Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Angel
Abilities Double strike,Flying,Transform
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Enduring Angel transforms when facing defeat, becoming Angelic Enforcer with a revitalized life total.
  2. Its precise mana cost and five-mana play may limit its versatility in speedy or multi-color decks.
  3. Despite drawbacks, its unique abilities and synergy make it a solid choice for thematic decks.

Text of card

Flying, double strike You have hexproof. If your life total would be reduced to 0 or less, instead transform Enduring Angel and your life total becomes 3. Then if Enduring Angel didn't transform this way, you lose the game.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enduring Angel offers a unique form of card advantage by transforming into a potent celestial, Angelic Enforcer, when your life total would be reduced to zero. Rather than losing the game, you gain a second chance with a potentially game-winning creature on the field.

Resource Acceleration: Though the Angel itself does not directly accelerate resources, its transformation resets your life total to three, effectively giving you an additional resource in the form of extra life points which can be crucial in the late game.

Instant Speed: While not an instant, Enduring Angel’s flash ability allows you to deploy it at instant speed, catching opponents off guard and providing defensive maneuvers that can disrupt their strategy during their turn.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Enduring Angel requires a precise blend of mana types with a casting cost of two plain and three colorless mana. This specific mana demand might restrict the angel’s integration in decks that run more than one color or lack a consistent mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Coming in at a total of five mana, Enduring Angel is on the higher end of the mana curve. This makes it less accessible in the early game and can be a significant drawback in fast-paced formats where speed is critical. Other creatures or spells at this cost point might provide immediate impact or broader utility.

Discard Requirement: Although Enduring Angel itself doesn’t have a discard requirement, its transformative ability could potentially be a downside. If you’re unable to maintain a higher life total than your starting one when its ability triggers, you’ll have to sacrifice the angel without the upside of transforming it, leading to a significant loss of board presence and resources.


Reasons to Include Enduring Angel in Your Collection

Versatility: Enduring Angel presents itself as an adaptable addition to any deck leaning towards life gain or angelic themes. Its ability to serve as a formidable blocker and potentially flip into a powerful alternate win condition makes it a multipurpose tool in many different strategies.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with effects that can manipulate life totals or provide protection, allowing for unexpected game swings. Its synergistic potential with other cards can lead to dynamic and game-ending plays that catch opponents off guard.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta-game where large swings in life totals are prevalent or against decks that work towards one big turn, Enduring Angel can be vital. It holds its ground strongly in the current environment, where maintaining a high life total can mean the difference between victory and defeat.


How to beat

The challenge of overcoming Enduring Angel in MTG is no small feat, requiring a strategic approach to circumvent its potent transformation ability. This celestial card sets itself apart with its dual nature—the ability to flip into a daunting Angelic Enforcer when your life total would be reduced to 0. The key here is to either go above or fly under the radar. To effectively suppress this angelic force, consider using removal spells that exile or cause the player to sacrifice the creature before its trigger can protect them. There are several notable cards like Swords to Plowshares or Thoughtseize that can effectively address creatures with transformative abilities before they become a problem.

In addition, having instant speed answers that can disrupt the opponent’s strategy at a moment’s notice gives you the upper edge. A card like Skyclave Apparition can remove Enduring Angel without triggering its transformation, as it exiles rather than destroys. It’s also essential to manage your attacks and spells in a way that ensures the Angel is taken care of before your opponent reaches the precarious life total threshold.

Ultimately, swift removal and strategic planning are your allies in ensuring that Enduring Angel’s second coming is nothing but a myth, allowing you to maintain control of the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the nuances of Enduring Angel can turn the tides in your MTG matches. Its ability to transform as a fail-safe gives it a unique position in any deck focused on life total manipulation. Whether you are bolstering your life gain strategy or considering new angles of defense, this angel offers both versatility and a splashy way to avoid defeat. Integrating Enduring Angel within your MTG collection can lead to exciting and unexpected victories by providing an alternative path to winning the game. Dive deeper with us to unravel the best ways to utilize this celestial card and refine your gameplay to celestial heights.


Cards like Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer

Enduring Angel presents players with a unique blend of offensive and defensive capabilities in MTG. In the realm of angelic cards, it draws a parallel with the card Resolute Archangel. Both cards are designed to impact life totals, but Enduring Angel takes it a step further with the ability to transform into Angelic Enforcer and reset a player’s life total when it dies, provided the player’s life total is less than 1. However, Resolute Archangel is more straightforward, setting a player’s life total to 20 when it enters the battlefield.

Examining other angels, Gisela, the Broken Blade offers another comparison. It lacks Enduring Angel’s transformative ability but compensates with lifelink and collaboration with Bruna, the Fading Light to become Brisela, Voice of Nightmares. The focus here is on strong combat capabilities whereas Enduring Angel prioritizes life total management. Finally, Lyra Dawnbringer is considered, with its stat boost to other angels and lifelink, providing consistent value without the conditionality of Enduring Angel’s transformation.

In the sphere of powerful angelic beings within MTG, Enduring Angel shines with its distinctive second chance mechanic, setting it apart from similar cards that offer either consistent life gain or combat prowess.

Resolute Archangel - MTG Card versions
Brisela, Voice of Nightmares - MTG Card versions
Lyra Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Resolute Archangel - Magic 2015 Promos (PM15)
Brisela, Voice of Nightmares - Eldritch Moon (EMN)
Lyra Dawnbringer - Dominaria Promos (PDOM)

Cards similar to Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer by color, type and mana cost

Veteran Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
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Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
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Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions
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Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Shu Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Veteran Bodyguard - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Rashida Scalebane - Mirage (MIR)
Avenging Angel - Tempest (TMP)
Lancers en-Kor - Stronghold (STH)
Radiant, Archangel - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Karmic Guide - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Master Healer - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Angel of Mercy - The List (PLST)
Serra Angel - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Border Patrol - Judgment (JUD)
Sigardian Savior - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Glory - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Celestial Gatekeeper - Legions (LGN)
Collector Protector - Unhinged (UNH)
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - Saviors of Kamigawa Promos (PSOK)
Belfry Spirit - Guildpact (GPT)
Petra Sphinx - Masters Edition (ME1)
Barrenton Medic - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Ivory Gargoyle - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Shu Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, 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 Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Irina Nordsol.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 938882015transformblackIrina Nordsol
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 172015transformblackIrina Nordsol
32021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3272015transformblackIrina Nordsol
42021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 17s2015transformblackIrina Nordsol
52022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 172015transformblackIrina Nordsol

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-09-24 Applying the replacement effect can't cause Enduring Angel to transform if it isn't a double-faced permanent; that is, if it's a token or if a single-faced permanent has become a copy of it. In that situation, you will lose the game.
2021-09-24 Enduring Angel's last ability is a replacement effect. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to. Notably, players cannot try to destroy Enduring Angel to prevent it from transforming and cause you to lose the game.
2021-09-24 If a transforming double-faced card has somehow become a copy of Enduring Angel, the replacement effect will apply, the copy of Enduring Angel will transform, and your life total will become 3. However, because the copy effect that makes it Enduring Angel continues to apply to it after it transforms, it will still be a copy of Enduiring Angel. This means that the replacement effect will be applied again if your life total would be reduced to 0 or less a second time while that copy effect is still applied.
2021-09-24 To double a player's life total, that player gains an amount of life such that their new life total is twice its current value. (In some very unusual cases, a player may have a negative life total and will still be in the game. In those cases, the player will lose an amount of life such that their new life total is twice its current value.)

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