Atalya, Samite Master MTG Card


Atalya, Samite Master - Invasion
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Cleric
Released2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameInvasion
Set codeINV
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number4
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRebecca Guay

Key Takeaways

  1. Atalya grants card advantage and can turn the tide with repeated activated abilities, giving strategic depth to matches.
  2. Her ability for life gain acts as resource acceleration, negating the need for extra life-gain spells, saving deck space.
  3. Instant-speed activation provides flexibility, allowing surprise combat alterations and advantageous trades during opponents’ turns.

Text of card

o X, oc T: Choose one Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn; or you gain X life. Spend only white mana this way.

"Healing is a gift the divine ones have shared with us. It is a sacred trust."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Atalya, Samite Master provides potential card advantage by enabling repeated usage of activated abilities that can sway the tide of the battlefield in your favor. With the right setup, this can lead to out-valuing your opponent over the course of a match.

Resource Acceleration: Including Atalya, Samite Master in your deck can lead to a form of indirect resource acceleration. As a versatile source of life gain, Atalya can often negate the need for dedicated life-gain spells, freeing up slots in your deck for additional threats or answers.

Instant Speed: Atalya’s ability to use her power at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponents’ moves during their turn or to unexpectedly alter the outcome of combat in your favor, catching your opponent off-guard and possibly leading to advantageous trades on the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Atalya, Samite Master’s abilities don’t require a discard, but leveraging her abilities fully often demands a substantial hand size or board presence. This can put players in a tight spot if they’ve been forced to run through their resources too quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: Her casting cost demands a heavy commitment to white mana, which can restrict her inclusion in multicolored decks. This limitation may deter players from combining Atalya with broader strategies that require a more diverse mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Atalya’s ability costs, especially when aiming for significant lifegain, can be a hefty investment. When mana is poured into her abilities, players might find it challenging to maintain tempo and board presence, especially when faster, lower-cost options could achieve similar outcomes.


Reasons to Include Atalya, Samite Master in Your Collection

Versatility: Atalya, Samite Master serves multiple roles within a deck. Her life-gaining ability can be a linchpin in strategies built around survival and sustain, as well as acting as an engine for cards that get stronger as you gain life.

Combo Potential: With Atalya’s second ability allowing you to convert life into damage, she can work wonders in combos focused on life manipulation. Pair her with cards that allow you to gain large amounts of life to establish a loop that can outpace your opponent’s resources.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies dominate, Atalya offers a way to maintain parity on the board. She can help you stabilize against aggressive decks and is a solid inclusion in sideboards that need life gain to counteract burn strategies or other damage-dealing decks.


How to beat

Atalya, Samite Master, may seem like a sturdy barrier with her ability to prevent damage using mana. Taking her down requires a strategy that circumvents her defensive magic. Removal spells that don’t deal damage are your best friends here. Consider spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider that can exile or destroy her without triggering her protective ability. Another tactic is to use cards that limit her abilities; think of Phyrexian Revoker or Pithing Needle to shut down her potential to shield key creatures or herself.

Combat tricks can also prove effective. Deploying creatures with Trample ensures that excess damage spills over to the opponent, minimizing the impact of her damage prevention. Timing is vital, face Atalya after your opponent has tapped out of mana, making it difficult to activate her ability. Lastly, countering her before she ever hits the battlefield with counter spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can preclude the problem altogether. Remember, addressing Atalya directly and diversifying your removal options will enhance your ability to navigate past this formidable master.


Cards like Atalya, Samite Master

Atalya, Samite Master offers a distinct niche within the realm of life-gain commanders in MTG. With her ability to convert mana into life points, she bears some resemblance to creatures like Diamond Valley, which also translates resources into life, albeit through creature sacrifice. Atalya’s functionality differs in that she can repeatedly use her ability, whereas Diamond Valley’s effect is a one-time utilization per sacrifice.

Looking towards Selvala, Explorer Returned, there are commonalities in the way both cards can manipulate mana for an advantageous outcome. Selvala provides card draw and mana generation, which can be an indirect route to life gain if those cards or mana lead to life-gain spells. However, Selvala’s Parley ability is not as direct as Atalya’s targeted life-gain skill. Another peer in this category is the venerable Alabaster Mage, enabling mana to directly become life gain, akin to Atalya, yet sacrificing the utility of targeting other creatures or players.

In the roster of life-gain commanders, Atalya, Samite Master stands out for her tactical flexibility, making her an interesting option for players aiming to craft a deck focusing on life as a resource. Her presence enriches strategies where life totals are more than a scoreboard – they’re a dynamic arsenal.

Diamond Valley - MTG Card versions
Selvala, Explorer Returned - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Mage - MTG Card versions
Diamond Valley - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Selvala, Explorer Returned - Conspiracy (CNS)
Alabaster Mage - Magic 2012 (M12)

Cards similar to Atalya, Samite Master by color, type and mana cost

Veteran Bodyguard - MTG Card versions
Rashida Scalebane - MTG Card versions
Avenging Angel - MTG Card versions
Lancers en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Radiant, Archangel - MTG Card versions
Karmic Guide - MTG Card versions
Master Healer - MTG Card versions
Angel of Mercy - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Border Patrol - MTG Card versions
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Sigardian Savior - MTG Card versions
Glory - MTG Card versions
Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions
Collector Protector - MTG Card versions
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - MTG Card versions
Belfry Spirit - MTG Card versions
Petra Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Barrenton Medic - MTG Card versions
Ivory Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Veteran Bodyguard - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Rashida Scalebane - Mirage (MIR)
Avenging Angel - Tempest (TMP)
Lancers en-Kor - Stronghold (STH)
Radiant, Archangel - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Karmic Guide - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Master Healer - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Angel of Mercy - The List (PLST)
Serra Angel - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Border Patrol - Judgment (JUD)
Enduring Angel // Angelic Enforcer - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Sigardian Savior - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Glory - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Celestial Gatekeeper - Legions (LGN)
Collector Protector - Unhinged (UNH)
Kiyomaro, First to Stand - Saviors of Kamigawa Promos (PSOK)
Belfry Spirit - Guildpact (GPT)
Petra Sphinx - Masters Edition (ME1)
Barrenton Medic - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Ivory Gargoyle - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Atalya, Samite Master MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Atalya, Samite Master and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Atalya, Samite Master has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Atalya, Samite Master card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2004-10-04 Cost modifiers which add a cost are not restricted to only white mana.
2004-10-04 Spending only white mana applies to the ability regardless of which mode you choose.

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