Could this be a 1/3?

That is actually exactly what it once was. 1/3 fliers for 2 aren't usually fantastic or anything, but I thought it might be too much if I also gave it a strong stall-y effect, so I decided to bump it down to a 1/2. Still, 1/3 is definitely under consideration.

This ability looks boring, but hopefully isn't.

Between this and (((Bird Envoy))) flyers has maybe a touch too much lifegain, I could see this changing.

Other ideas include:

­: Put a +1/+1 counter on Garuda Vanguard

­: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn

­: Tap target creature.

You were just complaining about white having no first strike. How about ": target creature gains first strike UEOT"? It still acts as a mana sink at that cost since you want to give it to many creatures anyway.

Yay! On board tricks at common

If we don't already have a tapper for the UW archetype, I'd like that as a sink. Although an anthem would feel really nice on a bunch of thopters.

Note tapping does conflict with the awesome Naga Drowner

That would look weird to have two sinks in different blue decks that both tapped

I'm personally leaning towards the Anthem honestly. Defends early then allows for alpha strike's later

I'm not against anthem but if we wanted a simpler card we could change the p/t and have the ability grant itself first strike.

This is probably fine. BFZ had that ally with an anthem sink

@jackel this seems simple enough, and for first strike I'd argue is less exciting and less useful