Xenagos, God of Revels MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Enchantment Creature — God
Abilities Indestructible
Power 6
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Doubles creature power and grants haste for immediate board impact, often forcing opponents to respond to threats.
  2. Multicolored and high mana cost influence deck building, requiring a stable mana base to cast Xenagos effectively.
  3. Inclusion in decks promises versatility, combo potential, and relevance in high-speed, high-impact metagames.

Text of card

Indestructible As long as your devotion to red and green is less than seven, Xenagos isn't a creature. At the beginning of combat on your turn, another target creature you control gains haste and gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is that creature's power.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Xenagos, God of Revels doesn’t directly draw you cards but his ability to double a creature’s power and give it haste can often translate into immediate board presence that forces your opponent to answer it, effectively relieving pressure from the rest of your hand.

Resource Acceleration: This deity from Theros set doesn’t ramp your mana in the traditional sense, but his passive ability helps you capitalize on the creatures you do cast. By enhancing creatures the turn they come into play, Xenagos effectively accelerates your damage output, thereby efficiently utilizing your resources on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Xenagos, God of Revels himself must be played at sorcery speed, his ability activates during your begin combat phase. This allows for surprise combat math alterations that can turn the tide of battle unexpectedly, catching opponents unprepared during what’s normally a predictable phase of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Xenagos, God of Revels doesn’t require a discard himself, but his powerful abilities in a deck often necessitate a sizable hand to keep the momentum. Deck strategies involving Xenagos may compel discarding valuable cards to maintain tempo or board presence, potentially leading to a disadvantage in long-drawn games.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a multicolored card, Xenagos demands both red and green mana for casting. This specific mana requirement restricts deck-building options and means that decks without a reliable mana base may struggle to cast him on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five mana to cast, with a split between red and green, Xenagos sits at a demanding spot on the mana curve. In quicker formats or against decks that aim to establish control early, the cost of getting Xenagos into play can be a significant drawback as it falls right in the mid-game where players should be establishing board dominance or preparing for their endgame strategies.


Reasons to Include Xenagos God of Revels in Your Collection

Versatility: Xenagos, God of Revels lends itself effortlessly to a multitude of deck archetypes, particularly those that emphasize powerful creatures. Given his ability to instantly double a creature’s power and give it haste, he can be a game changer in any deck that aims to deal massive damage swiftly.

Combo Potential: This deity of exhilaration excels in combination settings. When paired with creatures that have formidable enter-the-battlefield effects or those that benefit from being colossal, Xenagos can help execute devastating plays or even enable a swift victory.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where speed and high-impact plays dictate the pace, Xenagos proves to be an indispensable asset. By making your creatures larger and granting them haste, you force opponents to quickly find answers or face an overwhelming onslaught, making this card a persistent threat in many metagames.


How to beat

Xenagos, God of Revels is a powerhouse in the MTG scene, granting creatures haste and doubling their power, a trait that can turn the tides of combat in an instant. To effectively counter this formidable card, consider removal spells that can bypass Xenagos’s indestructible nature, such as Path to Exile or Terminate. These can help clear the path of any buffed creatures, lessening the immediate threat.

Players may also use exile effects, like Anguished Unmaking or Oblivion Ring, to remove Xenagos from the battlefield directly, although countering creature spells to prevent Xenagos’s ability from triggering can be equally effective. It’s also worth noting the value of board wipes. Supreme Verdict and Wrath of God can sweep the board clean, even if your opponent’s creatures have been given a massive boost by Xenagos.

Finally, since Xenagos is a God card, reducing your opponent’s devotion to red and green will cause him to lose creature status, making him much easier to deal with. Focus on strategies that can control the board and manage your opponent’s creature count, and the God of Revels will have much less impact on the game’s outcome.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding Xenagos, God of Revels in MTG enriches your strategic repertoire, ensuring your creatures roar to life with doubled power and haste. The card transforms the battlefield, serving as a true catalyst for victory. While its specific mana requirements and mid-game mana cost call for tactical deck design, the payoff in creature-heavy strategies is unparalleled. Xenagos isn’t just a strong addition to your collection, it’s a declaration of bold plays, commanding respect and swift responses from adversaries. Elevate your game and carve a path to dominance by embracing the boundless revelry Xenagos offers. Dive deeper with us and master its potential.


