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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Avatar of Slaughter
Image from Wizards.com

Avatar of Slaughter
Commander

Reviewed June 22, 2011

Constructed: 2.30
Casual: 3.30
Limited: 2.50
Multiplayer: 3.80

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Avatar of Slaughter

All creatures-- including itself-- get double strike. This thing swings for SIXTEEN. Your opponents' blockers won't last long. If he has any blockers. And that's the problem with Avatar of Slaughter-- it affects your opponents' creatures too, which means you've doubled the power of the creatures that will be swinging at you next turn. Luckily, Avatar of Slaughter does NOT have haste, so it'll be free to block and likely kill something, and if you survive the first swing, your opponent won't get a chance to swing a second time, because he tapped all his blockers.

Now, if your opponent has creatures with defender or vigilance, or can untap creatures, then it gets messy. You can of course run those abilities yourself, but that usually means going into other colors. If you'd like to stay in red, I suggest effects like Relentless Assault, World at War, and the like. Remember, attacking each turn if able doesn't mean attacking each combat if able-- you can drop Avatar of Slaughter, swing with everybody, then cast a postcombat Relentless Assault just to ensure you'll have double-striking blockers that your opponent's double-striking attackers will be forced to attack into. Trample, lifelink, and deathtouch get very nice here as well.

Constructed- 2.5
Casual- 4
Limited- 2
Multiplayer- 4.5

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Avatar of Slaughter

Unlike some of the Commander cards, Avatar of Slaughter doesn't perform quite as spectacularly in one-on-one settings. Eight mana for an 8/8 double striker (plus whatever else you have on the table) is definitely efficient, but there are lots of other creatures available to the "big red" archetype, and it might be hard to find a role for him. That's not the point of the card, though. The point of the card is to cause chaos in multiplayer settings. Enchant a couple of opposing creatures with Vow of Lightning or Vow of Flight, put up some Walls of Stone, cast Avatar of Slaughter, and laugh "Dance, puppets, dance!" in your best Stewie Griffin voice while everyone else tears each other to pieces. You know you want to.

Constructed: 2/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: N/A
Multiplayer: 4/5

Paul

Welcome back readers today’s card of the day makes sure no one plays defensively. In standard, extended this card is not playable and in limited it would be hard to draft with commander cards although I suppose Cube is a possibility. In legacy and eternal this card is too expensive and does not fit into existing deck types so the chances of this card seeing play are close to zero percent the mana cost is restrictive and as previously stated no deck has a home for it. In casual and multiplayer is where this card obviously shines when you just need to end games this card facilitates attacks unlike any other card, creatures with vigilance obviously combine well with this and cards that  prevent damage to you or creatures you control, Holy Day ect. It is definitely a niche card in decks that really want to attack and make others attack it will see a  small amount of play but it  is by no means a must have or play commander card.
 
Constructed: 1.0
Casual: 2.5
Limited: 2.0
Multiplayer: 3.0

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Avatar of Slaughter which is an eight mana
8/8 that gives all creatures Double Strike and forces them to attack each turn if able.  This card is only legal in Commander, Legacy, and Vintage where the high mana cost and global effects will keep it strictly in the Commander and Casual multiplayer scene.  Giving every creature in play Double Strike and forcing them to attack can be entertaining and should end the game one way or another, but is also risky if you lose the advantage after playing the Avatar.  Just giving one or some of your own creatures Double Strike is almost always a better play and Rage Reflection or Savage Beating are available to satisfy that role more reliable and for less mana.  While the Avatar can be played on the second main phase to force your opponent or opponents to attack into unfavorable positions, other methods of clearing the field would have less chance of failing or being turned against you. 

The lack of innate Haste, Trample, or some kind of evasion on the Avatar hinders it further as it can't immediately attack and can be easily blocked.  Overall this is card that has a great deal of potential for ending games quickly, yet controlling that outcome is something better left to cards that don't give your opponent nearly the same advantages as you receive.
 
Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 3.0
Multiplayer: 3.0

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

    Welcome to another great review from the new Commander set. Today we are looking at Avatar of Slaughter. The Avatar of Slaughter is an 8/8 for six generic and two red mana. The Avatar of Slaughter gives all creatures Double Strike and they must attack each turn if able.

    This card is a lot of fun, and very interesting. There is a high risk factor involved in playing this card. The fact your opponents benefit as much as you do is a very risky endeavor. But if played tactfully, this card presents an opportunity to win. Eight mana means that there is a high likelyhood that you have a considerable attack force in the wings. Drop this guy in main phase one, and swing for a home run. Or, more of the set up option. Pass into main phase two, the drop him, your opponent is forced to swing with everything, which a simple holy day could stop, and then you have a clear path for a home run. Just keep an Unstable Footing at the ready for the event they try and Fog or Holy Day you back.

    A very interesting card that I guess deck and circumstances dictate how effective this card can be, as well as whether it is worth playing, or whether it is worth side boarding, or even just playing in a for fun deck.
 
Limited: 3/5
Casual: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
Constructed: 3/5


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