Anafenza, the Foremost MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Soldier
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Efficient creature with a 4/4 body for three mana, Anafenza provides a quick, commanding board presence.
  2. Exiling opponent’s graveyard disrupts strategies, making Anafenza a valuable asset against certain decks.
  3. Her specific mana cost can limit deck-building options, focusing on particular strategies for integration.

Text of card

Whenever Anafenza, the Foremost attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on another target tapped creature you control. If a nontoken creature an opponent owns would die or a creature card not on the battlefield would be put into an opponent's graveyard, exile that card instead.

Rarely at rest on the Amber Throne, Anafenza always leads the Abzan Houses to battle.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Anafenza the Foremost’s ability to exile cards from an opponent’s graveyard when a nontoken creature you control deals combat damage can disrupt your opponent’s strategies and gain a subtle but significant advantage.

Resource Acceleration: As a 4/4 for three mana, Anafenza the Foremost provides an efficient cost-to-power ratio, enabling a quick offensive strategy and allowing you to commit fewer resources to the board while maintaining a strong presence.

Instant Speed: Although Anafenza herself doesn’t operate at instant speed, her ability to permanently remove creatures from the game can complement instant speed removal spells in your arsenal, clearing the way for unobstructed attacks and consistent pressure on the opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Anafenza the Foremost doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, playing her in a deck necessitates that you have other ways to utilize the cards she exiles from opponents’ graveyards, otherwise, those effects are mere disruption, rather than advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Anafenza demands a precise mana color combination of white, black, and green. This can constrain her inclusion strictly to Abzan or other decks that can accommodate such a specific mana base, potentially limiting her versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including three specific colors, Anafenza can be a relatively costly play early in the game. There are other three mana creatures that may provide more immediate impact or easier casting conditions depending on the deck’s strategy.


Reasons to Include Anafenza the Foremost in Your Collection

Versatility: Anafenza the Foremost offers a flexible role in multiple deck archetypes. Her ability to add counters benefits +1/+1 counter themes and her graveyard disruption helps against reanimator or graveyard-based strategies, showing her prowess in both offensive and defensive plays.

Combo Potential: With her ability to place additional +1/+1 counters, Anafenza synergizes well with cards that proliferate or utilize counters for various effects, amplifying the power of creature-focused combos and interactions on the board.

Meta-Relevance: Anafenza’s presence on the field challenges popular graveyard-centric decks, making her a crucial sideboard card, if not a main deck staple, in a meta where reshaping the battlefield from the graveyard is a common strategy.


How to beat Anafenza the Foremost

Anafenza the Foremost, a formidable presence in many MTG decks, can be a challenge to face off against. This card, known for its ability to bolster other creatures and disrupt opponent strategies by exiling cards from the graveyard, can quickly turn the tide in competitive play.

Combating Anafenza’s dominion over the battlefield starts with understanding her weaknesses. Utilizing removal spells that can target Anafenza directly is a key tactic, as spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider can eliminate her before her ability becomes overwhelming. In addition, since she excels in a deck built around synergy and creature interactions, sweepers such as Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field.

It’s also wise to consider graveyard-centric strategies that are less impacted by exile effects, ensuring that your own game plan remains uninterrupted. Overall, while Anafenza the Foremost can indeed be a force to reckon with, strategic deck building and smart counterplay can effectively neutralize this powerhouse, maintaining the balance of the game in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves not just understanding individual cards but also building a cohesive strategy. Anafenza the Foremost is a versatile tool in any player’s deck, capable of disrupting opponents and strengthening your battlefield position. Whether you are adapting your deck to combat the current meta or seeking to construct a new lineup with Anafenza as a centerpiece, it’s vital to evaluate her influence on the game flow. Embrace the challenge, refine your strategy, and make each match a testament to your skill and ingenuity. Delve deeper with us and discover how to optimize Anafenza the Foremost for your next victorious match.


Cards like Anafenza, the Foremost

Anafenza the Foremost is a distinctive character in the Magic: The Gathering universe, particularly among legendary creatures. She shares some common ground with other cards like Doran, the Siege Tower. Both place a strong emphasis on influencing combat dynamics, but Anafenza’s exiling ability when she attacks adds an extra layer of graveyard control that Doran lacks. Doran’s toughness-based damage adjustment is unique, highlighting the different strategic directions these two legendary creatures can inspire in a player’s deck building.

Looking at cards such as Karador, Ghost Chieftain, we see a focus on creature recursion, something Anafenza directly opposes with her graveyard disruption capabilities. The synergy within a deck takes a different path when choosing Anafenza over Karador, pushing the strategy towards aggression and denial. Tymna the Weaver is another card that pairs well in Commander due to complimentary colors and a focus on combat, but instead of undermining opponents’ graveyards, Tymna accelerates card draw, dependent on combat damage to opponents.

The comparison culminates by highlighting Anafenza the Foremost’s unique stance in MTG’s pantheon of legendary creatures. While there are many cards that influence combat or interact with graveyards, Anafenza stands out due to her combined approach that challenges opponents both on the battlefield and in their graveyard management strategies.

Doran, the Siege Tower - MTG Card versions
Karador, Ghost Chieftain - MTG Card versions
Tymna the Weaver - MTG Card versions
Doran, the Siege Tower - Champs and States (PCMP)
Karador, Ghost Chieftain - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Tymna the Weaver - Commander 2016 (C16)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Anafenza, the Foremost MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir Promos and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Anafenza, the Foremost and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Anafenza, the Foremost Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2014-09-26. Illustrated by James Ryman.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of Tarkir PromosPKTK 163s2015normalblackJames Ryman
22014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 1632015normalblackJames Ryman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Anafenza, the Foremost has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-09-20 Anafenza’s first ability can target any tapped creature you control. That creature doesn’t necessarily have to be attacking.
2014-09-20 Anafenza’s last ability cares only what the card would be in the zone it’s moving from, not what it would be in the graveyard. For example, if a land card you control becomes a creature due to an effect and then dies, the land card will be exiled. But if a creature card with bestow is an Aura when it would be put into the graveyard, it ends up in the graveyard.
2014-09-20 If your opponent discards a creature card while Anafenza is on the battlefield, abilities that function when a card is discarded (such as madness) still work, even though that card never reaches a graveyard. In addition, spells or abilities that check the characteristics of a discarded card (such as Chandra Ablaze’s first ability) can find that card in exile.
2014-09-20 While Anafenza is on the battlefield, abilities that trigger whenever a nontoken creature your opponent owns dies won’t trigger, as that card will never reach that player’s graveyard. (Token creatures will still go to the graveyard briefly before ceasing to exist.)

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