Tempo Bird: Icefeather Aven

I play a lot of standard at my local card shop. I try to make it every Friday and Saturday afternoon. Lately I've been playing U/G monsters with Hooded Hydras and Sagu Maulers to get around the mass removal that has become so relevant lately. I want to drop something big and dumb and turn sideways. It has been not going well. The biggest problem I have is this guy.

I'm quite torn between playing a bunch of aggressive two drops or the beef that the deck really wants me to slap down. I love both, but they are two completely different decks as evidenced to me by my horrible record.

I love Icefeather Aven which is why it has been in most of my lists of U/G Monsters prior to last week's disastrous FNM. Not only did I lose to Ornithorpter with Ensoul Artifact, I got roller by Hangarback Walkers pre 5-6. Needless to say I made a poor call on siding out my pseudo-removal bird in this new era of flying machines with souls. It's great against control because it both covers for my other morph guys when face down, and generates a healthy amount of threat when it's going into the red zone. Against aggro it comes down vs Rabblemasters and can trade into it or it's tokens. It's flip effect is also good for stuff loaded down with enchantments in heroic. Why then am I ready to cut it completely and radically alter my deck?

I want this card to be good, but I think I am crippling my deck, U/G Monsters, a deck that wants to dump big and dumb and resilient creatures as fast as possible, by including a Birdman who does not help that goal in any way. I do however, believe that there is a home out there for this little bird which is why it is the first creature feature here at Uncommon Thoughts.

That's why my rating for Icefeather Aven is 

Torch it

Touch it

Try it- If you're looking for a two drop with utility, I think Icefeather Aven is your guy. Bird. Whatever.

Own it

Friday I'll talk about a card from Magic Origins that just begs to be busted: Valor in Akros!