Magic The Gathering: What Is Flying?

thegamer.com:

The skies of Magic The Gathering's multiverse can be a very busy place. Birds and bats, of course, but demons, angels, dragons, and even wondrous airships soar through the air. Being able to stage an aerial attack is one of the most effective strategies in the game too, making knowing how the Flying mechanic works critical.

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Flying is likely one of the first mechanics you'll run into while learning how to play Magic The Gathering. But how does it work, and how many things can fly? Here is everything you need to know about flying.

In MTG, Flying is one of a group of mechanics Wizards of the Coast considers 'evergreen'. Evergreen mechanics form the game's backbone, appearing in almost every product and often being the first things a player needs to learn when starting out.

For Flying specifically, it is an evasion ability – a typic of static ability that defines how that creature can be blocked. Creatures with flying can't be blocked by other creatures, unless the blocker has flying or reach. Creatures with flying can freely block both flying and non-flying creatures (provided they don't have another evasive ability like Skulk or Menace).

So, for example, say you are attacking with an Azure Drake. As Azure Drake has flying, it can only be blocked by another flying creature, such as a Concordia Pegasus, or something with reach, like a Nimble Birdsticker. If your opponent doesn't control anything with flying or reach, your Azure Drake cannot be blocked and will deal two damage to your opponent.

Keep in mind that flying only matters during attacking and blocking in the combat phase. In every other case, a flying creature is treated the same as a