Dauntless Aven MTG Card
2017-07-14 - Number 7
2020-08-13 - Number 12
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Bird Warrior |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Dauntless Aven’s untap ability is versatile, enabling recurring utility from creatures’ tap effects.
- Use Dauntless Aven for resource acceleration by untapping mana sources or key permanents.
- Enhances metagame presence by offering flying defense and potential combo plays.
Text of card
Flying Whenever Dauntless Aven attacks, untap target creature you control.
In the chaos brought by the new gods, swift-winged aven served as pathfinders, leading the last of the people away from the ruins of Naktamun.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dauntless Aven may not directly let you draw cards, but its ability to untap another target creature enables repeated uses of tap effects. This can lead to card advantage through additional creature abilities or supporting combat strategies that net you more cards.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly function as a mana source, the untap ability of Dauntless Aven can be creatively used to untap mana-producing creatures or other permanents for additional resource acceleration, ensuring you stay ahead in deploying your cards.
Instant Speed: The key benefit of Dauntless Aven does not operate at instant speed; however, its flying attribute provides a reliable blocker that can be effective during your opponent’s turn, potentially thwarting instant-speed threats from the skies.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Dauntless Aven requires a precise mana alignment, including two white mana in its casting cost, which can restrict deck-building options and make it less versatile across multiple deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 2/1 flyer, Dauntless Aven’s ability to untap a target creature might not justify its cost compared to other cards at the same mana value with more impactful board presence or abilities.
Discard Requirement: While not directly applicable, Dauntless Aven lacks a built-in mechanism for card advantage, which means its effectiveness hinges on other cards in play and could lead to disadvantageous board states if you’re unable to maintain a solid hand size.
Reasons to Include Dauntless Aven in Your Collection
Versatility: The utility of Dauntless Aven lies in its ability to untap any permanent, not just creatures. This gives players creative freedom to devise various strategies, making it a valuable addition to decks that can capitalize on untapping lands, artifacts, or other creatures for multiple uses within a single turn.
Combo Potential: When paired with cards that have tap abilities or those that benefit from being untapped, Dauntless Aven can be a component of powerful combos. It works exceptionally well with exert creatures from the Amonkhet block or with permanents that can tap to produce mana or draw cards, leveraging its untapping ability to maximize your resources.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames where tempo plays a significant role, Dauntless Aven can serve a crucial function by maintaining the momentum of your strategy. The agility provided by its flying attribute and the ability to reactivate your key permanents can make it a pertinent choice in combat-focused decks or ones that rely on certain permanents being untapped to respond to opponents’ moves.
How to beat
Dauntless Aven is an intriguing creature in Magic: The Gathering that brings unique dynamics to the battlefield with its ability to untap target tapped creature at the beginning of each combat. This can be quite robust in decks that hinge on exert mechanics or need to maintain blockers. A small creature, yet its persistent untapping can quickly become a thorn in an opponent’s side, creating continuous tactical advantages.
To outmaneuver Dauntless Aven’s effect, players might consider the use of efficient removal spells to ensure it doesn’t stick around to wreak havoc. Spells that can deal with the Aven before the combat phase are particularly effective. Cards like Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt are classic choices that can readily dispatch the Aven, owing to its modest toughness. In addition, enchantments that prevent the Aven from attacking or tapping, such as Pacifism or Claustrophobia, can neutralize its ability without removing it from the board.
A key strategy is to minimize the advantages the Aven gives. Not letting it to get value from repeated exertion plays or ensuring creatures remain tapped by using cards that tap multiple creatures can dampen its impact on the game. In essence, prompt answers to Dauntless Aven ensure that it doesn’t become a game-changer on your opponent’s side of the battlefield.
Cards like Dauntless Aven
Dauntless Aven holds a unique spot in the flying creatures’ roster of Magic: The Gathering. It shares a kinship with cards like Sunstriker, which is another creature with the “untap another target creature” ability. However, Dauntless Aven has the advantage of being airborne, allowing you to press the attack from the skies.
Exploring further, we encounter Gustcloak Savior, which also offers tactical maneuvers by untapping creatures, but it does so upon the condition of the creature being unblocked. Dauntless Aven, on the other hand, untaps creatures whenever it attacks, providing a more consistent benefit every combat phase. While Gustcloak Savior aids in dodging unfavorable blocks, the simplicity and reliability of Dauntless Aven’s untapping feature can be favored for straightforward strategies.
Thus, within the sphere of creatures that can manipulate tap states, Dauntless Aven emerges as a dependable choice for players seeking to enhance their offensive lineup while enabling pivotal creature synergy in their game plan.
Cards similar to Dauntless Aven by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dauntless Aven MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Dauntless Aven 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
Printings
The Dauntless Aven Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Zack Stella.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-07-14 | Hour of Devastation | HOU | 7 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zack Stella | |
| 2 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 12 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zack Stella |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dauntless Aven has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dauntless Aven card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-07-14 | All attackers are chosen at once. You can’t attack with Dauntless Aven, untap a tapped creature, and then attack with that creature. |
| 2017-07-14 | Untapping an attacking creature doesn’t remove it from combat. |
