Resolute Archangel MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Angel
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Leverages a full life reset feature, providing players with a powerful comeback mechanism during play.
  2. Works effectively with instant speed cheat mechanisms, changing the battlefield dynamics unexpectedly.
  3. Despite a high mana cost, it’s a formidable choice against aggressive strategies, offering substantial longevity.

Text of card

Flying When Resolute Archangel enters the battlefield, if your life total is less than your starting life total, it becomes equal to your starting life total.

Cut it down, bury it in snow, put it to the torch. The rose will still bloom again.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Resolute Archangel restores your life total to its starting amount, essentially giving you a second chance in the game. This can be a massive swing in your favor, negating much of the progress your opponent has made, without having to deplete your hand or resources to do so.

Resource Acceleration: While the angel itself may not directly contribute to resource acceleration in terms of mana, getting “reset” on life total can allow players more time to develop their board and use their mana more effectively without the pressure of a low life total limiting their strategic options.

Instant Speed: Resolute Archangel, although a creature, interfaces well with cards that enable you to cheat creatures into play at instant speed. For example, emerging the archangel during an opponent’s attack phase as a surprise blocker can significantly change the game’s momentum. Additionally, this can turn an opponent’s lethal attack into a disappointing setback for them as your life total climbs back to its starting point.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Resolute Archangel, you’re not required to discard any cards. This means the card doesn’t have a discard requirement, adding to its positive gameplay aspects.

Specific Mana Cost: Resolute Archangel requires a specific blend of mana: two white and five of any color. This dedication to a specific mana blend might complicate deck construction, particularly in multicolored decks seeking to maintain a low curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of seven mana, Resolute Archangel sits on the higher end of the mana spectrum. This requirement can make it a less attractive option in faster-paced games where lower-cost creatures and spells are preferred for their quick playability.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Resolute Archangel offers a unique way to reset life totals, which can be a game-changer in various deck formats. Its flexibility across different game situations makes it a valuable asset, especially for control or life-gain themed decks.

Combo Potential: This angel works wonders in conjunction with other life-manipulating spells or abilities. In combination with cards that benefit from life gain or have payoffs for high life totals, Resolute Archangel can be part of powerful synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on aggro or burn strategies, the ability to restore your life total to your starting life can be incredibly pivotal. This makes the Resolute Archangel a potent sideboard choice or even a main deck inclusion in the right environment.


How to beat

Resolute Archangel stands out as a formidable card in Magic: The Gathering, offering not just a return to your initial life total but also presenting as a notable creature on the battlefield. When this celestial being enters the play, it can single-handedly reverse the course of a game, especially when you’re trailing behind in life points.

To outmaneuver the Archangel’s impact, consider implementing instant-speed removal spells that can be cast in response to its life-resetting ability, such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile. Counterspells are also an excellent strategy, with options like Counterspell or Negate at your disposal, preventing it from ever hitting the board. In addition, graveyard disruption can be key, with cards like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze, ensuring that the Archangel doesn’t make a reappearance thanks to any reanimation tactics your opponent might deploy. Always be ready with an answer, and its resolution will never be a concern.

In sum, while Resolute Archangel can present a significant hurdle, a premeditated approach with the right mix of disruption, removal, or countermeasures can effectively neutralize this potential game-changer, keeping you ahead in the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Resolute Archangel stands as a symbol of resilience in MTG, providing a lifeline when games seem out of reach. Its ability to reset your life total presents strategic depth, empowering players to rebound from perilous situations with grace. Whether facing aggro decks or looking to forge enduring synergies, this celestial ally can be a cornerstone for those who favor the long game. Are you intrigued by the potential shifts in game dynamics this card can introduce? Hungry for knowledge on how it can be optimally woven into your decks? Sharpen your strategies and broaden your MTG horizons with us, where insights on such pivotal cards await, guiding you towards triumph in your gaming encounters.


Cards like Resolute Archangel

Resolute Archangel stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a beacon of hope for life total recovery strategies. It’s sometimes paralleled with cards such as Beacon of Immortality, which also offers a significant life boost by doubling a player’s life total. While the Beacon’s effect may result in a greater immediate increase, Resolute Archangel provides the additional advantage of a flying body on the battlefield. Unlike the Beacon, the Archangel can impact the board presence and potentially shift the game’s momentum in your favor.

Another card often brought into comparison is Felidar Sovereign. This creature provides a chance to win the game for players with high life totals. While Resolute Archangel doesn’t present such a direct victory condition, its ability to reset one’s life total to the starting health can be pivotal in games, especially in Commander format where large swings in life are common. Then there’s Exquisite Archangel, which offers a one-time shield against an otherwise game-ending blow; the Resolute Archangel doesn’t prevent defeat but can help a player stay in the game longer by restoring a precarious life total.

In sum, Resolute Archangel holds its place among MTG cards that revolve around life totals, offering a unique mix of life restoration and tactical presence on the battlefield.

Beacon of Immortality - MTG Card versions
Felidar Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Exquisite Archangel - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Immortality - MTG Card versions
Felidar Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Exquisite Archangel - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Resolute Archangel MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2015 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 Resolute Archangel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Resolute Archangel Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-07-17 and 2014-07-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 538202015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
22014-07-17Magic 2015 PromosPM15 282015NormalBlackWinona Nelson
32014-07-18Magic 2015M15 282015NormalBlackAnthony Palumbo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Resolute Archangel has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2014-07-18 If your life total is less than your starting life total, you actually gain the appropriate amount of life. Other effects that interact with life gain will interact with Resolute Archangel’s ability accordingly.
2014-07-18 Your starting life total is the life total you began the game with. For most two-player formats, this is 20. For Two-Headed Giant, it’s the life total your team started with, usually 30. In Commander games, your starting life total is 40.

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