Seshiro the Anointed Avatar MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Vanguard
Released	2003-01-01
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Online Avatars
Set code	PMOA
Number	46
Frame	2015
Layout	Vanguard
Border	Black
Illustred by	UDON

Key Takeaways

Card draw from Seshiro elevates snake decks with a consistent flow of game-changing options.
He amplifies snakes’ threat level, reducing reliance on other mana-consuming enhancements.
Reactive opponent play, pressured by a creature-centric strategy, can result in suboptimal decisions.

Text of card

At the beginning of the game, choose a creature type. Creatures you control, creature spells you control, and creature cards you own in any zone other than the battlefield or the stack have the chosen type in addition to their other types.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Seshiro the Anointed on the battlefield, every time a Snake you control deals combat damage to a player, you get to draw a card. This can rapidly fill your hand, providing a consistent stream of options and increasing your chances of having the right answer or threat at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: Seshiro himself may not directly produce additional mana, but by providing a significant boost to your creature’s power and toughness, he effectively reduces the need for other buffs or enhancements. This allows for more efficient use of your mana and resources each turn and quickly overwhelms your opponents with enhanced creatures.

Instant Speed: Seshiro the Anointed doesn’t operate at instant speed, but by encouraging an aggressive, creature-centric strategy, you can pressure your opponents to act at instant speed to handle your threats. This dynamic often leaves them reacting to your plays, which can lead to them making less than optimal plays under pressure.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Seshiro the Anointed requires the commitment to a snake tribal deck, potentially leading to a restrictive deckbuilding path.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Seshiro demands a splash of green mana, narrowing the card’s compatibility to decks that can accommodate this color requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Seshiro can be a drawback in faster-paced games where lower-cost creatures may provide a quicker board presence.

Reasons to Include Seshiro the Anointed in Your Collection

Versatility: Seshiro the Anointed offers a broad appeal for decks focusing on Snake tribal strategies, as well as those seeking to increase creature-based synergies. His ability to give all Snakes you control +2/+2 not only strengthens your forces but also turns even the smallest serpents into substantial threats on the board.

Combo Potential: This legendary creature thrives in an environment rich with combos. Whenever a Snake you control deals combat damage to a player, Seshiro allows you to draw a card, thereby fueling your hand and empowering further plays. Pairing him with proliferate mechanics or untap abilities can lead to an overwhelming advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-heavy decks predominate, Seshiro the Anointed can be a game-changer. The card-draw ability ensures sustained momentum against control decks, while the power and toughness boost makes your Snake army formidable against aggro competitors.

How to beat

Seshiro the Anointed is a formidable commander in MTG that can turn snake decks into a relentless force. As a lord to snake creatures, this legendary creature offers significant boosts with a +2/+2 and the added benefit of card draw whenever a snake deals combat damage to a player. Overcoming a deck centered around Seshiro requires strategic disruption.

To outmaneuver Seshiro, consider removing him before the board is swarmed with buffed snakes. Efficient spell removals or board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God can reset the board before the snake army becomes overwhelming. Spot removals such as Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy also serve well to remove Seshiro, stalling the deck’s synergy.

Alternatively, prevent Seshiro’s ability by cutting off the card draw source, which is pivotal in maintaining the deck’s momentum. Cards that restrict creatures from dealing damage or deny combat advantages, including Ghostly Prison or Propaganda, can hamper the deck’s plan. In essence, swift elimination or limitation of Seshiro’s influence is essential to dismantle a deck that thrives on its snake-driven engine.

Cards like Seshiro the Anointed Avatar

Within the diverse arsenal of MTG commanders, Seshiro the Anointed stands out as a tribal leader for snake enthusiasts. Like Seshiro, Sliver Overlord is another tribal juggernaut, offering a compelling comparison. While Seshiro emboldens snakes and provides a wellspring of card draw, Sliver Overlord’s hallmark is its universal sliver tutoring ability, strengthening the sliver-tribal strategy through precision and variety. Both commanders excel at unifying their respective tribes, though their tactics differ—Seshiro through power boosts and card advantage, Sliver Overlord through unbridled access to a sliver toolkit.

Another card that resembles Seshiro’s strategy is Morophon, the Boundless. Morophon offers cost reduction and stat augmentation to a chosen tribe, optimizing tribal decks’ performance. However, unlike Morophon’s broad tribal support, Seshiro is tailored specifically to snakes, carving a more specialized niche. The card draw Seshiro enables by dealing combat damage mark him as a powerhouse in snake tribal scenarios, though Morophon presents a more flexible tool for any tribe’s arsenal.

Examining these similarities and contrasts, it’s clear that Seshiro the Anointed has a distinct spot within MTG tribal decks. His unique combination of tribal support through card draw and boosting snake creatures gives him a competitive edge in his focused domain.

Morophon, the Boundless - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Seshiro the Anointed 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 Seshiro the Anointed Avatar and other MTG cards: