Reya Dawnbringer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost9
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Angel
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Bringing creatures back each turn, Reya offers a resilient edge, vital for late-game board presence.
  2. With a specific and high mana cost, Reya demands strategic deck construction and resource management.
  3. Her inclusion in a deck bolsters reanimation strategies, making her a versatile asset in various MTG formats.

Text of card

Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to play.

A beacon of hope for a battered army.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Reya Dawnbringer offers continuous value by returning a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield at the beginning of each upkeep. This consistent resurrection mechanic ensures you maintain an advantage by recovering important creatures and preserving your on-field presence without depleting cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or tokens, by bringing creatures back from the graveyard, Reya Dawnbringer effectively bypasses mana costs and casting procedures for those creatures. This allows players to utilize resources for other strategic plays, effectively increasing their resource management and acceleration without spending extra cards or mana.

Instant Speed: The dawn of Reya’s ability occurs at the beginning of each upkeep, akin to the benefits of instant speed interactions. This enables strategic planning for the creature’s return, allowing players to potentially disrupt opponents’ plans or respond to urgent threats immediately at the start of a turn, similar to the timing advantages instants provide in MTG.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Reya Dawnbringer requires a committed mana base with its strict casting cost, involving two white and six other mana units. This makes it less flexible and may demand significant deck building accommodations to ensure it can be cast consistently within a game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a substantial total mana cost of nine, Reya Dawnbringer comes into play much later than many other creatures. This late game arrival often means that its impact may not be felt until it’s potentially too late to influence the game’s outcome, particularly against fast, aggressive decks.

Discard Requirement: Although Reya Dawnbringer itself does not necessitate discarding cards, its high mana cost may pressure players into opting for card draw mechanisms that involve discarding to accelerate land drops or to find necessary mana sources. This situation can result in a reduced hand size placing the player at a disadvantage against resource-denying strategies.


Reasons to Include Reya Dawnbringer in Your Collection

Versatility: Reya Dawnbringer’s ability to resurrect creatures from your graveyard each turn makes her a valuable asset across various deck themes. From control to combo decks, her presence allows for continuous reanimation strategies, providing substantial value over the course of a game.

Combo Potential: With Reya at the helm, players can build around numerous synergies. Pairing her with cards that sacrifice creatures for greater benefits means you can exploit those effects every turn, as the fallen creatures will return with Reya’s ability, ready to be used once again.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to go longer, Reya Dawnbringer shines by providing a consistent end-game advantage. Her ability to bring back high-impact creatures can turn the tide in your favor, making her a formidable card against a variety of decks in diverse metagames.


How to Beat

Reya Dawnbringer is a formidable presence on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, renowned for her ability to resurrect creatures from the graveyard each turn. To counter this angelic powerhouse, strategies should include the use of exile effects or graveyard disruption. Cards like Path to Exile or Bojuka Bog are specifically designed to remove creatures from the game or flush graveyards altogether, nullifying Reya’s regenerative abilities.

Alternatively, employing counter magic when Reya is cast can be an efficient tactic. Waiting until an opponent has invested the full nine mana for her deployment only to have her neutralized by a well-timed Counterspell can be a game changer. It’s also worth considering the benefits of using board wipes like Wrath of God to clear the field before Reya can start her resurrection cycle. In the event she’s already active, direct removal spells such as Murder can remove her from the board, requiring opponents to find another way to bring her back.

Adopting these strategies can significantly diminish Reya Dawnbringer’s impact on the game, putting you in a stronger position to claim victory in your next MTG match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Reya Dawnbringer encapsulates the essence of resilience and resourceful strategy in MTG. Her ability to defy grave circumstances by resurrecting creatures offers a game-changing advantage. Understanding both the strengths and challenges she brings to the battlefield allows players to maximize their deck’s potential. Embrace the art of the comeback with Reya’s reanimation skills or adapt your strategy to keep her at bay. Delve deeper into mechanics, combos, and strategic counters with us. Refine your skills and deck-building techniques to harness the full power of Reya Dawnbringer and rise above the competition in every game.


Cards like Reya Dawnbringer

Reya Dawnbringer ups the ante in Magic: The Gathering as a unique resurrection powerhouse among creatures. She stands out by reanimating a fallen creature at the beginning of each upkeep, marking a clear distinction from other reanimation spells. Her closest kin in this niche may be the spell Zombify, which also brings creatures back from the graveyard. Yet Reya offers a recurring benefit each turn, whereas Zombify is a one-time event.

In terms of creatures, Sun Titan can be considered a peer, retrieving not just creatures but also other permanents with a converted mana cost of three or less whenever it enters the battlefield or attacks. Though the titan’s resurrection is more frequent, it’s limited in scale next to Reya’s more flexible and potent revival. Lastly, there’s the imposing Sheoldred, Whispering One, another recurring resurrection force that also compels your opponent to sacrifice creatures. Despite the alluring symmetric effect, Sheoldred’s higher cost and proneness to removal might not always match Reya’s impact and longevity in a game.

Choosing Reya Dawnbringer for a deck reinforces a strategy of sustained revival, making her an invaluable asset in Commander games where consistent creature recovery is crucial.

Zombify - MTG Card versions
Sun Titan - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Zombify - Odyssey (ODY)
Sun Titan - Magic 2011 Promos (PM11)
Sheoldred, Whispering One - New Phyrexia Promos (PNPH)

Cards similar to Reya Dawnbringer by color, type and mana cost

Blazing Archon - MTG Card versions
Iona, Shield of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Blazing Archon - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Iona, Shield of Emeria - From the Vault: Angels (V15)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reya Dawnbringer MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and Magic Online Promos, 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 Reya Dawnbringer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Reya Dawnbringer Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by Matthew D. Wilson.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12000-10-02InvasionINV 331997normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 360862003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
32007-07-13Tenth Edition PromosP10E 352003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
42007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 352003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
52007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 35★2003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
62009-04-10Duel Decks: Divine vs. DemonicDDC 132003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
72014-06-06ConspiracyCNS 792003normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
82014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. DemonicDVD 132015normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
92015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 112015normalblackMatthew D. Wilson
102018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 322015normalblackMatthew D. Wilson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reya Dawnbringer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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