Cards like Xenagos, God of Revels

Xenagos, God of Revels stands out in the pantheon of powerful deities within Magic: The Gathering. This legendary enchantment creature from the Theros block brings a unique twist to the command zone. When examined alongside other gods such as Purphoros, God of the Forge, Xenagos shares the signature indestructibility but focuses on enhancing creatures rather than dealing direct damage to opponents.

Miroslav the Tainted, though not a god, provides a different approach to boosting creature performance. It grants additional combat phases much in the spirit of Xenagos’s ability to double power and give haste, yet it lacks the permanency and resilience of a deity’s enchantment form. Then there’s Atla Palani, Nest Tender, who also impacts the board by creating creature tokens. While not directly comparable to the explosive nature of Xenagos’s ability, Atla Palani fosters a creature-centric strategy, underlining the diversity in card abilities that players can exploit.

Evaluating these cards reveals Xenagos’s unique niche in augmenting creature aggression, demonstrating why it remains a formidable presence for any player looking to dominate the battlefield within Magic: The Gathering.

Purphoros, God of the Forge - MTG Card versions
Atla Palani, Nest Tender - MTG Card versions
Purphoros, God of the Forge - Theros (THS)
Atla Palani, Nest Tender - Commander 2019 (C19)

Cards similar to Xenagos, God of Revels by color, type and mana cost

Runes of the Deus - MTG Card versions
Predatory Advantage - MTG Card versions
Primal Visitation - MTG Card versions
Bigger on the Inside - MTG Card versions
Runes of the Deus - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Predatory Advantage - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Primal Visitation - Gatecrash (GTC)
Bigger on the Inside - Doctor Who (WHO)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Xenagos, God of Revels MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Born of the Gods, 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 Xenagos, God of Revels and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Xenagos, God of Revels Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2014-02-07 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 862042015normalblackJason Chan
22014-02-07Born of the GodsBNG 1562003normalblackJason Chan
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 812015normalblackJason A. Engle
42020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5412015normalblackJason Chan
52023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2952015normalblackJason Chan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Xenagos, God of Revels has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-09-15 Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
2013-09-15 If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it's still on the battlefield at that time.
2013-09-15 Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
2013-09-15 Numeric mana symbols (, , and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
2014-02-01 The value of X is calculated only once, as the ability resolves.
2020-11-10 As Xenagos enters the battlefield, your devotion to red and green will determine whether any replacement effects that affect creatures entering the battlefield apply. Because replacement effects are considered before Xenagos is on the battlefield, the mana symbols in its mana cost won't be counted when determining this.
2020-11-10 Counters put on Xenagos remain on it while it's not a creature, even if they have no effect.
2020-11-10 If Xenagos is attacking or blocking and it stops being a creature, it will be removed from combat. It won't rejoin combat if it resumes being a creature later during that combat.
2020-11-10 If Xenagos stops being a creature, it loses the type creature and the creature type God. It continues to be a legendary enchantment.
2020-11-10 If an effect causes Xenagos to lose all abilities, its ability that causes it to stop being a creature still applies if appropriate.
2020-11-10 The type-changing ability that can make Xenagos not be a creature functions only on the battlefield. It's always a creature card in other zones, regardless of your devotion to red and green. It's always a creature spell while it's on the stack.
2020-11-10 When Xenagos enters the battlefield, your devotion to red and green will determine if a creature entered the battlefield or not for abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield. The mana symbols in Xenagos's own mana cost are counted when determining this.
2020-11-10 Xenagos's abilities function as long as it's on the battlefield, regardless of whether it's a creature.
2020-11-10 Your devotion to two colors is the number of mana symbols among mana costs of permanents you control that are the first color, the second, or both. If an effect counts your devotion to two colors, a hybrid symbol that is both of those colors is counted just once.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks