Angel of Despair MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Angel
Abilities Flying
Power 5
Toughness 5

Key Takeaways

  1. Removes any permanent, providing immediate board control when it enters the battlefield.
  2. High mana cost balanced by its versatility and significant game impact.
  3. Key inclusion in decks for its direct removal ability and meta relevance.

Text of card

Flying When Angel of Despair comes into play, destroy target permanent.

"I feel in them a sense of duty and commitment, yet I can feel nothing else. It is as if their duty is to an empty void." —Razia


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Angel of Despair enters the battlefield, its unique ability lets you target and destroy any permanent, effectively gaining an edge by removing a key piece from your opponent’s board while developing your own presence.

Resource Acceleration: This powerful creature doesn’t inherently accelerate resources in the traditional mana sense. However, by removing significant threats or potential ramp tools from your opponent’s side, it can indirectly accelerate your path to victory and disrupt your opponent’s plans.

Instant Speed: While Angel of Despair itself is not an instant, the impact it makes is immediate upon its arrival on the battlefield. The ability to unmake a permanent of your choosing can swing the momentum in your favor at a crucial junction in the game. Timing Angel of Despair’s entrance after your opponent has committed to a significant investment can act much like an instant speed interaction, countering your opponent’s strategy effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Angel of Despair is the potential need to relinquish another valuable card from your hand. In MTG, holding on to your cards can be crucial, and being compelled to discard can put you at a disadvantage, especially when trying to maintain a strong hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: Angel of Despair demands a dedicated mana base, requiring both white and black mana to cast. This means you’ll need a reliably balanced mana source to play this card effectively, which can be challenging in multicolored decks that may struggle to achieve the right mana mix at a critical moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that tallies up to seven mana, Angel of Despair is often seen as an investment. In faster-paced games, the cost can prove to be prohibitive. While the card has a powerful effect upon entering the battlefield, in many situations, players might prefer cards that offer similar impact for a lower investment, allowing for more flexibility in gameplay.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Angel of Despair offers a dual role as both a potent threat and an immediate answer to your opponent’s permanents. With its ability to destroy any permanent on entry, it’s a flexible addition to decks needing targeted removal, from Commander to Cube.

Combo Potential: This celestial powerhouse synergizes with cards that benefit from creature ETBs or death triggers. Its destruction ability makes it a cornerstone in reanimation or flicker strategies, potentially decimating opponents’ boards with repeated use.

Meta-Relevance: As games tend to stabilize with powerful planeswalkers, enchantments, or other threatening permanents, Angel of Despair maintains relevance by being an all-purpose solution. It’s a card that adapts to numerous meta scenarios, making it a wise investment for your collection.


How to beat

Angel of Despair stands out as a formidable force on any battlefield, known for its dual capacity to impact the board by destroying a target permanent upon entry. This potent ability not only provides immediate removal for any problematic nonland permanent but also comes with a substantial body capable of exerting pressure on the opponent.

To counter this threat effectively, it’s important to consider preemptive measures such as denial of resources or use of counterspells to prevent the angel from taking flight. Control decks often hold answers like Counterspell or Thoughtseize to either stop the angel cold or remove it from the hand before it’s cast. Additionally, haste-enabling cards or direct removal like Fatal Push after it targets a permanent offer respite by dealing with it swiftly before it can cause substantial harm.

Given its high mana cost, keeping pace with ramping player resources and deploying threats early also puts pressure on Angel of Despair players, possibly forcing them to reassess their strategy. With proper planning and a strategic approach, the daunting task of facing Angel of Despair on the battlefield becomes a challenge that can be met with confidence.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the intricacies of MTG is akin to navigating a labyrinth, with each decision paving the path to victory or defeat. Angel of Despair is a testament to the game’s complexity, offering a unique confluence of immediate impact and strategic nuance. Refined players recognize the advantages of timing this card’s entrance to the battlefield and harnessing its potential in the right deck build. We invite you to delve deeper into our realm, where knowledge of cards like Angel of Despair can elevate your gameplay to spectacular heights. Join us to learn more and optimize your deck for your next triumph in the MTG arena.


Cards like Angel of Despair

Angel of Despair stands as a powerful figure within the pantheon of creature cards that offer a direct impact on the battlefield. Flying in as both an angel and a formidable board presence, this celestial being draws parallels to Ashen Rider, another card that vanishes opponents’ permanents upon entry or exit from the playfield. However, Angel of Despair’s immediate removal ability upon its casting can pivot the game heavily in your favor, potentially clearing the way for a win. Ashen Rider offers a secondary chance of removal after death, but some may find the Angel’s guaranteed instant impact more reliable.

Another card that echoes the might of our angel is Utter End, providing versatile exile effects. While not a creature, it exemplifies immediate board influence that can change the tide of games, much like Angel of Despair. This comparison highlights a range of strategic options for players, from firm board control with Utter End to a more aggressive stance provided by the angel’s substantial body. Tie these together with their unquestionable utility, and it’s easy to see why Angel of Despair is a worthy contender for space in your deck, especially if immediate and unmistakable impact is the strategy you pursue.

Ashen Rider - MTG Card versions
Utter End - MTG Card versions
Ashen Rider - Theros (THS)
Utter End - Khans of Tarkir Promos (PKTK)

Cards similar to Angel of Despair by color, type and mana cost

Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter - MTG Card versions
Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts - MTG Card versions
Knight of the Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter - Double Masters (2XM)
Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts - Commander 2021 (C21)
Knight of the Last Breath - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Angel of Despair MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact and Commander 2011, 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 Angel of Despair and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Angel of Despair Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2006-02-03 and 2019-02-15. Illustrated by Todd Lockwood.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-02-03GuildpactGPT 1012003normalblackTodd Lockwood
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1802003normalblackTodd Lockwood
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1732015normalblackTodd Lockwood
42018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 1962015normalblackTodd Lockwood
52019-02-15RNA Guild KitGK2 372015normalblackTodd Lockwood

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Angel of Despair has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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