Thieving Magpie
Creature — Bird
Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.)
Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, draw a card.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Salvat 2011
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #14336
Thieving Magpie draws a card every time it connects — evasion included — for the modest cost of four mana. It's a workhorse, not a finisher, and in any deck that cares about Birds or consistent card advantage, particularly under Kastral, the Windcrested, it earns its slot.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Kastral, the Windcrested
Kastral, the Windcrested triggers off other Birds attacking, and Thieving Magpie is one of the cleanest draw engines in that tribe — it flies over blockers, replaces itself every combat, and keeps your hand full while Kastral's power scales up.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Thieving Magpie is a reliable role-player in blue creature builds — it's not flashy, but a 1/3 flyer that draws on damage is exactly the kind of card that generates incremental value over a long game. Legacy and Vintage have access to far more efficient draw engines, so Thieving Magpie doesn't compete there. The card is Pioneer- and Standard-illegal, and Pauper locks it out on rarity grounds. Oathbreaker is the one other format where it can show up meaningfully, specifically in blue spellslinger or creature-based lists that want cheap, repeatable card flow.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't currently available for Thieving Magpie, but as a decades-old common with multiple printings it typically sits well under a dollar. Pick one up without hesitation if you find it in a bulk box.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.