Avoid Fate MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 175
2006-10-06 - Number 73
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Counters target interrupt or enchantment. Can only counter spells that target a permanent under your control.
Cards like Avoid Fate
Avoid Fate takes its place among a unique set of reactive spells in Magic the Gathering. Its closest relatives in the counter spell family share the ability to negate actions, but each brings its own flavor to the table. For instance, Blossoming Defense stands alongside Avoid Fate, offering both a counter to spells or abilities targeting a creature you control and a bonus in the form of a temporary power boost. Unlike Avoid Fate, which is strictly reactive, Blossoming Defense provides offensive utility as well.
Looking at other kin, Autumn’s Veil offers a broader range of protection by shielding your creatures and other permanents from blue or black spells for an entire turn. Though it lacks the pinpoint precision of Avoid Fate’s instant-speed defense, its proactive safeguarding can give a player peace of mind against a wider array of threats within that color spectrum. Then there’s Vines of Vastwood, which not only counters abilities that target a creature but can also generously beef up a creature’s might, with the kicker cost offering even more power if the resources are available.
Each of these spells carves out its niche within Magic the Gathering, but for those who prize instant timing and cost-effective protection, Avoid Fate could be the card to watch. Its ability to efficiently counter at a moment’s notice ensures it remains a notable option in green’s arsenal against the ever-present threat of targeted spells and abilities.
Cards similar to Avoid Fate by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Avoid Fate is a classic piece of green’s defensive magic, providing a strategic edge by protecting valuable threats or key spells from being countered or disrupted by an opponent’s actions. By saving your resources in play, you maintain the upper hand, keeping more cards in action while potentially causing card waste for your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: While Avoid Fate doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost is a form of economic efficiency, preserving your mana base for more significant plays and threats. This allows players to be reactive without sacrificing the tempo of developing their board presence.
Instant Speed: The strength of Avoid Fate lies in its instant speed, enabling the protection of creatures and other permanents at critical moments. This flexibility is crucial as it allows players to adapt on the fly, responding to threats or targeted actions during the opponent’s turn without pre-committing resources prematurely.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Avoid Fate, while there is no discard required, the spell’s limited scope of protection can sometimes feel as though it’s costing you valuable deck space that could be used for more versatile answers.
Specific Mana Cost: Avoid Fate demands an exact green mana to play. This requirement restricts the card to green decks or those with a reliable mana base accommodating green, potentially limiting its use across the broader MTG landscape.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Avoid Fate has a low absolute mana cost, its investment compared to the protection it offers can be high. In the fast-paced environment of competitive play where mana efficiency is key, there are other spells that can provide more bang for your buck when it comes to safeguarding your permanents or spells.
Reasons to Include Avoid Fate in Your Collection
Versatility: Avoid Fate is a useful card that can protect a wide array of permanents, from creatures to enchantments. It’s an excellent card for decks that are heavily reliant on key cards staying on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: For decks that emphasize synergistic strategies, Avoid Fate serves a critical role in safeguarding the combos from being disrupted by instant spells, ensuring that your well-laid plans go uninterrupted.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where control decks use instant-speed interaction to dominate, Avoid Fate offers an affordable and effective countermeasure, allowing you to preserve your board state and momentum against potential threats.
How to beat Avoid Fate
Avoid Fate is a classic protective spell in the world of MTG, allowing players to shield their permanents from targeted spells or abilities. This green instant is particularly useful in preserving key creatures or enchantments on your battlefield, akin to a shield against your opponent’s disruptive tactics. While it’s limited to targets that are not enchantments, its ability to neutralize potential threats at a low mana cost can be a game-changer.
To surpass the barrier that Avoid Fate provides, strategy shifts are required. Consider using board wipes or global effects that aren’t targeted, thus sidestepping Avoid Fate’s limitation. Cards like Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict come to mind, excelling at sweeping the board clean without giving an opening for Avoid Fate to interfere. Additionally, opting for counterspells when Avoid Fate is cast can check the card right back. Here, patience is key – timing your spells to play around your opponent’s mana availability can ensure your impactful cards land successfully.
Ultimately, resilience and adaptability are your allies when facing Avoid Fate. Keeping an eye on the broader scope of the game and predicting when to hold back or advance your tactics will help in making sure this classic MTG card doesn’t derail your path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Avoid Fate MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 Avoid Fate 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
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Printings
The Avoid Fate Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Phil Foglio.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 175 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Phil Foglio | |
| 2 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral Timeshifted | TSB | 73 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Phil Foglio |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Avoid Fate has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Avoid Fate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-22 | Avoid Fate must target an instant spell or an Aura spell as it’s cast, and it must be targeting an instant or an Aura spell at the time it resolves. It will still resolve if it starts out targeting a spell of one type but the target changes to a spell of the other type (thanks to Shunt, for instance) before it resolves. |