Wall of Air MTG Card


Protects critical cards by offering resilient defense, deterring opponents’ attacks effectively. Enables mana conservation for more strategic plays, fortifying your board without overcommitting resources. Accommodates instant-speed spell casting with a reliable blocker in place, ensuring tactical flexibility.
Card setsReleased in 20 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Wall
Abilities Defender,Flying
Power 1
Toughness 5

Text of card

Flying

"This 'standing windstorm' can hold us off indefinitely? Ridiculous!" Saying nothing, she put a pinch of salt on the table. With a bang she clapped her hands, and the salt disappeared, blown away.


Cards like Wall of Air

Within the vast array of defensive options in Magic: The Gathering, Wall of Air represents a staple in creating a protective barrier. Like its counterpart Wall of Mist, it serves as a sturdy obstruction, both sharing the crucial characteristic of flying. This ability allows them to effectively block aerial threats that would otherwise bypass ground defenses. Where Wall of Air distinguishes itself is in its enhanced toughness, boasting a solid 5 in defense compared to Wall of Mist’s 4, providing that extra resilience against opponents’ attacks.

Looking at Fog Bank, we notice another defender with flying, yet this creature takes damage mitigation to the next level. It not only prevents all combat damage that would be dealt to and dealt by it but also matches Wall of Air in terms of toughness. This quality makes it a robust choice for those seeking an impenetrable flying blocker, although at a slightly higher resource investment.

In the realm of blue defensive cards, Wall of Air fits snugly among its peers. By examining defensive attributes and tactical advantage, Wall of Air proves to be a reliable, cost-effective defender, especially useful for players looking to fortify their aerial defense without the added complexities inherent in other similar cards.

Wall of Mist - MTG Card versions
Fog Bank - MTG Card versions
Wall of Mist - MTG Card versions
Fog Bank - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Wall of Air by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Clam Session - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Reef Pirates - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Clam Session - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wall of Air, while not directly increasing your hand size, effectively protects your hand by presenting a difficult barrier for your opponent to overcome. This durable defender allows you to preserve the high-value cards that are crucial for your long-term strategy.

Resource Acceleration: Although Wall of Air doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it helps you save valuable mana in your pool. By providing stable defense early on, you can focus your mana on casting spells that expand your board presence or disrupt your opponent’s plans without needing to allocate resources for additional creature defense.

Instant Speed: While Wall of Air is not an instant itself, its presence on the field allows you the peace of mind to cast other instant-speed spells without the anxiety of leaving yourself unprotected. It ensures that you can confidently pass the turn with mana open, ready for crucial interactions or end-of-turn plays which could swing the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Wall of Air demands resources to be fully effective, occasionally necessitating the loss of a valuable card from your hand to synergize with its abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires two blue mana specifically, which might not blend well with multi-colored decks that rely on a more diversified mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two that must be blue, there are alternative creatures or spells that could serve a defensive role at a lower cost or offer additional benefits.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Wall of Air is a classic defense card that can slide into various blue-focused decks. Its flying ability allows it to serve as an effective aerial blocker against a wide range of threats.

Combo Potential: Known for its solid defense with a high toughness, Wall of Air is a great card to utilize with spells and abilities that are triggered by defending creatures. This can integrate smoothly into strategies centered on deterring attacks and protecting life totals.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where smaller, aggressive creatures are common, Wall of Air provides a reliable barrier. With the continuous evolution of the metagame, having a steadfast defender that can withstand multiple encounters can be crucial.


How to beat

The Wall of Air card serves as a sturdy airborne defense in any MTG player’s deck. Its flying ability combined with considerable toughness makes it a resilient obstacle against most creatures that dare venture into the skies. To effectively navigate past this defensive bastion, consider employing removal spells targeted specifically at flying creatures, such as Plummet, that can directly send the Wall of Air packing. Additionally, spells that don’t discriminate by flying status, like Doom Blade or Murder, can also clear your path to victory.

Another proactive strategy is to overwhelm the board with a swarm of creatures. Since Wall of Air cannot engage in combat offensively due to its defender trait, an opponent relying too heavily on Wall of Air may find themselves vulnerable to wide strategies. Enchantment-based removals like Pacifism can also neutralize this card without needing to destroy it, bypassing hexproof defenses it might have. Remember, Wall of Air excels in defense, but a well-rounded offense can find the cracks in its armor.

Any MTG match can hinge on knowing your opponent’s weaknesses. Though Wall of Air may seem imposing, it’s far from invincible. Implement the right tactics and watch your strategic plays dismantle the defenses before you.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wall of Air MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Wall of Air and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wall of Air Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 891993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 901993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 901993NormalWhiteRichard Thomas
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 901993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 901993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 901993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 901993NormalWhiteRichard Thomas
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 901993NormalWhiteRichard Thomas
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1131993NormalWhiteRichard Thomas
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1131993NormalBlackRichard Thomas
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 1351997NormalWhiteRichard Kane Ferguson
121999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1051997NormalWhiteRichard Thomas
132001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 111★1997NormalBlackJohn Avon
142001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1111997NormalWhiteJohn Avon
152003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1132003NormalWhiteJohn Avon
162003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 113★2003NormalBlackJohn Avon
172007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 124★2003NormalBlackJohn Avon
182007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1242003NormalBlackJohn Avon
192022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 892015NormalBlackRichard Thomas
202022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3861997NormalBlackRichard Thomas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wall of Air has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal