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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Ashen Rider
Image from Wizards.com

 Ashen Rider
- Theros

Reviewed November 15, 2013

Constructed: 3.75
Casual: 3.88
Limited: 3.63
Multiplayer: 4.10

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

Ashen Rider

Eight mana for a 5/5 flyer and two of your opponents' permanents exiled. Not killed, exiled. And they don't have to be creatures; they can be whatever you want, even planeswalkers. Of course, you only get one when you first play the Rider, and you only get the second one when the Rider dies, so if the Rider herself gets exiled, or bounced, she can't exile a second permanent. Most removal, however, just destroys, so it's unlikely that your opponent has a way to defuse the Rider's "dies" ability, or is willing to wait to draw it since you're swinging for 5 in the air.

The biggest downside? It's not Blood Baron of Vizkopa, who costs less and hits just as hard, and is almost impossible to kill effectively.

Constructed- 4
Casual- 4.5
Limited- 5
Multiplayer- 4.75

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Ashen Rider

I'm not sure exactly which Greek myth this card is a reference to. I don't remember ever reading a story about huge white tigers, winged or otherwise. Then again, I almost didn't recognize the reference on Vulpine Goliath at first, so you never know. Game-wise, this card is actually very good - pretty crazy, almost. The effect rewards you for ramping into it, albeit in a way that's almost becoming boring in the post-Titan era (I'm pretty sure someone warned us that would happen, people). Of course, a card like this is very often going to cost four mana (as in Unburial Rites or Resurrection), which just makes it even more insane. As if Angel of Despair wasn't dominant enough.

Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 5/5
Multiplayer: 4/5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Ashen Rider which is an eight mana Black and White 5/5 with Flying and when it enters the battlefield or dies exile a target permanent. The mana cost is both high and requires four specific mana symbols from two colors, which puts this as part of stalling Black/White control or alongside effects to play it directly at best.

The effect is fantastic, but dealing with the cost is far too much of a drawback for any competitive formats and overall it will likely only see play in Multiplayer or Commander.

In Limited the mana cost is actually high enough to be a drawback which is compounded somewhat by the two Black and two White needed. Other than that it is an excellent card that will dominate the battlefield in almost any situation and quickly win games as an evasive threat after removing the fiercest opposition. A solid first pick in Booster, even with the mana cost to work around, though it does lock you into two colors or burning first pick as a hate draft. In Sealed the color requirements allow it to be splashed, but barely and it is far better if both colors are well represented which requires quite a bit of luck. It is more likely to sit in the sidedeck, though if reasonable it is a card worth considering.

Constructed: 3.0
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 3.5
Multiplayer: 3.0


Skid Rambo

Ashen Rider is one of those creatures that WOTC likes to build that has a drawback built into the mana cost. I am actually glad that WOTC makes some of the powerful cards with difficult mana costs. If Ashen Rider was let’s say… 6 mana then it would have a $40-50 price tag. What is keeping Ashen Rider from becoming trade binder candy? The mana cost and the fact that Reanimation decks are down in Standard right now. Casual players should be going bonkers over this card. There are so many older cards that can take full advantage of Ashen Rider. This card has the power to easily change a game in your favor! So, go out and get some Ashen Riders and start experimenting!

Constructed: 4
Casual: 4
Limited: 1
Multiplayer: 3.5


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