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Protection and Evasion in Black: Deathgaze Cockatrice as a Guard and a Spear
In the evergreen dance of MTG, evasion isn’t merely about dealing damage—it’s about forcing the opponent to respect you. Deathgaze Cockatrice, a black creature from Magic 2014, embodies that principle with two compact but nasty keywords: Flying and Deathtouch. For a modest mana investment of {2}{B}{B} (a total of 4 mana when you count the color taps), you get a 2/2 flier that can dismantle a lot of ground plans before an opponent even realizes they’re playing against a silent surgical blade. 🧙♂️🔥💎
Let’s unpack why this little flier matters beyond just ticking a combat clock. Flying lets Deathgaze Cockatrice bypass most ground-based walls, which means your opponent can’t simply chump-lock the air with something athletic and cheap. When you pair that evasive posture with Deathtouch, every point of damage from this creature is a lethal strike against the target it connects with. That means a single scratch from Deathgaze can vaporize a fragile foe, turning a routine trade into a guaranteed removal of a threat. It’s the kind of compact enforcement that keeps you in control without overcommitting resources. ⚔️🎲
Sometimes I come across a stone finger or foot and I know I'm in cockatrice territory."
—Rulak, bog guide
How to leverage its evasion to protect your board and pressure your foe
Beyond sheer stats, Deathgaze Cockatrice enables several practical playlines for a black-heavy strategy. Here are ways to maximize its protection-and-evasion role in your games:
- Evasion as a shield: Use flying to threaten the air while your opponent must find answers to your ground threats. The flyer’s presence makes it harder to ignore your battlefield presence, especially when you’re building around a mix of removal and disruption. 🧙♂️
- Trading up with deathtouch: When blockers appear, Deathgaze Cockatrice can force favorable trades. If your opponent blocks with a creature you’d rather not see survive, their attacker is likely to die on your turn thanks to deathtouch. This is particularly powerful against midrange bomb creatures that threaten to outpace you with bigger stats. 🔥
- Tempo wins: By repeatedly forcing trades, you bend the tempo of the game in your favor. Your opponent spends mana answering a threat that’s not going to crash through unscathed, and you replenish with removal or card draw to keep the clock running. 💎
- Protection for other threats: In archetypes that lean on a suite of recursive or evasive threats, Deathgaze Cockatrice serves as a reliable blocker and attacker that keeps pressure on both ends of the battlefield. Its resilience buys you time to find tutors or reanimation plays that swing late-game outcomes. 🎨
Format considerations: where this cockatrice fits
Deathgaze Cockatrice is listed as legal in Modern, Legacy and Commander formats, while remaining accessible in casual and midrange black builds. As a common in Magic 2014, it serves as an affordable backbone for aggressive or midrange decks that want to tilt the board in their favor without blowing their budget on rarities. In EDH/Commander circles, its ability to trade efficiently with evasive threats is especially valuable in creature-centric black arabesques where data-driven, colorless mana ramps can still land big blows later in the game. Commander players often appreciate a reliable flying deathtouch beater that can swing behind a well-timed removal suite. 🧙♂️⚔️
Flavor, design, and the art of subtle menace
The art by Kev Walker captures a bite-sized menace that’s as much folklore as battlefield threat. The cockatrice embodies a classic MTG flavor: a creature that looks innocuous until it turns lethal with a single, precise contact. The combination of Flying and Deathtouch is a design sweet spot—high impact with relatively low mana, a hallmark of well-tuned core-set figures from the mid-2010s. If you’re a collector or a casual fan, the nonfoil and foil printings offer accessible entry points—the foil version nudging a touch higher in flair without breaking the bank. The set, Magic 2014 (M14), leverages familiar mechanics to remind players why black’s toolkit remains both ruthless and elegant. 🧙♂️🖤
Deck-building notes: a few practical ideas
- Defensive tempo: Use Deathgaze Cockatrice to stabilize early while you assemble removal and protection spells. Its evasive profile makes it a reliable anchor as you chip away at opponent boards. 🧿
- Black synergy: Pair it with discard, extractive disruption, or repeatable removal to maximize value from each combat step. Deathtouch ensures even small taps can swing lethal outcomes when your board is tempo-positive. 🔥
- Budget-friendly option: With common rarity, it’s a cost-effective pick for players wanting a real threat without a premium price tag. The foil version adds a touch of shine for your cube or casual collection. 💎
Collectors, price, and where to find it
In today’s market, Deathgaze Cockatrice sits at a modest price point suitable for budget-conscious players. The listed values show a nonfoil around USD 0.04 and a foil around USD 0.40, with euro prices similarly accessible. It’s a practical example of why common cards from timeless sets still find homes in many decks, particularly when they bring solid utility to the battlefield. If you’re chasing a complete collection, this card’s foil option remains an appealing but affordable choice—especially for players who love a touch of shine in their black-based auras and beatdowns. 🔔
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