Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Spirit Soldier
Abilities Bolster
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances board presence with bolster, making your creature force tougher without more cards.
  2. Low cost and instant-speed bolster offer strategic advantages and dynamic play.
  3. Restricts deck building due to specific mana costs, influencing its versatility.

Text of card

Whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, bolster 1. (Choose a creature with the least toughness among creatures you control and put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Martyred for worshipping her ancestors, she now walks among them.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Anafenza Kin-Tree Spirit may not draw cards directly but her bolster ability significantly enhances your board presence, effectively creating card advantage by strengthening your creatures without the need for additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: Although Anafenza doesn’t provide traditional mana acceleration, her low casting cost contributes to a faster deployment of your strategy, which can be a form of resource acceleration by enabling quicker plays and efficient use of mana.

Instant Speed: Anafenza’s bolster ability triggers whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, allowing you to strengthen your creatures essentially at instant speed, responding dynamically to the state of the game with each creature you play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit does not impose a discard requirement on the player, benefiting those who aim to maintain hand advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Anafenza demands specific mana input with two white mana in her cost. This requirement can restrict the card’s integration outside of mono-white or heavily white-focused decks, potentially limiting its use in a diverse meta.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While costing only two mana, the card may seem affordable, it’s important to consider that in the early game, when developing board presence is crucial, a two-drop creature without immediate impact may not be as efficient. Cards at the same cost could provide more advantageous effects or attributes suited to early game progression.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Anafenza Kin-Tree Spirit finds a place in numerous deck builds, particularly ones centered around +1/+1 counter strategies. Her ability to bolster other creatures every time a non-token creature enters the battlefield under your control cements her as a steadfast inclusion in creature-heavy decks.

Combo Potential: This card offers ample opportunities to combine with others that capitalize on putting +1/+1 counters on creatures. Whether it’s enhancing the strength of your creatures or working with abilities that trigger from counters, Anafenza can be the cornerstone of powerful synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies prevail, Anafenza holds her ground as a relevant choice. Her ability to consistently pump up your team can quickly outpace opponents, making her a valuable asset in a variety of meta scenarios.


How to beat

Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit represents a formidable presence on the battlefield with its ability to bolster other creatures in Magic the Gathering. This can quickly lead to an overwhelming army if left unchecked. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to disrupt the synergy Anafenza offers to your opponent’s creature strategies. Removal spells are highly effective; targeting Anafenza the moment she hits the board is crucial. Board wipes also serve well to reset the game state and negate the accumulated +1/+1 counters from her ability.

In matches where Anafenza is pivotal for the opponent’s game plan, spell-based strategies, like counterspells, can prevent her from ever impacting the board. Negate or Essence Scatter are suitable options, halting her play while conserving your mana for further plays. Direct damage spells, such as Lightning Bolt or Abrade, are also practical solutions, offering quick and efficient ways to remove her before the bolster ability can scale up the opponent’s creatures. Lastly, utilizing graveyard-centric cards can mitigate her secondary ability, as she restricts returning creature cards from the graveyard to the battlefield, a notable side effect to bear in mind.

By anticipating the synergy and preparing your deck with answers to Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit, you can turn a challenging encounter into a manageable one, keeping the board state in control and improving your chances of victory in MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the nuances of Anafenza Kin-Tree Spirit can greatly enhance your MTG gameplay. Leveraging her bolster ability optimizes your creatures, making her a force multiplier on the battlefield. As you consider incorporating Anafenza into your deck, remember that this is a journey of strategic deck building and tactical play. Learn more about how to synergize Anafenza’s strengths with other cards and navigate around potential weaknesses to truly make the most of your gameplay. Whether you’re participating in Friday Night Magic or a casual playgroup, Anafenza can fortify your strategy and give you the edge. Explore our insights and resources to gain mastery over your MTG matches with Anafenza at the helm.


Cards like Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit

Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit represents a unique twist on bolstering creatures in Magic: The Gathering. She bears resemblance to cards like Juniper Order Ranger, which also bolster creatures. However, Anafenza shines with her ability to bolster each time another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, without the need for the ranger’s causative combat damage to a player.

Another spirit you might consider is Long-Forgotten Gohei, which buffs other spirits and arcane spells. Though Anafenza doesn’t provide a blanket buff to other spirits or reduce spell costs, her consistent bolster ability can quickly grow a board presence. Lastly, Mikaeus, the Lunarch enters the similar territory with his ability to distribute +1/+1 counters. Unlike Anafenza, Mikaeus offers more flexibility in allocation, but requires tapping, which makes Anafenza’s repeated bolster trigger an enticing advantage for players looking to build momentum with each creature played.

Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit’s innate synergy with creature-heavy decks and the potential to amass considerable power and toughness across the board give her a distinguished spot in MTG, particularly for her recurring on-cast bolster effect.

Juniper Order Ranger - MTG Card versions
Long-Forgotten Gohei - MTG Card versions
Mikaeus, the Lunarch - MTG Card versions
Juniper Order Ranger - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Long-Forgotten Gohei - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Mikaeus, the Lunarch - From the Vault: Legends (V11)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Dragons of Tarkir Promos, 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 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 22015normalblackRyan Yee
22015-03-28Dragons of Tarkir PromosPDTK 2s2015normalblackRyan Yee
32022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 972015normalblackRyan Yee
42023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 12015normalblackDomenico Cava
52023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 1312015normalblackDomenico Cava
62023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 131z2015normalblackDomenico Cava
72023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 662015normalblackRyan Yee
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 112015normalblackRyan Yee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2015-02-25 Bolster itself doesn't target any creature, though some spells and abilities that bolster may have other effects that target creatures. For example, you could put counters on a creature with protection from white with Aven Tactician's bolster ability.
2015-02-25 You determine which creature to put counters on as the spell or ability that instructs you to bolster resolves. That could be the creature with the bolster ability, if it's still under your control and has the least toughness.

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