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Koya, Death from Above
Legendary Creature — Mutant Ninja Bird
Flying When Koya enters, exile up to one other target creature. At the beginning of the next end step, you may pay {3}{B}. If you don't, return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
2 / 1
$0.16Buy on TCGPlayer
“Recurring flyer that exiles threats; blink her for tempo value.”
Midrange
Intermediate
Combat damage, Tempo advantage
Blink, Reanimator
Strategy
Koya, Death from Above is a sneaky tempo play that swings in the air while temporarily removing blockers or threats. Her exile effect creates a temporary lockdown—exile a creature when she enters, and unless you pay {3}{B} at end of step, it comes back. This means you're either clearing the way for damage, buying time to set up, or forcing opponents to think carefully about their board. The real game plan is pairing her hit-and-run evasion with flicker effects and reanimation payoffs: every time she re-enters, you exile again, turning her into a repeatable tempo machine.
Build this as a Orzhov tempo-midrange deck that leverages creatures with powerful entry effects. Cards like Ephemerate, Soulherder, or Restoration Angel let you bounce Koya repeatedly, stacking exile triggers and turning her 2-power flying body into a genuine clock. You're not trying to combo off—you're grinding value, holding back their best creature, and pressuring with evasion. Pair her with reanimation outlets so you can flashback creatures exiled by her effect, or use sacrifice synergies to turn temporary exile into permanent removal. Win by pecking in with flying threats while your opponent's board stays neutered.
Strategy generated by Tapped Decks AI. Not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.
Key Synergies
Budget Build
Skip Snapcaster Mage and Teferi; use cheaper flickering like Ephemerate, Soulherder, and Teleportation Circle instead.
Most-Played Cards
Ephemerate
Charming Prince
Flickerwisp
Lae'zel's Acrobatics
Felidar Guardian
Loran of the Third Path
Restoration Angel
Eerie Interlude
Cloudshift
Panharmonicon
Airbender Ascension
Conjurer's Closet
Inclusion = % of Koya, Death from Above decks running this card. +lift = percentage-point boost over the format average.
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