Training Grounds – Rise of the Eldrazi -> Avatar
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2025
Ratings:
Constructed: 2.43
Casual: 4.00
Limited: 2.83
Multiplayer: 3.50
Commander [EDH]: 4.17
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
I remember this card getting quite a lot of hype during Rise of the Eldrazi previews, some of which was actually quite justifiable. It was always going to be hard for tournament decks of that time to fit in a card like this, considering that the format’s boogeymen were Jund and white-blue control variants that prioritized efficiency and every card doing something. Its role in the limited format was to help with level up abilities, but most level up creatures aren’t very efficient by the standards of the Pro Tour. But it had a lot of fun interactions in casual play, and they have multiplied over time as Magic design has expanded. There is a consistent sub-category of creatures that use activated abilities to stay relevant and provide options while playing to the table, which arguably reached its zenith with the exhaust ability getting absolutely nuts in some cases (and returning in Avatar: The Last Airbender too – keep an eye out!). In fact, if you can make it work with something like venturing into the dungeon, Training Grounds nets you not just mana but card advantage too!
Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 4
Limited: 3
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Every version of this card has had decent art, but the Last Airbender version might be the best of all – just because the card’s concept fits so well with the setting and with Aang and his friends’ adventures.
Training Grounds has long felt like a card that should be better than it’s wound up being. A cost reduction on activated abilities is quite alluring, and there have long been plenty of combos. It’s particularly popular in EDH, where Thrasios, Triton Hero takes full advantage of the cost reduction to get his potent ability rolling far sooner than it normally would (and with far greater efficacy). It’s quite a potent combo piece…but it’s just a combo piece with success in Commander (and no other formats), as trying to set this up and then segue into activated abilities can be a bit trickier than it might seem. It’s a card with a lot of intrigue, especially if you have a Commander it pairs well with, but it’s never quite gotten going in formats that afford you less time to get the fiddly combos going.
Constructed: 2 (could just be waiting for a card to break it wide open, but I’d not hold my breath)
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 2.5 (was mediocre in its one previous Limited outing and demands a very specific set of conditions to make it work, and I’m not sure Avatar would fix that)
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 4.5 (the decks that want this really want this)
Thijs
In the category full art reprints we’ve seen some pretty cool stuff come by this year. From Ponder in Spider-Man to Ancient Tomb in Edge of Eternities or the ridiculously futuristic Lightning Bolt in Final Fantasy, these cards are true collectables.
In Avatar we have a whole new set of awesome reprints, including Training Grounds. First seen in Rise of the Eldrazi, this card quickly has become a staple in Commander. It’s included in more than 100k decks on EDHRec and is loved all around for its low cost and potent mechanic.
On its own it doesn’t immediately do much, but it makes all your creatures a whole lot more powerful. What about making the tutor effect of Sliver Overlord cost only 1 generic mana? What about the milling power of The Ancient One?
This reprint and its beautiful waterbending art will keep this card current for a while yet!
Constructed: 3,7
Casual: 3,5
Limited: 3
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
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