Cartographer's HawkHow it works & interactions with other cards

What it Does

Cartographer's Hawk is a 2/1 Bird with Flying that costs 1W. Its primary function is a triggered ability that occurs when it deals combat damage to a player who controls more lands than you. When this happens, you return the Hawk to your hand to search your library for a Plains card and put it onto the battlefield tapped.

How it Resolves

The ability triggers the moment combat damage is dealt to an eligible player. Upon resolution, you first check if the Hawk is still on the battlefield; if it is, you return it to your hand. Only if you successfully return it do you then search your library for a Plains card. Finally, you put that card onto the battlefield tapped and shuffle your library.

Common Mistakes

A common pitfall is losing the Hawk before the ability resolves. According to official rulings, if Cartographer's Hawk leaves the battlefield before the trigger finishes, you cannot return it from the graveyard or exile to satisfy the 'If you do' requirement. Additionally, remember that the land must be a Plains, though it does not have to be a Basic Plains.

When to Play It

This card is most effective in the early to mid-game when you are playing second or have missed a land drop. Since it returns to your hand, it allows you to repeatedly cast it to ramp multiple times, provided your opponent remains ahead on land count.

Interaction examples

Early Game Evasion

On turn two, you cast Cartographer's Hawk. On turn three, your opponent has three lands while you have two. You attack with the Hawk; because it has Flying, it bypasses ground blockers, deals 2 damage, returns to your hand, and lets you fetch a Plains to match your opponent's land count.

Managing the Board

Esper Sentinel

You have Esper Sentinel and Cartographer's Hawk on the field. While the Sentinel taxes your opponent's noncreature spells, the Hawk ensures you have the mana to pay for your own future spells by jumping back to your hand and pulling a Plains from your deck whenever you fall behind in land count.

Color Fixing and Ramp

Ornithopter of Paradise

You use Ornithopter of Paradise to produce white mana to cast Cartographer's Hawk. After the Hawk deals damage and returns to your hand, you use the search ability to find a non-basic Plains (like a Raugrin Triome) to fix your colors while the Ornithopter continues to provide mana for your next play.