Flametongue Kavu Avatar MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Vanguard
Released	2003-01-01
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Online Avatars
Set code	PMOA
Number	14
Frame	2015
Layout	Vanguard
Border	Black
Illustred by	UDON

Key Takeaways

Combines creature removal with board presence, potentially tipping the scales in your favor.
Highly efficient card, demanding no extra mana for its impactful ability to eliminate threats.
Can surprise opponents when paired with instant-speed creature plays, disrupting their strategy.

Text of card

Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, that creature deals X damage to target creature, where X is a number chosen at random from 0 to 4.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flametongue Kavu Avatar offers an edge by potentially removing an opponent’s creature upon entry, which can translate into a favorable board state and maintaining pressure on your adversary.

Resource Acceleration: Efficiently costed for its impact, this card provides substantial tempo by dealing with threats without needing additional mana investment beyond its casting cost.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, it pairs well with cards that can cheat creatures into play at instant speed, providing unexpected interaction and turning the tides during an opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Taking on the aggressive persona of the Flametongue Kavu Avatar in your deck means you’ll often find yourself in a pinch due to its discard requirement. Each time you want to harness its power, you’ll need to let go of another card from your hand. It’s a strategic gamble, especially when you’re running low and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Decks that are fluid in their mana base might struggle with this card’s specific demand for red mana. You’ll need a consistent source of red mana to summon the Flametongue Kavu Avatar, making it a challenging fit for multicolored or mana-flexible decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The avatar may be a powerhouse, but it’s essential to consider the four mana you’ll invest to bring it to the battlefield. In a game where tempo can determine the winner, sometimes this cost is a tough pill to swallow, when you could be dropping creatures or casting spells that might have an immediate impact for less.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Flametongue Kavu Avatar brings flexibility to your deck, allowing for powerful creature removal when it enters the battlefield. Its impact on the board state can swing games in your favor regardless of your opponent’s strategy.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with effects that copy creature spells or reanimate creatures, letting you maximize the removal potency and control the battlefield with repeated triggers of its damage-dealing ability.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that often sways towards creature heavy formats, having a card like Flametongue Kavu Avatar that handles threats immediately can be crucial for maintaining dominance and adapting to prevalent deck types.

How to beat

The Flametongue Kavu Avatar stands out in the world of creature cards with its unique ability to deal damage upon entering the battlefield. It poses a real threat by targeting your creatures. To successfully navigate this challenge, it’s vital to have strategies at your disposal. One effective approach is employing instant-speed removal or counter spells before the Kavu Avatar lands on the board, preventing its ability from triggering.

Another tactic is to manage the board state by keeping your most valuable creatures out of harm’s way until you can deal with the Avatar. Strategic use of cards like Unsummon or other creature bounce spells can also impair its effectiveness, forcing your opponent to recast it and pay the associated costs again. Lastly, playing creatures with hexproof or those that are indestructible can nullify the Avatar’s intimidating presence, keeping your side of the battlefield secure.

In the landscape of MTG, overcoming the Flametongue Kavu Avatar requires foresight, timing, and a well-built deck strategy to mitigate its impact and maintain control of the game.

Cards like Flametongue Kavu Avatar

Flametongue Kavu Avatar has strong parallels with creatures that disrupt the battlefield upon entry. One notable counterpart is Ravenous Chupacabra, which also offers the immediate advantage of removing an opponent’s creature. Both cards allow you to assert control but differ in their scope of targets, with the Chupacabra offering a wider range of removal.

Another creature with a comparable impact is Inferno Titan, which allows for damage distribution across multiple targets upon entry and attack. While Inferno Titan provides a more versatile damage spread, it comes with a heftier mana cost compared to the more focused and cost-efficient Flametongue Kavu Avatar. Then there’s Reclamation Sage, an ally to those destroying artifacts and enchantments. Though it lacks the aggressive presence of Flametongue Kavu Avatar, it remains pivotal for addressing non-creature threats.

In assessing the utility and efficiency of such creatures, Flametongue Kavu Avatar earns its reputation for being a competitively priced and strategically versatile option for targeting and eliminating key creatures, embodying a precise balance between cost and effect in MTG creature dynamics.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flametongue Kavu 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 Flametongue Kavu Avatar and other MTG cards: