A 5-power flyer with vigilance for 2WWW is
almost worth playing on its own. The fact that
it can save other creatures from damage-based
destruction for 1W apiece makes it incredible.
Does anyone else in the house remember
Eight-and-a-half-Tails, and how supremely
annoying it was to try and fight any deck
running it? Avacyn does what 8.5T did, only for
one mana cheaper each go... and she can only
save creatures.
The seven-mana ability is an overpriced Fog. It
has to be because repeatable Fogs are either
disgustingly overcosted or they break the game.
If you're leaving mana up to use that ability,
you're doing it wrong. At least tell me you're
swinging with Avacyn while you do that.
Much like in her previous appearance, Avacyn
is exactly the kind of card that will, in the
wrong hands, cause the sort of non-ending
non-repeating game state that some people love
and some people hate. If I were you, I'd try not
to do that. Focus instead on her high power, her
ability to dominate in combat, and her ability
to protect your other creatures that do similar
things from spells that cost at least one too
few mana (at least M14 is rotating from Standard
soon!). End games when you can, so you can
shuffle and play again!
Today's card of the day is Avacyn, Guardian
Angel which is a five mana White 5/4 Legendary
with Flying and Vigilance that for two mana can
prevent all damage to another target creature
that turn by sources of a color of your choice
plus for seven mana can prevent the damage that
turn from a chosen color to a target player.
Aside from a higher percentage of White
dedication in the mana cost this is better than
Serra Angel with a higher attack and situational
damage prevent effects. There is no reason
not to swap out a Serra for this if running them
in a primarily White deck and overall this will
see play across formats as a replacement in
those decks, but probably not a frequent sight
at competitive levels.
In Limited this is an excellent first pick in
Booster as it has Vigilance and evasion which
are very strong in the format and the prevention
effects are an added bonus if used. In
Sealed this demands a primarily White deck to
reliably cast and with a weak White pool it
can't be splashed or even effectively used as a
secondary color. With enough in the color
to manage it this is a centerpiece and serious
threat for an opponent to deal with which makes
the effort and dedication well worth it.
Much like the new Jace on Tuesday, it's hard
to judge the new Avacyn without comparing her to
the original. The original Avacy is iconic and
not much is going to compare to her, so let's
attempt to look at the new one as a completely
different entity.
A 5/4 flier with vigilance for 5 mana is
pretty, good, but the three white mean she only
fits in a deck that is mono-white or at least
mostly white. There's nothing worse in Magic to
me than staring at a great card in my hand and
not being able to play it. But, if you can
support that mana, that's a pretty powerful
creature. However, there are a lot of popular 4
power fliers out there right now, and many of
them will be glad to trade with Avacyn.
The ability to prevent damage of a certain
color seems really god up front, and it has its
uses, but it's not as good as it first might
seem. You can make your little creatures block
something bigger of the named color without
dying. You can neutralize the burn spell being
target at the creature. It primarily helps on
the defensive end - it doesn't help much when
trying to push damage through. But that's not
the biggest fault in this ability. Avacyn can't
protect herself with her own ability. She will
be the first target of Mizzium Mortars or
another 4 damage spell.
The second ability to prevent damage to a
player is so expensive that I can rarely see
using it. There might be a few cases where it
saves you from a lethal strike, but you spend
all your mana doing it, so all you can do is
survive, which doesn't do anything for helping
you win the game.
