also, as fantastic as Squadron Squid would be, I'm pretty sure it would actually be Squadron Crow.
BTW, this card dies to Storm Crow. No, really, it does!
he knows you have some 5/5s. Gotta love insanity.
Thought Hemorrhage
Eradicate
Blood Oath
Grim Reminder (if you are also playing CAW-Go)
Cabal Therapy
Hint of Insanity
Meddling Mage
Lobotomy
Cornered Market
or Exclusion Ritual, which will even get rid of the first hawk.
@ mrhardy12 : Storm Crow has been a staple of tournament decks for years. If you can't understand why, you've got a lot to learn about Magic.
...that is one ugly bird.
They were a blast in Draft, when you got a hold of three or four,
But if they were Uncommon, you'd be lucky to get two.
But then I was like; "Wait; it's effect essentially means that one Squadron Hawk = four Squadron Hawks."
And finally I was like; "Your starting hand could consist of six lands and a Squadron Hawk, and it'd be a playable hand."
Then all of the Standard Professional Circuit was like; "We already knew that, moron."
I really hope he doesn't reproduce any time soon.
How this card became anything to write home about in a format with Scattershot Archer completely eludes me.
(New players: I may be insane, but not that much. It's a joke.)
If Storm Crow would be reprinted as anything other than itself, it'd be a wound in the universe. That includes, especially, having different flavor text.
5.5/5 is that possible
^^^
My above rating was before standard exploded with caw blade. People don't play there own decks anymore, they all net deck and think good cards are bad. Until someone wins a tourney with them, then the price triples.
Squadron Ball Lightning is called Demigod of Revenge btw :)
Squadron Hawk
Squadron Hawk
There, I found the other 3.
It looks taxidermied...
all the more terrifying O.O