Angel's Herald MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 2 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Greg Staples |
Text of card
, , Sacrifice a green creature, a white creature, and a blue creature: Search your library for a card named Empyrial Archangel and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.
Rigorous faith and belief are rewarded on occasion, and richly so.
Cards like Angel's Herald
Angel’s Herald is an intriguing option for players looking to add a component of search and summon to their deck in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out for its ability to find a specific creature card, similar to how the card Tutors work. Yet, it’s specifically designed to search for one of the prominent Angels in the game’s lore, making it narrowly focused but highly potent in the right deck.
Comparing Angel’s Herald to Congregation at Dawn, another card with a creature searching mechanic, reveals some differences. Congregation at Dawn allows for more flexibility in selecting creatures, but it doesn’t put them directly onto the battlefield. Furthermore, cards like Tooth and Nail offer the ability to fetch creatures but at a higher cost. However, they have the bonus of putting them onto the battlefield immediately, presenting a higher threat much faster.
When evaluating the efficiency and specificity of Angel-themed cards, Angel’s Herald provides players who are fond of Angel decks with a straightforward way to summon powerful beings. Despite its narrow focus, for those looking to enhance an Angel-based strategy, this card can pivot a game’s momentum with its tutor and summoning capabilities within MTG.
Cards similar to Angel's Herald by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Angel’s Herald offers a unique pathway to card advantage by directly putting a powerful Angel creature into play without needing to draw it. This bypasses traditional draw mechanics and can create a potentially game-changing board presence.
Resource Acceleration: While Angel’s Herald itself doesn’t directly produce mana or accelerate resources, its ability to cheat a high-cost Angel into play effectively saves you multiple turns of mana investment, accelerating your strategy significantly.
Instant Speed: Although Angel’s Herald is a creature card and therefore doesn’t have instant speed, its ability to act as a catalyst for summoning a high-tier Angel at any time you could play a sorcery adds a layer of flexibility to your game plan. This allows you to time your plays strategically, which can be pivotal in outmaneuvering opponents.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Angel’s Herald necessitates the sacrifice of a white creature, which may not always be beneficial or possible, especially if your board presence is already weak.
Specific Mana Cost: To fulfill its ultimate purpose, Angel’s Herald demands exactly one white mana, potentially making it a tricky play in multicolored or mana-tight decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its initial casting cost is low, the additional cost to activate its ability is steep, requiring you to tap seven mana, which means it could be several turns before you benefit from its effect.
Reasons to Include Angel’s Herald in Your Collection
Versatility: Angel’s Herald offers a unique advantage as it is an efficient enabler that fits well into white-based aggro or combo decks. Its ability to search for a specific card ensures it can be adapted to diverse strategies, whether you are aiming for quick wins or preparing for longer battles.
Combo Potential: As a herald for Angelic power, this card paves the way for some synergistic plays. It works exceptionally in combination with cards that can fulfill its sacrifice condition quickly, opening the door to summon powerful Angels onto the battlefield much sooner than usual.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where aerial supremacy can be a deciding factor, having Angel’s Herald can be instrumental. With the shifting landscape of the game, a card that can seamlessly bring high-value creatures into play is invaluable, making it a significant asset when Angels find prominence in the meta.
How to beat
Angel’s Herald is an intriguing MTG card that offers players a unique advantage by paving the way to summon a mighty Angel creature into play. Its ability can be a game changer, but like with all cards, there are strategies to counter it. To effectively overcome the challenge posed by Angel’s Herald, a player must prevent or disrupt the Herald’s activation cost, which requires specific mana and creature sacrifices.
Spot removal spells are particularly effective against Angel’s Herald before its ability is used. These include cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile, which can dispatch the Herald directly from play. Alternatively, counter spells can be used to stifle the Herald’s ability on the stack, ensuring it never gets the chance to summon the Angel. Cards such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can serve this purpose perfectly.
Understanding and anticipating your opponent’s moves is key. Keep their mana and potential creatures for sacrifice in check, use instant-speed removal to your advantage, and disrupt their game plan aggressively. An Angel’s Herald may signal an impending aerial threat, but with the right strategy, you can ground your opponent’s ambitions and maintain control of the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Angel's Herald MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Angel's Herald and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Angel's Herald has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Angel's Herald 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 | To activate the ability, you must sacrifice three different creatures. You can’t sacrifice just one three-colored creature, for example. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice multicolored creatures as part of the cost of the search ability. If you sacrifice a multicolored creature this way, specify which part of the cost that creature is satisfying. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice the Herald itself to help pay for the cost of its ability. |