The Akroan War MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Saga

Key Takeaways

  1. Stealing creatures swings battles, effectively stripping opponents of valuable assets.
  2. Its saga nature allows for strategic planning, with instant-speed twists in later chapters.
  3. Demands a specific mana base, which may limit integration into diverse decks.

Text of card

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Gain control of target creature for as long as The Akroan War remains on the battlefield. II — Until your next turn, creatures your opponents control attack each combat if able. III — Each tapped creature deals damage to itself equal to its power.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Akroan War offers a unique form of card advantage by temporarily seizing control of an opponent’s creature. This not only augments your battlefield presence but effectively reduces your opponent’s resources as well.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or treasure tokens, The Akroan War accelerates your board state’s resources. By commandeering a creature, it could enable you to utilize additional creature abilities or attack strategies that wouldn’t be available otherwise. This can indirectly lead to resource acceleration through other card synergies within your deck.

Instant Speed: Despite The Akroan War being a saga and thus a sorcery, its third chapter ability acts at the speed of an instant, forcing creatures to fight before your upkeep. This unpredictability can work to your advantage, dictating the pace of combat in your favor while catching an opponent off guard.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Akroan War mandates players discard a card at the end of their turn if they can’t sacrifice a permanent, a scenario that can whittle down your hand and leave you at a strategic disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a focused mana base with its requirement of red mana, which may not seamlessly fit into all deck constructions, particularly those that operate on a multi-color strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana value leaning heavily on red, The Akroan War’s investment might outweigh its return compared to other cards with similar or enhanced impact at a lower mana cost, potentially slowing down your gameplay.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Akroan War offers flexibility across various deck strategies, acting as an effective tool for controlling opponents’ creatures and impacting board state dynamics.

Combo Potential: Fitting well in decks that manipulate or benefit from each of its saga stages, it can synergize with sacrifice, theft, and forced-attack mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In game scenarios where creatures dominate the battlefield, The Akroan War can disrupt your opponent’s plans and provide a decisive advantage in creature-heavy metas.


How to beat

The Akroan War is a dynamic saga card in MTG that can shift the battleground in your favor if dealt with properly. It’s a card that requires a careful approach, much like the intricate strategies found in the game. As it progresses through its lore-driven chapters, you’d need to mitigate its impact on your game plan. Unlike other enchantments, you can anticipate its effects turn by turn, so planning ahead is key.

Consider holding onto your removal spells until the second chapter triggers, which forces combat that could potentially clear the board of the temporary stolen creature. Alternatively, enchantment removal like Disenchant used after the first chapter can dismantle The Akroan War before it wreaks havoc. Keep an eye out for opportune moments when your opponent has tapped out, minimizing their responses. Also, favoring creatures with indestructible or enter-the-battlefield effects can turn the tide against this saga’s coercive influence.

In the grand strategy of the game, understanding and anticipating the progression of The Akroan War’s chapters allows for decisive counter-play. With the right moves at the right time, you’ll contain this mythical spell and maintain supremacy on the magical plane of battle.


BurnMana Recommendations

Stepping into the tactical arena of MTG, the audacity of a card like The Akroan War can pivot the direction of a duel. With its card-stealing saga stages and unexpected combat strategies, it’s a playground for the shrewd tactician. If you revel in the synergy of theft and sacrifice mechanics or want to harness the power of chained chapter abilities, this card merits a spot in your repertoire. Navigate the battlefield with finesse and let The Akroan War shape your victories. Dive deeper with us, and craft the ultimate deck that tells a tale of triumph.


Cards like The Akroan War

The Akroan War is a captivating saga enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that harkens back to the tales of Theros. Like other saga cards, The Akroan War unfolds its effects over several turns. It’s often compared to other enchantments that control or manipulate the battlefield, such as Elspeth Conquers Death. While both build tension through progressive chapters, The Akroan War notably steals an opponent’s creature temporarily, unlike Elspeth’s permanent exile feature.

