Angel of the Ruins MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Angel
Abilities Cycling,Flying,Plainscycling
Power 5
Toughness 7

Key Takeaways

  1. Angel of the Ruins excels by offering removal and ensuring consistent land drops through Plainscycling.
  2. While high mana costs present challenges, the card’s versatility can be a decisive factor in games.
  3. Inclusion in decks depends on meta relevancy and the card’s potential to synergize with various strategies.

Text of card

Flying When Angel of the Ruins enters the battlefield, exile up to two target artifacts and/or enchantments. Plainscycling


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Angel of the Ruins provides significant card advantage – not only does it act as removal upon entering the battlefield, thanks to its ability to exile up to two artifacts or enchantments, but it also has Plainscycling. This means you can trade it from your hand for a Plains card, ensuring you never miss a land drop.

Resource Acceleration: While Angel of the Ruins itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, Plainscycling can help you smooth out your mana base, thus indirectly contributing to resource acceleration. It ensures you get the land you need, when you need it, allowing for more consistent play and the ability to cast high-cost spells sooner.

Instant Speed: Although this powerful Angel doesn’t operate at instant speed, its Plainscycling ability does, giving you the flexibility to adapt to the board state. You can efficiently use mana at the end of your opponent’s turn to search for a Plains, keeping up the tempo and retaining the element of surprise with your other instant-speed plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Angel of the Ruins does not come into play without a sacrifice of sorts. Its Plainscycling ability allows you to discard it from your hand to search your library for a Plains card. This could potentially leave your hand depleted, especially when you’re in need of playing powerful creatures rather than fetching lands.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost is not only specific but also steep, demanding two white symbols and a total of seven mana. This can be challenging to meet in a multicolor deck or during the early game when mana resources are scarce, potentially delaying your strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of seven, Angel of the Ruins may sit in your hand while opponents develop their board, as there are other options at lower mana costs that could provide immediate board control or defensive capabilities.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Angel of the Ruins plays a flexible role in deck construction, fitting seamlessly into control or midrange strategies. Its robust ability to eradicate troublesome permanents upon entering the battlefield, coupled with its potent ability to cycle itself from the graveyard, make it a compelling choice for any player looking to adapt to a variety of match-ups.

Combo Potential: This formidable Angel interacts synergistically with reanimation tactics or artifact-centric themes. Players can capitalize on its Plainscycling feature to set up graveyard strategies, or combine it with cards that trigger upon artifact entry to extract maximum value and impact on the game state.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to dismantle key artifacts or enchantments, Angel of the Ruins aligns well with current game dynamics where such permanents hold significant influence. The card shines in meta-environments heavy with utility pieces, hence bolstering your deck’s resilience and competitiveness against a broad spectrum of opposing strategies.


How to beat

Angel of the Ruins is a unique artifact creature in the realm of MTG, heralding a potentially game-altering presence with its potent ability to exile up to two target artifacts and/or enchantments when it enters the battlefield. Commanding a high casting cost of seven mana, this card can act as a formidable late-game player. Despite its angelic might, tackling this celestial challenger is possible.

Staying ahead of the play curve is crucial. Investing in efficient removal spells that cost less mana, like Path to Exile, can whisk the Angel away before its effect wreaks havoc. Counter spells offer another line of defense; by countering the Angel before it hits the field, you negate not only a significant threat but also a potential Plainscycling advantage. Additionally, it’s important to be mindful of instant-speed interactions – cards like Naturalize let you tactically dismantle an opponent’s artifacts and enchantments at a moment’s notice, before their Angel of the Ruins can gain value from them. Timing is everything, and a well-prepared strategy can consistently ground the Angel before its full potential is unleashed.

By prioritizing early game control, employing strategic removal, and utilizing counter spells, players can effectively navigate around the challenges posed by Angel of the Ruins, ensuring it doesn’t disrupt the balance of the match in the opponent’s favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Angel of the Ruins is more than a mere card – it’s a strategic arsenal that can strengthen your late-game plays and reshape the battlefield to your advantage. Embracing its Plainscycling for mana consistency or wielding its exile abilities for precise removal offers a dual advantage often sought by seasoned MTG players. Whether it’s optimizing your deck or refining your approach against prevalent meta archetypes, this card has the potential to be an asset in your collection. Dive into our extensive resources to understand how to maximize its value and incorporate it in your arsenal for impactful plays. Ready to advance your MTG strategy? Discover more with us and ensure your collection is a step above the rest.


Cards like Angel of the Ruins

Angel of the Ruins is an intriguing MTG card due to its potential impact in any game. Like Angel of Serenity, Angel of the Ruins also offers a strong presence with dual utility in exile effects and large flying bodies. Where Angel of Serenity can exile up to three other creatures until it leaves the battlefield, Angel of the Ruins focuses on artifacts and enchantments and provides the added benefit of Plainscycling to ensure land drops remain consistent.

Another card that shares a kinship with Angel of the Ruins is the Cataclysmic Gearhulk. Both have the potential to disrupt opponents’ boards significantly, albeit in different ways. While the Gearhulk forces a mini-board wipe, Angel of the Ruins allows for selective exiling, giving a player more control over what to remove. However, the Gearhulk has the upside of impacting the board as soon as it enters, whereas Angel of the Ruins requires a setup with artifacts or enchantments to target.

Considering the current MTG landscape, Angel of the Ruins holds a unique position as a late-game pivot that can switch from defense to offense. Its ability to thin the deck and offer strategic exile options makes it a respectable choice in relevant MTG decks, representing both a threat and a solution on wings.

Angel of Serenity - MTG Card versions
Cataclysmic Gearhulk - MTG Card versions
Angel of Serenity - MTG Card versions
Cataclysmic Gearhulk - MTG Card versions

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Combat Thresher - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Angel of the Ruins MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Angel of the Ruins and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Angel of the Ruins Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2019-12-02 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 900022015NormalBlackViko Menezes
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 13782015NormalBlackFang Xinyu
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 13432015NormalBlackViko Menezes
42021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3382015NormalBlackViko Menezes
52021-04-23Commander 2021C21 112015NormalBlackViko Menezes
62022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 681997NormalBlackViko Menezes
72023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 1712015NormalBlackViko Menezes
82024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 552015NormalBlackViko Menezes
92024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 782015NormalBlackViko Menezes

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Angel of the Ruins has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

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