Aven Sentry MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird Soldier
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Flying ability provides a strategic upper hand, making Aven Sentry a resilient offensive and defensive force.
  2. Mana specificity and cost effectiveness are considerations for deck inclusion, balancing power against versatility.
  3. Countering Aven Sentry involves direct removal spells or incorporating creatures with reach or flying in your deck.

Text of card

Flying

"My flock flew from a distant continent ruined by cataclysm and war. Benalia gave us shelter to end our exodus."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aven Sentry’s flying ability gives you an aerial tactic that can be challenging for opponents to block, especially in the early to mid-game. This strategic elevation can help maintain pressure on your opponent while potentially drawing out their resources to deal with the threat.

Resource Acceleration: While Aven Sentry itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can contribute to deterring opponents from attacking. Its presence on the battlefield can preserve your life total, indirectly allowing you to save removal spells or other defensive resources for more pressing threats, leading to better resource management over time.

Instant Speed: Aven Sentry plays at sorcery speed but complements instant speed spells well. Holding back mana for instant speed interaction while having a threat like Aven Sentry on board forces opponents to play cautiously. This can lead to more advantageous exchanges for you as they navigate the potential instant speed tricks you could have up your sleeve.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Aven Sentry may not require a discard to play, the card could lead you to make difficult decisions when another spell or effect in your deck demands that resources be thrown away. In such situations, holding onto a card like Aven Sentry might cut off more strategic plays later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Aven Sentry’s casting cost demands two plains, which narrows down the decks it fits into. Those who run multicolored decks may find the specific white mana cost challenging to meet at times, especially in the early game or in decks with a greedy mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature that offers 3/2 flying, the four mana investment might not always align with your game tempo. In the realm of MTG, where efficient mana spending is key to victory, there are other creatures or spells that could offer greater impact or versatility for the same or less mana investment.


Reasons to Include Aven Sentry in Your Collection

Versatility: Aven Sentry is a dependable card that can be slotted into a variety of white decks. Its flying ability allows it to soar over ground-based defenses, making it a consistent source of damage or an effective blocker against other airborne threats.

Combo Potential: This creature’s flying trait makes it an excellent partner for cards that benefit from controlling creatures with flying, such as empowering them or triggering synergistic effects upon attacking or defending.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors the ground game, Aven Sentry shines by providing an aerial offense that can evade many common blockers. Additionally, its decent toughness allows it to survive in battles against other small to mid-sized fliers that are prevalent in certain metagames.


How to beat

Aven Sentry is a flying creature that can present a challenging obstacle for players in Magic: The Gathering. As with any card that has the potential to control the board, understanding your options to counter it can turn the tide of a match. Aven Sentry boasts the flying ability, making it unreachable for ground creatures without reach or flying themselves. It’s prudent, therefore, to include creatures with these abilities in your deck to curb the Sentry’s dominance in the air.

Alternatively, direct removal spells are highly effective against Aven Sentry. Cards that can target and destroy, exile, or shrink creatures negate the Sentry’s aerial advantage. Spells like Doom Blade, Path to Exile, or Murder are perfect examples of cost-effective ways to deal with flying threats. It’s also advisable to have instant-speed removal, which allows you to respond to the Sentry being activated, minimizing the potential damage it can deal. Another strategy is to use enchantments that restrict the Sentry’s abilities or prevent it from attacking or blocking.

In essence, Aven Sentry can be a thorn in your side if left unchecked, but with the right strategy and a deck equipped with versatile responses, its impact can be swiftly mitigated, keeping the skies clear for your victory.


Cards like Aven Sentry

Aven Sentry stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as a reliable airborne threat for any limited format deck. With its vigilant capability, it allows players to maintain a defensive stance while applying offensive pressure. This compares to other creatures such as Kor Skyfisher, which boasts a similar flying feature. However, Aven Sentry takes the edge with its vigilance, allowing it to remain untapped after attacking.

Another card to consider alongside Aven Sentry is Concordia Pegasus. Both carry the key ability to fly over ground-based defenses. The Pegasus often shows up as a common blocker in many white decks due to its lower casting cost. Unlike Concordia Pegasus, Aven Sentry presents a more formidable presence thanks to higher power. Yet despite the Sentry’s advantages, its higher mana cost is something players need to account for when building their mana curve.

Evaluating Aven Sentry in the broader scope of creature options available in Magic: The Gathering reveals that it’s a moderate pick—suitable for certain strategic plays, but one must weigh its cost against other available creatures with flying that might serve similar roles in a deck.

Kor Skyfisher - MTG Card versions
Concordia Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Kor Skyfisher - URL/Convention Promos (PURL)
Concordia Pegasus - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Aven Sentry by color, type and mana cost

Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
Moorish Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunter - MTG Card versions
Carrier Pigeons - MTG Card versions
Tormented Angel - MTG Card versions
Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Devoted - MTG Card versions
Leonin Abunas - MTG Card versions
Kami of Old Stone - MTG Card versions
Aven Cloudchaser - MTG Card versions
Blinking Spirit - MTG Card versions
Seht's Tiger - MTG Card versions
Valor - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Hero of Bladehold - MTG Card versions
Mausoleum Guard - MTG Card versions
Northern Paladin - Revised Edition (3ED)
Moorish Cavalry - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Witch Hunter - Chronicles (CHR)
Carrier Pigeons - Alliances (ALL)
Tormented Angel - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Seasoned Marshal - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Coalition Honor Guard - Apocalypse (APC)
Mangara, the Diplomat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Akroma's Devoted - Legions (LGN)
Leonin Abunas - Mirrodin (MRD)
Kami of Old Stone - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aven Cloudchaser - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Blinking Spirit - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Seht's Tiger - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Valor - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Guardian Seraph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Lightkeeper of Emeria - Worldwake (WWK)
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Hero of Bladehold - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Mausoleum Guard - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aven Sentry MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria and Mystery Booster, 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 Aven Sentry and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Aven Sentry Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-04-27 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Dan Scott.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-04-27DominariaDOM 32015normalblackDan Scott
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 312015normalblackDan Scott
32020-09-26The ListPLST DOM-32015normalblackDan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aven Sentry has restrictions

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

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