Avarax MTG Card

Onslaught (ONS)
2002-10-07 - Number 187

Eternal Masters (EMA)
2016-06-10 - Number 117

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 845

Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
2023-01-13 - Number 112

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-117

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Beast
Abilities	Haste
Power	3
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Avarax can consistently refill your hand, ensuring an ongoing supply of its copies during gameplay.
While it does not work at instant speed, Avarax synergizes well with cards that can exploit its damage-dealing ability.
Despite its strategic benefits, Avarax requires a specific hand composition and mana setup to truly shine.

Text of card

Haste When Avarax comes into play, you may search your library for a card named Avarax, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library. o1o R: Avarax gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Avarax offers the unique ability to fetch additional copies of itself from your deck when it deals damage to a player, ensuring a steady flow of creatures and keeping your hand full.

Resource Acceleration: This card can effectively thin out your deck by pulling out other Avarax cards, which indirectly accelerates your access to other resources in your deck by making it more likely to draw into them.

Instant Speed: While Avarax itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it pairs well with cards that allow you to cheat creatures into play at instant speed or have effects that trigger on dealing damage, giving it unexpected flexibility in combat and strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Avarax requires you to have a specific card in hand to leverage its full potential, making it less versatile in situations where your hand is depleted or if the required card isn’t available.

Specific Mana Cost: Avarax’s casting cost includes both generic and red mana, which could be challenging for multi-color decks to manage, especially in the early game where mana flexibility is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Avarax commands a significant amount of mana relative to its capabilities. In an environment where speed and efficiency reign, dedicating such resources might not always align with the deck’s overall strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Avarax brings flexibility to any red-based deck. As a creature that can consistently return to your hand, it provides a reliable presence on the battlefield that can adapt to various in-game situations.

Combo Potential: When paired with effects that capitalize on casting creatures or cards entering the graveyard, Avarax can form the foundation of a powerful combo. Its ability to bring additional copies of itself from the deck to the hand is a useful engine for synergistic strategies.

Meta-Relevance: With the tendency of games to shift toward decks that require resilient threats, Avarax maintains a position of relevance. Its repetitive casting aligns well with game plans that aim to outlast control mechanisms and provides consistent pressure against opponents.

How to beat

Avarax is a card that offers players a continual flow of creatures, posing a repetitive threat in Magic: The Gathering matches. Although it might seem challenging to counter, knowing its strengths can make it easier to devise a strategy. Avarax relies on having a sufficient number of cards in hand to activate its ability effectively, without which it’s just a vanilla beatstick. Therefore, one method to mitigate the card’s advantage is by deploying hand disruption techniques that force your opponent to discard cards, thus limiting their ability to get extra copies of Avarax.

Another approach revolves around cost-efficiency. Since Avarax comes with a somewhat hefty mana cost for its body, employing removal that matches or undercuts its casting cost can prove to be resource-effective. For example, using spells that can destroy or exile a creature for less than Avarax’s casting cost leaves you with extra mana to advance your board state while dealing with the threat.

Lastly, since Avarax benefits from other cards with the same name in the deck, cards that shuffle the graveyard back into the library can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, making it harder for them to capitalize on Avarax’s ability to replicate itself. By understanding these aspects, players can effectively counter Avarax’s impact on the game.

Cards like Avarax

Avarax is a unique creature within the MTG landscape, sharing some similarities with other cards while carving out its own niche. Much like Avarax, the card Flamewake Phoenix also flies onto the battlefield with a noteworthy recur ability. However, while Avarax offers the advantage of card retrieval upon entering the battleground, Flamewake Phoenix requires a power trigger from another creature to return to play. Another card to consider is Squadron Hawk, which, similar to Avarax, allows you to pull copies from your deck when it is cast. Nonetheless, Avarax stands out with its beefier stats and the potential to beef up its offense.

Considering the echo and haste abilities, Avarax is reminiscent of cards like Skizzik, yet it surpasses in resilience and strategic card advantage. While both have the echo cost, Avarax’s potential for card advantage can lead to more sustained and prolonged pressure on the opponent. Additionally, Spark Elemental, while only a one-time burst of damage with its sacrifice after attacking, offers an immediate impact similar to Avarax’s haste, but lacks the enduring presence and deck-thinning capability of Avarax.

Scrutinizing these comparisons, Avarax proves to be a versatile choice for players seeking a blend of aggressive strategies and card advantages in MTG. Its distinct abilities to recover and reinforce from its own species set Avarax apart from its counterparts.

Cards similar to Avarax by color, type and mana cost

Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions

Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions

Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions

Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions

Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Avarax MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Eternal Masters, 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 Avarax and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Avarax Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Greg Staples.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2002-10-07	Onslaught	ONS	187	1997	Normal	Black	Greg Staples
2	2016-06-10	Eternal Masters	EMA	117	2015	Normal	Black	Greg Staples
3	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	845	2015	Normal	Black	Greg Staples
4	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	EMA-117	2015	Normal	Black	Greg Staples
5	2023-01-13	Dominaria Remastered	DMR	112	2015	Normal	Black	Greg Staples