Aven Smokeweaver MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Bird Soldier
Abilities	Flying,Protection
Released	2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Odyssey
Set code	ODY
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	64
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Key Takeaways

Aven Smokeweaver offers strategic library and battlefield manipulation, enhancing both offense and defense.
Its instant speed activation provides adaptability, crucial for reacting to opponent plays.
It contributes to blue and white-themed decks, with potential drawbacks in versatility and cost.

Text of card

Flying, protection from red

In a world still pained from burns, some are born already scarred.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aven Smokeweaver excels at manipulating the top cards of your library. This tactical maneuver not only sets you up for subsequent turns but potentially disrupts your opponent’s strategy by filtering away their key spells.

Resource Acceleration: The inclusion of this card in your deck ensures that you can achieve an early resource advantage. Unveiling spells of your adversaries allows you to plan your mana usage more efficiently, potentially casting spells that you’ve strategically placed on top of your library.

Instant Speed: Aven Smokeweaver’s ability functions at instant speed, offering flexibility in reaction to your opponents’ moves. This can be a game-changer in maintaining the element of surprise and making decisions based on the evolving state of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Notably, Aven Smokeweaver demands that you discard a card to activate its ability. For players aiming to maintain a full hand, this can lead to a detrimental drop in resources, potentially leaving them at a disadvantage as the game progresses.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s cost is tailored to a blue and white mana base, which may not effortlessly fit into decks that run multiple colors or lack sufficient mana fixing. This makes it less versatile and sometimes challenging to cast on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Charging four mana to deploy Aven Smokeweaver on the battlefield can be steep, particularly when you factor in the additional cost of the card’s activated abilities. When efficiency is key, other creatures might provide similar or better effects at a lower mana investment, making them potentially more advantageous choices for deck builders.

Reasons to Include Aven Smokeweaver in Your Collection

Versatility: Aven Smokeweaver’s ability to manipulate the flow of combat by weaving through opponents’ defenses allows it to be an adaptable addition to various blue or white-themed decks. Its unique skill set enhances not only flying-centric decks but also any strategy that values evasion and board control.

Combo Potential: With Aven Smokeweaver, there’s the potential to set up intriguing combos, especially in decks that exploit tapping and untapping creatures or those that benefit from manipulating combat phases. The card’s synergy with other abilities that interact with flying creatures can unlock new layers of strategy.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where decks with fliers are prominent, Aven Smokeweaver can serve as an essential piece, countering dominant flying threats or fortifying your aerial assault. Its relevance grows with the meta’s inclination towards aerial-centric tactics, making it a timely card to consider for your collection.

How to Beat Aven Smokeweaver

Aven Smokeweaver is a unique addition to the array of creatures available in Magic The Gathering. Excelling at evasion, it can be a tricky card to handle due to its Flying and Prowess abilities. The ability to consistently avoid blockers and power up with noncreature spells demands a strategic approach from the opponent to deal with this aerial threat effectively.

One effective way to counter Aven Smokeweaver is through removal spells that don’t require targeting the creature with flying. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict can clear the battlefield irrespective of evasion abilities. Another tactic is to play spells that can reduce the power or toughness of all creatures, which negates the benefit of Prowess. Furthermore, countering triggers and spells your opponent plays to boost Aven Smokeweaver can limit its power gain and board presence, compelling your adversary to reconsider their play strategy.

In MTG, every card has potential weaknesses, and Aven Smokeweaver is no exception. By keeping a clear focus on universal removals and preventative counterplay, players can effectively neutralize the strategic advantage offered by Aven Smokeweaver. Understanding the mechanics of your own deck is as important as knowing the enemy when strategizing for victory in Magic The Gathering.

Cards like Aven Smokeweaver

Aven Smokeweaver offers a unique blend of abilities for players in the Magic: The Gathering universe. When aligning it with other options in the flying creature pool, Squadron Hawk stands as a notable comparison. The Hawk allows for fetching other copies upon entering the battlefield, which can be a strategic advantage. Aven Smokeweaver, while it doesn’t replicate this tutor-like ability, counters with its potential to manipulate combat by assigning its own blockers — an attribute Squadron Hawk lacks.

Delving into the enchantment creature category, cards such as Hopeful Eidolon provide an interesting parallel. Hopeful Eidolon can bestow lifelink on other creatures or serve as a standalone combatant. Aven Smokeweaver, however, prioritizes battlefield control through its blocking scheme over the enhancement of fellow creatures. This distinction places it in a unique tactical position, particularly in matches where controlling enemy attacks is critical.

Scrutinizing various MTG tactics, it’s clear that the Aven Smokeweaver stands out with its distinctive ability to shape the battlefield. Diverse from other flying creatures, it carves its niche by elevating defense strategies within the Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aven Smokeweaver MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Aven Smokeweaver and other MTG cards: