Akroma's Blessing MTG Card
2002-10-07 - Number 1
2014-06-16 - Number 11
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Cycling |
Text of card
Creatures you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. Cycling o W (o W, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.)
The clerics saw her as a divine gift. She saw them only as allies in her war against Phage.
Cards like Akroma's Blessing
Akroma’s Blessing is an intriguing card in MTG, offering a unique blend of defense and offense. It’s often measured against other cards like Brave the Elements, which provides color protection for your creatures. Yet, Akroma’s Blessing extends this protection to all colors at once, rather than just one. This makes it particularly potent in a multi-colored deck where versatility can be crucial.
Comparing it further, we encounter Gods Willing, another staple that offers protection to a single creature alongside the coveted scry ability. While the scrying aspect is great for deck manipulation, the broader defensive scope of Akroma’s Blessing across your entire battlefield can prove to be a game-changer during a critical turn. Then there’s the more specialized Emerge Unscathed, rewarding you with rebound but, again, for only one creature. Akroma’s Blessing’s ability to affect multiple creatures makes it stand out in decks that aim to go wide with their strategies.
In essence, Akroma’s Blessing holds its ground when pitted against similar protective spells in MTG, particularly due to its sweeping effect and its capacity to shift a game’s momentum in your favor with one decisive play.
Cards similar to Akroma's Blessing by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Akroma's Blessing. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Selesnya Control | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Akroma’s Blessing can provide a significant tactical advantage, especially in formats like Commander where board states can become crowded. While the card itself doesn’t draw you more cards, the ability to affect all of your creatures at once can equate to a substantial swing in the momentum, often ensuring that multiple threats remain on the board and thus maintaining your card presence.
Resource Acceleration: This card does not directly increase your mana supply or speed up your resources, but the flexibility of choosing to cast it using a white mana or by cycling it for three mana of any color can adapt to your available resources. This provides some leeway in a mana-tight game, allowing you to optimize the use of your mana while still progressing your game plan.
Instant Speed: The power to cast Akroma’s Blessing at instant speed makes it a versatile tool in your arsenal. It enables surprise combat tricks, turning the tide in your favor by providing protection from the color of your choice or granting your creatures a critical increase in power with increased offense or defense capabilities. Instant speed spells like Akroma’s Blessing allow nuanced control over the flow of the game, making them an essential component in any strategy that relies on timing and unpredictability.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A potential downside for Akroma’s Blessing is that its cycling ability, while useful, comes with the requirement to discard the card. This can prove disadvantageous when card advantage is crucial, and players must weigh the benefits of cycling against the necessity of keeping their hand full.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s effectiveness is somewhat restricted by its specific mana requirement, needing one of any color plus two white mana. This can make it less flexible in multicolored decks that may not consistently have the needed white mana available, leading to situations where the card could remain stuck in hand unplayed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, including two color-specific mana, Akroma’s Blessing has a relatively high cost for its one-time effect. When compared to other combat tricks or protective spells, it may not always be the most mana-efficient option, particularly in faster-paced games where mana conservation is key to outmaneuvering the opponent.
Reasons to Include Akroma’s Blessing in Your Collection
Versatility: Akroma’s Blessing offers a dynamic boost to any deck, especially those within the white color spectrum. It gives creatures protection from a color of your choice, which can be pivotal during both offensive and defensive plays.
Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with strategies involving creature-heavy decks. Its ability to make creatures unblockable by a certain color can turn the tides in your favor, potentially enabling a decisive swing for victory.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the shifting landscape of competitive play, Akroma’s Blessing can be a game-changer against decks that rely on specific colors for control or removal. It seamlessly adapts to the prevailing meta, providing a proactive tool against prominent threats.
How to beat
Akroma’s Blessing can be a powerful boon for Magic: The Gathering players, enhancing a wide spectrum of creatures with either protection from a color of your choice or a potent board-wide boost. This card can turn the tides of a game if leveraged effectively. However, beating this card calls for strategic planning and timely decision-making.
To effectively counter Akroma’s Blessing, consider holding onto removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes, until the critical moment. Alternatively, countermagic spells are your best line of defense, enabling you to prevent Akroma’s Blessing from resolving in the first place. Also, be mindful of the mana your opponent has available, as cycling the card can come unexpectedly. Cards that restrict an opponent’s ability to choose colors, like Painter’s Servant, could also diminish the impact of Akroma’s Blessing. Lastly, racing your opponent by strengthening your own creatures or employing indirect damage through untargeted sources can bypass the need to deal with the Blessing directly.
Understanding your deck and predicting your opponent’s moves are key strategies. With these tactics, you can anticipate and neutralize the influence of Akroma’s Blessing, maintaining control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Akroma's Blessing MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Vintage Masters, 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 Akroma's Blessing and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Akroma's Blessing Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by Adam Rex.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-10-07 | Onslaught | ONS | 1 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Adam Rex | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 11 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Rex |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Akroma's Blessing has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Akroma's Blessing card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |