Empyrial Archangel MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Empyrial Archangel offers a dominant board presence. Her ability to shield a player from taking damage essentially allows them to maintain their life total. This edge can translate into a significant card advantage, as opponents must find a way to deal with her before they can affect the player’s life points, often requiring multiple card resources to do so.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, Empyrial Archangel acts as a formidable deterrent against opposing attacks and spells. By safeguarding the player, they are afforded more turns and opportunities to deploy their strategies and draw into more resources, indirectly influencing the pace at which their resources develop.

Instant Speed: The strength of Empyrial Archangel doesn’t stem from being an instant-speed spell, but rather from encouraging strategic play at a similar level. Once on the battlefield, she demands immediate answers. Opponents must consider her in their tactics, which can cause them to play their own instant-speed removal and thus alter the tempo to the Archangel player’s advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other creatures in its class, the Empyrial Archangel demands a precise combination of cards to be deployed effectively. In a game where keeping a strong hand is paramount, having to discard important cards to meet its stringent synergy requirements can put players at a significant disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Empyrial Archangel requires a diverse mana base to cast, demanding one of each color except red, which can prove challenging in non-multicolor decks. This requirement may restrict its inclusion to only certain builds that can accommodate the color spread, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding eight mana to enter the battlefield, the Empyrial Archangel’s cost is high, even within the realm of powerful creatures. With such an investment required, players may find themselves at a tempo loss, especially when faster-paced decks can establish dominance on the board or when facing disruption before the angel can make an impact.

Reasons to Include Empyrial Archangel in Your Collection

Versatility: Empyrial Archangel stands out as a formidable addition to numerous deck types, particularly those that seek a robust finisher. Its shroud ability ensures it remains a resilient threat on the board, while its flying capability asserts a dominant presence against a wide array of opposing defenses.

Combo Potential: When considering strategies that revolve around life gain or protective measures, Empyrial Archangel becomes an excellent choice. Its ability to absorb damage directed at you, redirects gameplay focus, opening avenues for potent combinations with cards designed to exploit such a unique defense mechanism.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta shifts over time, a card like Empyrial Archangel retains value due to its sheer power in deterring opponents’ aggression. Whether you’re facing down sweepers or single-target threats, this angel can play a pivotal role in sustaining your board presence and influencing your opponent’s tactical decisions.

How to beat

Empyrial Archangel is a formidable force in the world of Magic: The Gathering, boasting not only a massive pool of toughness but also an angelic ability that can redirect damage from you to itself. This makes the Archangel a robust defensive card, often turning the tides of battle in your opponent’s favor. To counteract this celestial guardian, it’s essential to have a strategy that either bypasses its damage redirection or removes it from the battlefield entirely.

A well-timed removal spell could be the key; spells that sidestep its ability by forcing a sacrifice, such as Diabolic Edict, can prove to be particularly effective. Alternatively, employing counterspells to prevent the Archangel from entering the battlefield in the first place, can also be a sound approach. Board wipes that clear all creatures at once, like Wrath of God or Damnation, ensure that the Empyrial Archangel doesn’t get a chance to fortify your opponent’s defenses. Being prepared with these tactics can shift the momentum of the game back into your favor.