Katabatic WindsHow it works & interactions with other cards

The Chill of Phasing

The most important aspect of Katabatic Winds is Phasing. At the beginning of your untap step, before you actually untap your permanents, this card will phase out if it is on the battlefield, or phase in if it is currently phased out. While phased out, the game treats the card as if it doesn't exist, meaning its restrictive abilities vanish and reappear every other turn.

Grounding the Skies

While Katabatic Winds is phased in, creatures with flying are severely restricted. They are prohibited from being declared as attackers or blockers. Additionally, any activated ability of a flyer that includes the tap symbol in its cost is disabled. Note that this only affects abilities with the tap symbol; other activated or triggered abilities of flyers will still function normally.

Timing and Strategy

Because Phasing happens during the untap step, the card's effect is usually active during your own turn and your opponent's subsequent turn if it phased in. This provides a window of safety against aggressive flying decks. A common mistake is forgetting that phasing does not trigger 'enters the battlefield' or 'leaves the battlefield' abilities, as the object simply changes status.

Interaction examples

Enchantment Synergy

Sylvan Library

If you have both enchantments out, Katabatic Winds will phase in or out during your untap step. Then, during your draw step, Sylvan Library triggers. The presence of Katabatic Winds does not interfere with Sylvan Library because the library does not fly and its ability does not use the tap symbol.

Trampling Through the Storm

Garruk's Uprising

While Katabatic Winds prevents flyers from blocking, Garruk's Uprising grants your creatures trample. This combination ensures that even if your opponent has ground blockers, your large creatures can push damage through while their flying blockers are legally unable to step in the way.

The Phasing Cycle

You cast Katabatic Winds. On your next turn's untap step, it phases out. During that turn and the opponent's following turn, flyers are free to move. On your following untap step, it phases back in, and the restriction on flying creatures immediately applies again until your next untap step.