A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Disturb,Flying,Transform |
| Released | 2021-11-19 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Innistrad: Crimson Vow |
| Set code | VOW |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | A-235 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Transform |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Marta Nael |
Key Takeaways
- Provides continual board presence with self-recursion, mimicking the effect of drawing extra creatures.
- Enables strategic play with instant speed token creation for adaptive offensive and defensive maneuvers.
- Demands careful deckbuilding due to specific mana requirements and potential card advantage loss.
Text of card
Flying When Dorothea, Vengeful Victim attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of combat. Disturb (You may cast this card from your graveyard transformed for its disturb cost.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Engaging with A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim provides a distinctive edge in card economy. When it transforms into A-Dorothea’s Retribution, you’re endowed with a powerful token capable of recurring from your graveyard to your battlefield, giving you continued presence and pressure on the board without expending additional cards from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources in terms of mana, A-Dorothea’s ability to return to the battlefield contributes to resource acceleration by reducing the need to draw into further threats. This self-recursion mirrors the effect of drawing additional creatures, permitting allocation of resources elsewhere.
Instant Speed: A-Dorothea’s Retribution shines with its capability to operate at instant speed, presenting a strategic advantage. The ability to create a Spirit token with flying and vigilance during an opponent’s turn or in response to their actions allows for flexible defensive and offensive maneuvers that can adapt to the evolving state of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim provides value upon leaving the battlefield, it demands the discard of a card when casting her Retribution form. This can disadvantage players already tight on hand options or those wanting to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: A-Dorothea’s casting cost demands very specific mana types – white and blue. This requirement can be restrictive, often relegating her to only Azorius or certain multicolored decks, and impeding her inclusion in a wider range of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost for A-Dorothea’s Retribution sitting at four mana, its contribution must be weighed against other spells and creatures in that mana range. Despite the benefits provided, the cost can be seen as steep, especially when considering the tempo of the current gameplay environment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea’s Retribution offers flexibility in both offense and defense. This card can be an aggressive early play and later transform into a powerful enchantment to control the board.
Combo Potential: With its ability to become an Aura, it pairs well with strategies focusing on enchantments. It can also enable synergies with cards that benefit from sacrificing permanents or triggering death effects.
Meta-Relevance: Given its dual nature, it can adapt to various meta demands. A-Dorothea can apply pressure in creature-centric decks while its retribution side can offer valuable protection against opponents’ attacks, making it a solid choice for diverse formats.
How to beat
A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its front face promising powerful defensive capabilities, and its back face, A-Dorothea’s Retribution, offering offensive prowess in the form of a flying, vigilant creature. While it presents an imposing presence, it is not impervious to strategy.
One effective method to surpass A-Dorothea’s defenses is to employ targeted removal spells that circumvent its afterlife ability. Spells that exile creatures rather than destroying them, like Path to Exile or Dire Tactics, ensure that A-Dorothea’s Retribution won’t be a threat afterward. Additionally, using bounce spells to return A-Dorothea to its owner’s hand before it can transform can reset its progress and buy crucial turns.
Moreover, employing creatures with first strike or deathtouch can also be a deterrent, as they can handle the transformed spirit without suffering casualties themselves. Remember, patience is key when facing A-Dorothea, as rushing can turn its revenge to reality.
Cards like A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution
A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim is a unique and versatile card to consider for your MTG deck. With its duality as a creature that transforms into an aura, it has a faint resemblance to the transform mechanics seen in cards like Loyal Cathar // Unhallowed Cathar. While Loyal Cathar offers a straightforward transformation into an offensive creature after death, A-Dorothea provides a strategic advantage by becoming A-Dorothea’s Retribution, a potent aura that can bolster your creatures and threaten opponents with flying-based attacks.
Additionally, comparing this card to other Geist-themed cards from the Innistrad sets, such as Geist of Saint Traft, shows distinct differences. Geist of Saint Traft, an iconic spirit, generates a sizable token with hexproof and has a strong reputation in combat-heavy decks. A-Dorothea, on the contrary, relies on strategic sacrifice for its transformation and subsequent battlefield impact. The enchantment side notably lacks the hexproof defensive property, but compensates with an attack deterrent that keeps your opponent wary of facing a vengeful spirit in combat.
The complexity and nuanced playstyle A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea’s Retribution brings to the table sets it apart from similar MTG cards, offering a dynamic choice for players who enjoy flexible strategies and transformative gameplay elements.
Cards similar to A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Crimson Vow, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where A-Dorothea, Vengeful Victim // A-Dorothea's Retribution has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |