Fleeting Aven MTG Card


Fleeting Aven - Onslaught
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Bird Wizard
Abilities Flying
Released2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameOnslaught
Set codeONS
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number83
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byIain McCaig

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage through card draw with each combat damage for consistent hand filtering.
  2. Can swiftly affect game pace by threatening early and accelerating resource access.
  3. Flash ability adds instant-speed play, increasing tactical surprise against opponents.

Text of card

Flying Whenever a player cycles a card, return Fleeting Aven to its owner's hand.

"Don't become so enthralled with magic that you forget you can fly without it."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fleeting Aven offers a unique twist to drawing cards. Unlike many creatures, it provides potential card advantage each time it swings. This graceful flyer can filter your hand by allowing you to draw each time it deals combat damage, which can be a subtle yet consistent way to find the resources you need over the course of a match.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly ramping mana like some other cards, Fleeting Aven can indirectly accelerate your resources. Efficiently costed, it places a flying threat in the air early, pressuring your opponent and possibly leading to a shorter path to victory. Every turn saved is a turn closer to winning, essentially accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: The true utility of Fleeting Aven comes in its ability to capitalize on instant-speed interactions. The card’s prowess at surprising an opponent with its flash ability allows you to leave mana open for other spells or abilities and play it only when it is most advantageous—potentially ambushing an attacker or flashing it in end of turn for an offensive advantage on your next turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engages in forceful discard, prompting you to lose a card from your hand, which could put you at a disadvantage, especially when your options are already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Demands a particular blend of mana to cast, including blue, which may not be readily available in all decks, restricting its versatility across various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment needed to bring Fleeting Aven into play is on the higher end for its stat line and abilities, potentially slowing down the tempo of your game as there might be other creatures that provide better value or have a more substantial impact on the board for a similar cost.


Reasons to Include Fleeting Aven in Your Collection

Versatility: Fleeting Aven excels in decks that capitalize on flying creatures or those that require quick hitters. Its ability to swoop in and either block or deal damage on the fly makes it adaptable in many match-ups.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that benefit from creatures entering or leaving the battlefield, Fleeting Aven can be a key piece in setting off a beneficial chain of reactions for the player.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the current trends, this card can surprise opponents who are unprepared for quick aerial threats. If evasion tactics are proving effective in your game circles, Fleeting Aven might be the strategic edge you need.


How to beat

Fleeting Aven is an intriguing creature card that can be quite evasive due to its flying ability. To effectively tackle Fleeting Aven during a game, understanding its strengths and weaknesses is key. This creature excels in the air, making it less of a concern for decks that operate numerous creatures with reach or flying themselves. Cards like Windstorm or Plummet which specifically target flying creatures become invaluable tools in these scenarios.

An alternative approach is to use spells that don’t target but rather affect all creatures regardless of their abilities, such as board wipes like Day of Judgment or Toxic Deluge. Control decks might rely on counter magic to prevent Fleeting Aven from hitting the board in the first place, employing counterspells like Counterspell or Negate. At the end of the day, maintaining a versatile arsenal that can address threats from the sky ensures that Fleeting Aven doesn’t catch you off-guard.


Cards like Fleeting Aven

Fleeting Aven takes to the skies in the world of Magic: The Gathering, joining a robust lineup of flying creatures with unique benefits. With its kinship to creatures like Stormfront Pegasus, which also offers two power for two mana and the advantage of flight, Fleeting Aven adds a twist with cycling ability. While Stormfront Pegasus is straightforward in its play, Fleeting Aven provides versatility and a chance to refresh your hand if it’s not the right time for a creature play.

In the company of other winged allies, Squadron Hawk merits a mention. It may only have one power, but the ability to search your library for more copies upon entering the battlefield offers incremental advantages. Unlike these more passive fliers, Fleeting Aven shifts focus towards hand dynamics, allowing you to cycle through your deck when conditions call for it. Diligent Excavator from recent sets echoes this manipulation of hand and library, although favoring historic spells over cycling.

Assessing these options illustrates that while many creatures can take to the skies, the specific utilities they bring are diverse. Fleeting Aven holds its ground—or rather, its airspace—by offering MTG players flexibility in both creature presence and hand management strategies.

Stormfront Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Diligent Excavator - MTG Card versions
Stormfront Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Diligent Excavator - MTG Card versions

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Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Cephalid Pathmage - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
Daring Apprentice - MTG Card versions
Time Elemental - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Shaman - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Shapeshifter - MTG Card versions
Stronghold Biologist - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Wall - MTG Card versions
Wall of Air - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Wormfang Drake - MTG Card versions
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions
Cephalid Pathmage - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fleeting Aven has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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