ScarecrowHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Shield Against the Skies

Scarecrow possesses a powerful activated ability that costs six mana and requires tapping the creature. Once activated, it creates a prevention effect that lasts for the remainder of the turn. This effect specifically looks for the 'flying' keyword on any creature attempting to deal damage to you. If a creature has flying, all damage it would deal to you—whether it is combat damage or non-combat damage from an ability—is reduced to zero.

Step-by-Step Resolution

To use Scarecrow, you must first ensure it does not have summoning sickness. During any player's turn, usually before the declare blockers step or in response to a damage-dealing ability, you pay six mana and tap Scarecrow. The ability goes on the stack. Once it resolves, a continuous prevention effect is established. Even if the Scarecrow leaves the battlefield later that turn, the protection remains active until the cleanup step. Note that this only protects you, the player; your planeswalkers or other creatures can still be damaged by flyers.

Strategic Deployment

Because Scarecrow is an artifact creature, it benefits from tribal synergies and artifact recursion. It is often best utilized in decks that can generate large amounts of mana or those that can recur it from the graveyard if it is destroyed. Since the activation cost is high, keeping it as a deterrent can often force opponents to commit their flying attackers elsewhere or bait them into using removal spells before they swing for lethal damage.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is assuming Scarecrow only stops combat damage. According to official rulings, it prevents all forms of damage from flying sources, including activated or triggered abilities. However, remember that the creature must have flying at the time the damage would be dealt. if an opponent's creature loses flying after you activate the ability but before damage is dealt, Scarecrow will no longer prevent that damage.

Interaction examples

Dominating the Board with a King

Reaper King

With Reaper King on the battlefield, Scarecrow becomes a 2/2 creature. More importantly, if you use a card like Scarecrone to bring Scarecrow back from the graveyard while Reaper King is out, Reaper King's ability triggers, allowing you to destroy any target permanent. This turns your defensive Scarecrow into a proactive piece of removal.

Sacrificial Value

Scarecrone

If an opponent targets your Scarecrow with a destruction spell like Boggart Arsonists, you can respond by activating Scarecrone's first ability. By paying one mana and sacrificing Scarecrow, you draw a card. Later, you can use Scarecrone's second ability for four mana to return the Scarecrow back to the battlefield, ready to block the skies again.

Doubling the Harvest

Roaming ThroneReaper King

If you play Roaming Throne and choose 'Scarecrow' as the creature type, it becomes a Scarecrow. When you subsequently cast Scarecrow, Reaper King's destruction ability triggers. Because Roaming Throne is on the battlefield, that triggered ability triggers an additional time, allowing you to destroy two target permanents instead of one.

Generating a Mechanical Army

Wickersmith's Tools

While Scarecrow defends you from flyers, you can use Wickersmith's Tools to build a wider board. If you have accumulated charge counters on the Tools, you can sacrifice it to create multiple 2/2 Scarecrow tokens. These tokens will not have the damage prevention ability of the original Scarecrow card, but they will trigger other Scarecrow-related effects like those from Reaper King.