Medic's KitesailHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Bird's Eye View

Medic's Kitesail provides three distinct benefits to the creature it is attached to: a power boost of +1/+0, the flying keyword, and a triggered ability. The flying ability means the creature can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach. The triggered ability is granted directly to the creature, meaning the creature becomes the source of the life gain whenever it is declared as an attacker.

The Equipment Process

To use Medic's Kitesail, you must first cast it for two generic mana. Once it is on the battlefield, you can pay its Equip cost of two mana during your main phase when the stack is empty. You choose a target creature you control to attach it to. If the target is legal, the Kitesail becomes attached. From that moment on, the creature gains all the bonuses until the Kitesail is destroyed, the creature leaves the battlefield, or you pay to equip it to something else.

Timing and Life Gain

The life gain ability triggers at the moment you declare the equipped creature as an attacker. This happens during the Declare Attackers step, before blockers are chosen and before any combat damage is dealt. If the creature is removed from combat after this trigger goes on the stack, you will still gain the 1 life. Note that if a creature is put onto the battlefield already attacking, it was never 'declared' as an attacker, so the ability will not trigger.

Common Misconceptions

A common mistake is forgetting that Equip is a sorcery-speed ability. You cannot move Medic's Kitesail in the middle of combat to give a different creature flying to block or attack. Additionally, because the Kitesail grants the ability to the creature, if an opponent gains control of your creature, they will be the ones gaining life if they attack with it, even though you still own the Equipment.

Interaction examples

Powering the Flight

Sol Ring

You can tap Sol Ring to add two colorless mana to your mana pool. You use this mana to pay the Equip cost of Medic's Kitesail, attaching it to a creature. This allows you to deploy and use the Equipment quickly without tapping any lands.

Fixing for the Skies

Arcane Signet

If you have Medic's Kitesail in your hand, you can tap Arcane Signet to produce one mana of your commander's color. Combined with one other mana source, you can cast the Kitesail. This setup demonstrates how mana rocks facilitate getting your utility Equipment onto the battlefield and onto your creatures.

Standard Scouting

Imagine you control a 2/2 creature. You pay two mana to equip Medic's Kitesail. The creature becomes a 3/2 with flying. When you move to combat and declare it as an attacker, the life gain ability triggers. You gain 1 life immediately, then your opponent must decide how to block the flying 3/2.