Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Vanguard
Abilities	First strike,Haste,Protection,Trample
Released	2003-01-01
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Online Avatars
Set code	PMOA
Number	33
Frame	2015
Layout	Vanguard
Border	Black
Illustred by	UDON

Key Takeaways

Akroma provides a bevy of abilities that can outclass opponents, enhancing your battlefield strategy.
While potent, Akroma demands a hefty mana investment and dedication to mono-white decks.
Despite high costs, its versatility and resistance to certain removals make it a desirable card.

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it gains two of the following abilities chosen at random: flying, first strike, trample, haste, protection from black, protection from red, and vigilance.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar on your battlefield, you gain an immediate upper hand, not by drawing more cards, but through its multitude of powerful abilities that equate to having multiple cards’ worth of effects in one. This card combines various effects that can dominate the game, effectively giving you more utility and the chance to outmaneuver opponents with a single investment.

Resource Acceleration: Akroma’s presence accelerates your resource dominance by demanding multiple resources from your opponent to handle it. Given its protection from various colors and spell types, opponents often need to commit more cards and mana to get rid of Akroma, thereby shifting resource management in your favor as they deplete their assets.

Instant Speed: Although Akroma herself doesn’t operate at instant speed, her vigilant nature allows you to stay on the offensive while keeping a robust defense. Plus, her keyword ability lineup often synergizes well with cards that do interact at instant speed, allowing you to adapt and react swiftly to the state of the game while she remains an ever-threatening presence on the board.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Akroma, Angel of Wrath requires a substantial commitment of resources. To summon this powerful avatar, not only must you allocate significant mana, but your strategic options become limited, as dedicating your hand and deck to support her presence on the battlefield is almost a necessity, potentially causing you to discard other valuable cards in the process.

Specific Mana Cost: This avatar demands a very specific and intense mana arrangement, requiring no less than three white mana symbols in its hefty casting cost. This requirement positions the card for use almost exclusively in mono-white or heavily white-focused decks, severely limiting its application in more diverse, multi-colored strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an eight-mana summoning cost, Akroma, Angel of Wrath stands as one of the more mana-intensive creatures one can elect to play. There are numerous lower-cost creatures and spells that can exert influence on the game at a faster rate, making her a potentially cumbersome choice in a format where the pace of play and mana efficiency are often critical to victory.

Reasons to Include Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar in Your Collection

Versatility: Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar is a dynamic card that can adapt to a multitude of strategies. Its keyword arsenal including flying, vigilance, trample, haste, first strike, protection from black and from red makes it a resilient threat in multiple matchups.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with a variety of deck themes, particularly those that amplify creature abilities or interact with angels. Its natural protection properties make it a solid combo enabler in decks designed to utilize angelic hierarchies or protective tactics.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where control decks and creature removal are prevalent, Akroma’s protections render her a formidable adversary. The avatars ability to bypass common removal and press a consistent advantage can influence the pace of the game in your favor.

How to beat

Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar represents a formidable presence on the battlefield with its stash of abilities that make it a nightmare to deal with. However, like all cards in MTG, there are strategies to overcome it. To start, one effective method is using cards that force your opponent to sacrifice creatures. Since Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar has protection against colors and from spells, bypassing this protection with a sacrifice effect can remove it from the battlefield without targeting it directly.

Another avenue is employing board wipes, such as Supreme Verdict, that can destroy all creatures irrespective of their protections, as long as they don’t explicitly have indestructibility. Counter spells are also a key tactic to prevent Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar from ever hitting the field. Cards like Counterspell or Mana Leak can effectively negate its cast, removing the threat before it even begins.

Lastly, turning to the exile mechanic can prove extremely potent against Akroma, as cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares bypass its protections by not dealing damage or targeting other aspects that Akroma is resistant to. By considering its Achilles’ heel and planning around it, this MTG icon can be managed successfully.

Cards like Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar

Akroma, Angel of Wrath embodies the epitome of celestial power in Magic: The Gathering, with a set of abilities that act as a benchmark for other formidable creatures. Cards like Baneslayer Angel bear a resemblance, bringing lifelink and protection from demons and dragons to the table. Yet, Akroma’s vast list of keywords, from flying to vigilance, sets her apart in terms of battlefield control and versatility.

Another comparable mighty winged force is Avacyn, Angel of Hope, notorious for her indestructibility and her ability to grant it to other permanents. Akroma doesn’t shield other creatures but makes up for it with her offensive prowess, like her protection from red and from black, ensuring she faces minimal resistance. Gisela, Blade of Goldnight also enters the fray, halving damage to you while doubling it to your opponents, a strategy that differs from Akroma’s more individual-focused battlefield dominance.

In assessing angelic hierarchy and their strategic applications, Akroma, Angel of Wrath’s comprehensive skill set remains a prominent choice for players seeking an aggressive and resilient avatar to lead their deck to victory in Magic: The Gathering.

Avacyn, Angel of Hope - MTG Card versions

Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Avatars, 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 Akroma, Angel of Wrath Avatar and other MTG cards: