Aisha of Sparks and Smoke MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Warrior |
| Abilities | Prowess |
| Released | 2019-12-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Secret Lair Drop |
| Set code | SLD |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 430 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Yongjae Choi |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card filtering for strategic edge and improves game plan by optimizing card draws each turn.
- Generates elementals at instant speed for resource acceleration and reactive gameplay flexibility.
- Demands careful play due to discard requirement and specific red mana cost in her activation.
Text of card
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) {R/W}: Aisha of Sparks and Smoke gains first strike until end of turn. Whenever Aisha deals combat damage, you may cast a sorcery spell from your hand with mana value less than or equal to that damage without paying its mana cost.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Aisha of Sparks and Smoke provides players with a strategic edge by offering repeatable card filtering. Each time a player activates her ability, they sift through the top portion of their deck, selecting the most beneficial spells or creatures to further their game plan and leaving unwanted draws behind.
Resource Acceleration: Upon casting her, Aisha has the potential to impact the board immediately. Her second ability is geared towards ramping up your resources by generating elementals, which can then be used as sacrificial pawns to ramp or convert into valuable mana sources, propelling you ahead of the mana curve and allowing for swifter, more impactful plays.
Instant Speed: Aisha shines with her ability to operate at instant speed, providing flexibility in gameplay. This advantage enables players to adapt to the unfolding game, making decisions that are reactive to opponents’ actions. Position yourself strategically, leveraging Aisha’s abilities to disrupt enemy plans or to fortify your own board state when the moment is just right.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Aisha of Sparks and Smoke compels players to discard a card in order to activate its key abilities. This condition can backfire, particularly in the late game where hand size might be critically low, putting players at a disadvantage by reducing their options.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Aisha of Sparks and Smoke includes red mana, which can constrain deck-building. Players running multicolored decks may find it challenging to consistently meet this requirement, especially in formats with a demanding mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively substantial mana investment needed to cast Aisha of Sparks and Smoke, players might weigh their options against other cards with similar or lower cost. Balancing the mana curve is crucial and this cost can impact the efficiency and timing of your gameplay, potentially slowing down your strategy.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Aisha of Sparks and Smoke is designed with flexibility in mind, easily sliding into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to manipulate damage and offer both offense and defense adds layers to your game plan.
Combo Potential: This card’s unique mechanics can spark numerous combos, working synergistically with cards that benefit from, or react to, the casting of instant or sorcery spells, further fueling your engine.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, adaptability is key. Aisha of Sparks and Smoke can become a formidable asset in a meta that prizes spell-based strategies or needs answers to persistent threats on the battlefield.
How to Beat Aisha of Sparks and Smoke
Aisha of Sparks and Smoke emerges as an intriguing element in Magic: The Gathering, enchanting players with her unique set of abilities. As a planeswalker card, Aisha brims with potential, manipulating both artifacts and damage in novel ways. To navigate against her, it becomes pivotal to disrupt her loyalty abilities, which are the core of her power.
One effective strategy is to focus on creature control. By keeping the board clear of creatures, you eliminate her ability to shield herself with blockers, making her vulnerable to direct attacks. It’s also beneficial to utilize instant-speed removal spells right after Aisha is played, preventing her from accumulating loyalty counters and ultimately reaching her ultimate ability—a game-swinging threat if left unchecked.
Moreover, artifact destruction can dismantle the synergies Aisha relies on, stripping her of the tools needed to command the battlefield. In this vein, countering key spells or employing discard effects can impede Aisha’s momentum, ensuring your opponent is unable to capitalize on her strengths. By applying these tactics with precision and timing, the challenge Aisha of Sparks and Smoke presents can be met and overcome within the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Aisha of Sparks and Smoke
Aisha of Sparks and Smoke steps into the world of MTG as a compelling choice for players looking for versatile card advantage. Within its vein, we have cards like Chandra, Torch of Defiance, offering a different flavor of red planeswalker abilities. While Chandra can add mana or deal damage, Aisha’s ability to grant card advantage and produce Elemental tokens provides a strategic alternative for deck builders.
Another card in this comparison is Sarkhan the Masterless, which can also create a token, but this token is a Dragon and comes with flying. Aisha’s Elemental tokens may change the board state in subtler ways, but offer more defensive options. Additionally, the cycling-like ability Aisha offers can outmatch the direct card draw seen in Chandra, Acolyte of Flame, who instead focuses on recasting past spells and synergizing with other red spells.
In the broader context of MTG, Aisha of Sparks and Smoke adds value to her category with her blend of dynamic interactions and token generation, carving out a niche that appeals to players who value flexibility and resourcefulness on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Aisha of Sparks and Smoke by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Aisha of Sparks and Smoke MTG card by a specific set like Secret Lair Drop, 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 Aisha of Sparks and Smoke 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Aisha of Sparks and Smoke has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |