Seraph of Dawn MTG Card
2012-05-04 - Number 35
2020-11-20 - Number 44
2021-08-26 - Number 129
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Angel |
| Abilities | Flying,Lifelink |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Flying Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
She parts the clouds so sunlight can reach even the darkest lairs and duskiest tombs.
Cards like Seraph of Dawn
Seraph of Dawn stands out as a solid defensive creature in the Magic: The Gathering arena. This card could easily be compared to other life-linking flyers like Battlegrace Angel. While Battlegrace Angel offers life gain and a power boost to other creatures, Seraph of Dawn remains a more mana-efficient choice for players looking to stabilize early in the game. Unlike Battlegrace Angel, the Seraph’s strength lies in its resilience and consistent life gain without depending on attacking with other creatures.
Another card worthy of scrutiny alongside Seraph of Dawn is the Griffin Aerie. Although not a creature itself, it provides a steady stream of life-linking flyers. While Griffin Aerie demands a more building strategy around life gain to trigger its ability, Seraph of Dawn offers simplicity and immediate impact on the battlefield. Moreover, it consistently blocks and attacks, contributing to your life total each turn without additional setup.
When considering vigilance and life-link as a combination on a single creature, Sentry of the Underworld also springs to mind. The Vigilance aspect of both creatures can’t be understated, offering both offensive pushes and defensive stands. However, Sentry of the Underworld bears a resurrection ability at an additional mana cost, revealing the trade-off between durability and flexibility that players must navigate depending on their deck strategy.
Cards similar to Seraph of Dawn by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Boasting lifelink, Seraph of Dawn can become a source of both aerial offense and life gain, which often translates to card advantage. Each attack can potentially offset removal spells or effects played by the opponent by keeping your health out of critical ranges.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct means of ramping up mana, the lifelink ability indirectly boosts resource management. Every point of life gained is a resource saved from having to be spent on stabilizing the game later, allowing you to invest more into pressing your advantage on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: Though Seraph of Dawn doesn’t operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with cards that do. Because you can reliably expect it to remain on the board thanks to its respectable toughness, it encourages planning your strategy around instants and surprises that manipulate combat or disrupt opponent moves during their turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Seraph of Dawn offers a solid combination of lifelink and flying in MTG, players must be aware that having her on the board doesn’t come without its own set of strategic considerations. One such aspect is the potential discard requirement when engaging in specific deck strategies or using cards aimed at maximizing her abilities. This could lead to a diminished hand size, restricting your maneuverability during critical moments of the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Seraph of Dawn comes with a color-weighted mana cost, which necessitates two white mana to cast. This specificity can restrict deck-building options, as it requires a commitment to white mana and can be limiting for players who prefer a more flexible or varied mana base. Players who like to merge multiple colors in their decks might find this aspect particularly challenging.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Seraph of Dawn may not be the first choice for players looking to optimize their mana curve. In the competitive MTG landscape, where efficiency is key, there are other cards with lower mana costs that offer similar, if not more immediate, board presence or game impact. As such, while Seraph of Dawn is flavorful and has clear benefits, it must be weighed against alternative cards that may offer more cost-effective solutions.
Reasons to Include Seraph of Dawn in Your Collection
Versatility: Seraph of Dawn is an adaptable card that can be integrated into various deck types, particularly those that require a stable defender with the added benefit of lifelink. This offers consistent life gain, helping to stabilize against aggressive strategies.
Combo Potential: Its lifelink ability can synergize with cards and strategies that trigger effects based upon gaining life. This can create powerful interactions and even set off life-gain-based victory conditions.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where aggressive decks are prevalent, Seraph of Dawn shines by serving as a deterrent to attackers and a reliable life gain source to outlast the opposition.
How to beat Seraph of Dawn
Seraph of Dawn stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a defensive powerhouse, boasting both flying and lifelink—an ideal combination to fortify your aerial defense while maintaining your life total. However, every card has its Achilles’ heel. To effectively counter this celestial defender, focus on spells that can bypass its protections or efficiently remove it from play.
Consider using removal spells that don’t target, such as “Day of Judgment” which sweeps the board clean, regardless of a creature’s abilities. Also, spells like “Rending Volley” offer a cost-effective means to deal unpreventable damage, ensuring creatures like Seraph of Dawn meet their demise. Alternatively, exploiting the power of deathtouch by using creatures like “Typhoid Rats” can neutralize even the mightiest of foes through simple combat.
In essence, while Seraph of Dawn can be a formidable opponent, it’s not insurmountable. Through strategic spell selection and foresight, you can maintain the upper hand and ensure that Seraph of Dawn’s presence on the battlefield is short-lived.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Seraph of Dawn MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Commander Legends, 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 Seraph of Dawn and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Seraph of Dawn Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Todd Lockwood.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-05-04 | Avacyn Restored | AVR | 35 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Todd Lockwood | |
| 2 | 2020-11-20 | Commander Legends | CMR | 44 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Todd Lockwood | |
| 3 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 129 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Todd Lockwood |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Seraph of Dawn has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |