Karona, False God MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Avatar
Abilities	Haste
Released	2003-05-26
Set symbol
Set name	Scourge
Set code	SCG
Power	5
Toughness	5
Number	138
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matthew D. Wilson

Key Takeaways

Playing Karona can significantly boost card advantage by empowering a diverse range of creature types.
Her ability to immediately affect the board makes her a game-changer, albeit requiring strategic deployment.
Karona’s five-color mana cost and end-of-turn passing to opponents demand careful deck construction and play.

Text of card

Haste At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player untaps Karona, False God and gains control of it. Whenever Karona attacks, creatures of the type of your choice get +3/+3 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Playing Karona, False God in your deck can lead to significant gains in card advantage. When appropriately leveraged, this multicolor avatar encourages strategic plays that can overwhelm your opponents with a vast array of creature types.

Resource Acceleration: Karona’s ability to potentially accelerate board presence for decks that utilize a variety of creature types is unmatched. By enhancing creatures of every type, she can quickly escalate the value of your army on the battlefield, turning even the most insignificant creatures into substantial threats.

Instant Speed: While Karona, False God isn’t an instant-speed spell, her impact on the board can be immediate and dramatic, influencing the state of the game from the moment she is summoned. Her swift influence on creatures already in play can turn the tides of battle in an instant, catching opponents off guard.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Karona, False God necessitates a unique form of discard, where a player must pass her to an opponent at the end of the turn. This requires strategic thinking about which opponent to give her to and can lead to your own downfall if not planned carefully.

Specific Mana Cost: Karona demands a precisely balanced mana spread of five different colors, making her a challenging fit in many decks. This specific requirement could strain your mana base, especially in a fast-paced game where color fixing isn’t guaranteed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana spread across all colors, Karona’s summoning expense is substantial. Especially in formats where efficiency is key, her high mana cost can be a significant drawback. Players may find other creatures or spells that offer more immediate board impact or value for less mana.

Reasons to Include Karona, False God in Your Collection

Versatility: Karona, False God easily adapts to a variety of deck themes, given her ability to boost not just one but all creature types. With her at your deck’s helm, your tribal synergy potential skyrockets, giving you an edge regardless of the creature type featured in your deck.

Combo Potential: As a five-color commander, Karona allows for complex and potent combos that utilize the full spectrum of card mechanics in the MTG universe. Her dynamic presence on the battlefield can quickly turn the tides of play when combined with cards that alter creature allegiance or utilize various tap and untap mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: Although not at the peak of the current meta, Karona’s unique abilities can be exploited in casual and commander-centric playgroups. She encourages innovative deck-building strategies that can surprise opponents unprepared for such a chameleon-like commander.

How to Beat Karona, False God

Karona, False God stands out as a unique MTG card with its ability to shift allegiances during each player’s turn. This five-colored legendary creature can be both a boon and a bane. Its mighty power and toughness make it a force on the battlefield, and its effect of boosting all creatures of a type chosen by the controlling player can lead to explosive turns.

To effectively disarm Karona’s potential, controlling the board is key. Cards that strip abilities, such as Humility, render it a mere creature without its dangerous effects. Counterspells like Negate or Void Shatter are also pivotal in stopping Karona before it can affect the game state. When Karona is on the battlefield, ensure it doesn’t become a liability by using cards like Homeward Path to regain control or employing strategic blocks to orchestrate its downfall. Remember, being aware of the political aspect of the game when Karona is in play is crucial as it can switch sides and potentially strike back at its former master.

The card’s distinct ability necessitates a thoughtful approach to every match it enters, asking players to have a range of answers at the ready. While Karona, False God may seem daunting at first glance, a well-prepared strategy can turn this false deity into a false threat.

Cards like Karona, False God

In the vast array of powerful multicolor legends in Magic: The Gathering, Karona, False God stands out as a unique fusion of high-risk and high-reward strategies. Karona shares similarities with progenitors of five-color harmony like Progenitus, who boasts protection from everything but comes with a steep mana cost. While Progenitus guarantees a payoff with its indestructible nature, Karona invites a diplomatic angle to gameplay, encouraging a more interactive experience.

Another parallel can be drawn with Child of Alara, another five-color behemoth that destroys all nonland permanents upon death. Though it brings a different kind of board impact compared to Karona’s potential to bolster opponents’ creatures as well as your own, Child of Alara demands a self-sacrificial strategy, echoing the high stakes inherent in piloting Karona. Lastly, Cromat gives players a variety of abilities at their disposal, though it allows for more control over the board as opposed to Karona’s whimsical allegiance shifts.

Ultimately, each of these multicolor legends offers a distinct narrative in gameplay, with Karona, False God inviting a thrilling and precarious dance with every move. Catering to players who enjoy unpredictability and politics in their matches, Karona indeed earns her place in the pantheon of intriguing MTG commanders.

Cards similar to Karona, False God by color, type and mana cost

O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami - MTG Card versions

Slivdrazi Monstrosity - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Karona, False God MTG card by a specific set like Scourge, 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 Karona, False God and other MTG cards: