Aviary Mechanic
Creature — Dwarf Artificer
When this creature enters, you may return another permanent you control to its owner's hand.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Kaladesh
- Price
- $0.07
- EDHREC rank
- #18619
Aviary Mechanic lets you bounce a permanent you control on entry — a repeatable reset for enters-the-battlefield triggers, but stapled to a 1/2 body that costs two mana and contributes nothing else. Outside of dedicated bounce-abuse shells like God-Eternal Oketra, where each replay mints a 4/4 Zombie token, it's a bulk card for good reason.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
God-Eternal Oketra
God-Eternal Oketra rewards every creature cast with a 4/4 Zombie token, so bouncing and replaying Aviary Mechanic with its own trigger generates a token each loop — stack that with cost reducers or free bounce outlets and the engine scales fast.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Aviary Mechanic is legal everywhere it could matter — Commander, Pauper, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage — but competes almost nowhere outside Commander. In Pauper, the bounce effect is real, but two mana for a 1/2 with no immediate board impact is a tough sell when cheaper or sturdier options exist. In Modern and Legacy, the card simply doesn't meet the power threshold. Commander is its home: singleton rules mean you run it specifically for the ETB-loop synergy, and in the right deck it's a $0.07 piece of a legitimate engine rather than a filler creature.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.07 bulk tier
At $0.07, Aviary Mechanic is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard and shipping. That price won't move; it's a common with a narrow role, and supply is permanent.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.