Analogous to The Akroan War’s chapter three, which forces each player to swing with all creatures, is Mass Manipulation. Although an entirely different spell type being a sorcery, it too commandeers opponent’s permanents—this time permanently and in multiples if you have the mana. By contrast, Angrath, the Flame-Chained, is a planeswalker that similarly disrupts opponents by forcing them to discard and lose life, yet it allows you to gain control of creatures for a turn, akin to The Akroan War’s first chapter.

In essence, these comparatives underscore The Akroan War’s unique role as a multi-stage offensive tool that disrupts the opponent over time. It’s a prime example of Magic: The Gathering’s dynamic saga cards, offering players strategic depth and a splash of Theros lore.

Elspeth Conquers Death - MTG Card versions
Mass Manipulation - MTG Card versions
Angrath, the Flame-Chained - MTG Card versions
Elspeth Conquers Death - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Mass Manipulation - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Angrath, the Flame-Chained - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)

Cards similar to The Akroan War by color, type and mana cost

Manabarbs - MTG Card versions
Orcish Oriflamme - MTG Card versions
An-Zerrin Ruins - MTG Card versions
Lightning Cloud - MTG Card versions
Aether Flash - MTG Card versions
Heart of Bogardan - MTG Card versions
Furnace of Rath - MTG Card versions
No Quarter - MTG Card versions
Shiv's Embrace - MTG Card versions
Antagonism - MTG Card versions
Pyromancy - MTG Card versions
Close Quarters - MTG Card versions
Collapsing Borders - MTG Card versions
Stand or Fall - MTG Card versions
Impulsive Maneuvers - MTG Card versions
Stensia Uprising - MTG Card versions
Visions of Phyrexia - MTG Card versions
Magmatic Core - MTG Card versions
Pyrohemia - MTG Card versions
Uncontrollable Anger - MTG Card versions
Manabarbs - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Orcish Oriflamme - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
An-Zerrin Ruins - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lightning Cloud - Visions (VIS)
Aether Flash - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Heart of Bogardan - Weatherlight (WTH)
Furnace of Rath - Planechase (HOP)
No Quarter - Tempest (TMP)
Shiv's Embrace - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Antagonism - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pyromancy - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Close Quarters - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Collapsing Borders - Invasion (INV)
Stand or Fall - Invasion (INV)
Impulsive Maneuvers - Odyssey (ODY)
Stensia Uprising - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Visions of Phyrexia - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Magmatic Core - Coldsnap (CSP)
Pyrohemia - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Uncontrollable Anger - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Akroan War MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death Promos and Theros Beyond Death, 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 The Akroan War and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The Akroan War Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by Steven Belledin.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 124p2015sagablackSteven Belledin
22020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 1242015sagablackSteven Belledin
32020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 124s2015sagablackSteven Belledin
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7772015sagablackSteven Belledin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The Akroan War has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Akroan War card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-01-24 A chapter ability doesn't trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter's number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the III chapter ability to trigger, but I and II won't trigger again.
2020-01-24 As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn't use the stack.
2020-01-24 Because a Saga isn't sacrificed until after its last ability has resolved, you still control the creature you took with The Akroan War's first ability while the last ability is resolving.
2020-01-24 Each symbol on the left of a Saga's text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to or greater than the ability's chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to.
2020-01-24 If The Akroan War leaves the battlefield before its first ability resolves, you won't gain control of the creature at all.
2020-01-24 If a creature can't attack for any reason (such as being tapped or having come under that player's control that turn), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, the player isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
2020-01-24 If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve.
2020-01-24 If the creature you took with The Akroan War's first ability has an ability that triggers when you sacrifice The Akroan War, you control the resulting trigger. If it has an ability that triggers when The Akroan War is put into a graveyard “from anywhere,” check whether that ability should trigger only after the creature's former controller has regained control of it.
2020-01-24 Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won't be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield.
2020-01-24 Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities, the Saga's controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn't use the stack.
2020-01-24 Removing lore counters won't cause a previous chapter ability to trigger. If lore counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives lore counters.

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