Avacyn's Collar MTG Card
2012-02-03 - Number 145
2023-03-21 - Number 68
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
Key Takeaways
- Generates strategic value by creating tokens upon creature deaths, maintaining board presence during play.
- Enables resource acceleration and surprises opponents with instant-speed token generation mechanics.
- Requires mindful management of resources due to its discard and mana requirements during activation.
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has vigilance. Whenever equipped creature dies, if it was a Human, put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. Equip
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Avacyn’s Collar doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it does offer an advantage in the form of generating creature tokens. Whenever a non-Angel creature you control dies, you get a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying. This can lead to maintaining board presence, effectively replacing your lost creatures and keeping your hand reserved for other strategic plays.
Resource Acceleration: The Spirit tokens that Avacyn’s Collar creates can be particularly useful for strategies that involve sacrificing creatures for various benefits. Whether that’s for mana ramp via specific sacrifice outlets or other resource acceleration mechanics, the collar ensures that even the death of your creatures can turn into a valuable asset, indirectly contributing to your mana economy.
Instant Speed: Though Avacyn’s Collar is an artifact and not an instant, its triggered ability functions at instant speed. This means that the process of creating Spirit tokens happens immediately when triggered, without waiting for the stack to resolve. This assists in surprising an opponent with blockers or sacrifices that they might not have accounted for during their own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Avacyn’s Collar can put you in a tough spot if you’re already behind in card advantage. Since it necessitates discarding as part of its activation, you might end up depleting valuable resources that could be crucial for maintaining control of the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Due to its specific color-aligned mana requirement, Avacyn’s Collar may not seamlessly fit into all types of decks. If your strategy involves a multicolored deck or one that doesn’t support its color, integrating this card could be more trouble than it’s worth.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering its cost-effectiveness, Avacyn’s Collar stands at a high mana cost for the benefit it provides. This could slow you down, especially in matches where tempo is crucial, potentially giving your opponent the upper hand as they leverage more efficient cards.
Reasons to Include Avacyn’s Collar in Your Collection
Versatility: Avacyn’s Collar is an artifact that not only boosts your creatures’ combat capabilities but also offers an additional layer of utility with its ability to create Human creature tokens under specific conditions. This allows it to integrate seamlessly into various deck builds that are themed around token generation, human tribal, or equipment strategies.
Combo Potential: The card shines in combos, specifically in decks that capitalize on creature deaths or artifact synergies. Its token generation on the demise of equipped creatures can be leveraged with numerous cards that utilize token strategies, creating a feedback loop that fuels both offensive and defensive maneuvers.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames where incremental advantages can dictate the flow of a match, Avacyn’s Collar gains prominence. It equips for a low cost, making it a cost-effective option for creature-based strategies aiming for resilience against board wipes or looking to exploit death triggers for consistent gains.
How to beat
Avacyn’s Collar is a unique artifact in the vast library of MTG cards. It shines in decks that focus on creature synergy, specifically those that capitalize on death triggers. Its ability to create a 1/1 white Human creature token when a non-token creature is put into the graveyard can quickly escalate the board state in favor of the user.
Overcoming Avacyn’s Collar involves a blend of strategic removals and minimizing the number of death triggers you allow your opponent to exploit. Strategies can include using exile effects to prevent creatures from hitting the graveyard, thus bypassing the collar’s ability. Board wipes that exile, such as “Path to Exile,” or utilizing cards that can neutralize artifacts directly, like “Nature’s Claim” or “Disenchant,” can mitigate or completely negate the collar’s influence on the game.
Strategically, prioritizing the removal of creatures before the collar equips or minimizing the number of nontoken creatures your opponent possesses can also contribute to stifling their game plan, making Avacyn’s Collar far less intimidating. Understanding and disrupting your opponent’s creature-focused strategy remains key to turning the tide against this artifact.
Cards like Avacyn's Collar
In the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering, Avacyn’s Collar stands out with its flavorful design and utility. This artefact shines when compared to other equipment cards like Leonin Bola, which offers the ability to tap creatures but does not grant a bonus upon the equipped creature’s death. Avacyn’s Collar, while providing a smaller boost to power and toughness, excels by creating a Human token when the equipped creature dies under specific circumstances, embodying the resilience of the human spirit.
Moving forward, Loxodon Warhammer offers a glimpse into a different spectrum of equipment cards. It greatly enhances a creature’s battle capabilities with a significant power/toughness boost and lifelink, but it comes at a higher equip cost. In contrast, Avacyn’s Collar costs less to equip and targets a niche but valuable segment of creature death-trigger synergy. Silver-Inlaid Dagger is another relevant equipment, offering a substantial power increase to Humans or Werewolves. However, it lacks the unique death-triggered token creation, making Avacyn’s Collar a more intriguing option for decks built around creature sacrifice and recurring value.
Comparing these similar MTG cards, it’s evident that Avacyn’s Collar provides a unique effect that can be a game-changer in decks that capitalize on continuous creature presence, making it a distinct and strategic choice among its counterparts.
Cards similar to Avacyn's Collar by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Avacyn's Collar MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and Shadows of the Past, 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 Avacyn's Collar and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Avacyn's Collar Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by James Paick.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-02-03 | Dark Ascension | DKA | 145 | 2003 | Normal | Black | James Paick | |
| 2 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows of the Past | SIS | 68 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Paick |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Avacyn's Collar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Avacyn's Collar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-22 | The triggered ability checks whether the equipped creature as it last existed on the battlefield was a Human. (It doesn’t matter what its creature types are in the graveyard.) |
