Kaya, Orzhov Usurper MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Kaya
Loyalty 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Kaya excels at graveyard control, impacting opponents’ plans by exiling key cards.
  2. Her emblem can shift games by creating life gain and damage opportunities.
  3. Demands strategic play around her specific Orzhov mana requirements and card management.

Text of card

+1: Exile up to two target cards from a single graveyard. You gain 2 life if at least one creature card was exiled this way. −1: Exile target nonland permanent with converted mana cost 1 or less. −5: Kaya, Orzhov Usurper deals damage to target player equal to the number of cards that player owns in exile and you gain that much life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kaya Orzhov Usurper excels at managing the battlefield and hand. Her exile ability targets not just creatures but also graveyard cards, disrupting opponent strategies and sometimes translating into drawing cards from effects that benefit from exile actions.

Resource Acceleration: Unlike direct resource acceleration, Kaya provides incremental advantage through her ultimate, creating an emblem that grants you extra life and damage to your opponent whenever a creature you control dies or a creature card enters their graveyard. This can shift the game’s momentum significantly, giving you the resources needed to clinch victory.

Instant Speed: While Kaya herself is not an instant, her abilities can disrupt opponents at crucial moments. Her minus ability can be activated at sorcery speed but often has the impact of an instant by removing an opponent’s key card right before they intended to use it, effectively setting them back and giving you the upper hand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kaya Orzhov Usurper demands strategic hand management, as she could leave you at a disadvantage if you’re forced to lose a card from your hand when attempting to resolve her loyalty abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a combination of white and black mana, this card demands a dedicated Orzhov color pair commitment, thus not seamlessly fitting into all deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Kaya may compete for space in your deck with other impactful three-drops that provide immediate board presence or card advantage.


Reasons to Include Kaya, Orzhov Usurper in Your Collection

Versatility: Kaya, Orzhov Usurper’s ability to exile cards from opponents’ graveyards, as well as gain life, makes her well-suited for a range of deck types. Her low mana cost allows for early plays, which can be critical in setting the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: Kaya’s ultimate can serve as a win condition when combined with other cards that fill the opponent’s graveyard, making her a formidable tool in a well-constructed deck. This potential for ending games means she pairs well with decks focused on graveyard interactions.

Meta-Relevance: With a persistent place in competitive play, Kaya thrives in metagames where graveyard strategies are prevalent. Her inclusion can be a savvy move for players looking to disrupt opponent’s plans while progressing their own board state.


How to Beat Kaya, Orzhov Usurper

Kaya, Orzhov Usurper brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield with abilities that target opposing graveyards and can gain you life while exiling cards. Subduing this planeswalker involves not overcommitting creatures to the graveyard where she can easily exile them, thus denying her the opportunity to accumulate life points and exile cards essential to your strategy.

Deploying instant-speed removal when Kaya is activated can disrupt this exile synergy. Tactics such as timing your creature plays proactively, or utilizing spells like Despark, which can exile her directly without triggering her abilities, are effective. Cards with hexproof from white also serve as a formidable deterrent, since Kaya’s third ability can’t target them. It is vital to maintain a vigilant stance on Kaya’s loyalty counters as her ultimate can be devastating if not addressed promptly.

Ultimately, prioritizing planeswalker removal, minimizing graveyard reliance, and clever threat management are your keys to undermining Kaya’s influence on the game. By doing so, you ensure that this formidable planeswalker is kept in check, securing your board state and advancing your position in the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the art of MTG deck building and strategy with Kaya, Orzhov Usurper. Delivering a blend of utility and power, this versatile card disrupts opponents while advancing your gameplay. Successful strategies often revolve around managing the graveyard and leveraging every card’s ability—Kaya embodies this principle. Whether boosting your collection or refining a new competitive edge, understanding her strengths and weaknesses is vital. Ready to optimize your deck and exploit the full potential of Kaya, Orzhov Usurper? Explore our content for a comprehensive guide to mastering your MTG matches with this impactful planeswalker.


Cards like Kaya, Orzhov Usurper

Kaya, Orzhov Usurper adds depth to the planeswalker roster in Magic: The Gathering. Notably, Kaya’s unique exile ability has similarities with other cards, such as Ashiok, Dream Render. Both planeswalkers can target an opponent’s graveyard, keeping in check graveyard-based strategies. However, Kaya can also gain you life and hit nonland permanents, setting her apart as a versatile tool against a wider array of threats.

Another comparable card is Vraska, Relic Seeker, which also deals with permanents by destroying them. Kaya, however, opts for exile – an essential difference providing an answer to indestructible creatures or those with recursive abilities. Vraska generates Pirate tokens, aiding in board presence, which Kaya does not.

The versatility Kaya, Orzhov Usurper offers gives her an edge in specific metagames, making her an attractive option for control decks that seek to disrupt opponent plans and benefit from her life-gain and ultimate ability to finish games. In this densely populated category of planeswalkers, Kaya’s distinctive skill set allows her to shine in the right environment.

Ashiok, Dream Render - MTG Card versions
Vraska, Relic Seeker - MTG Card versions
Ashiok, Dream Render - War of the Spark (WAR)
Vraska, Relic Seeker - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)

Cards similar to Kaya, Orzhov Usurper by color, type and mana cost

Kaya, Geist Hunter - MTG Card versions
Kaya, Geist Hunter - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kaya, Orzhov Usurper MTG card by a specific set like Mythic Edition and Ravnica Allegiance 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 Kaya, Orzhov Usurper and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Kaya, Orzhov Usurper Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-10-05Mythic EditionMED RA82015normalborderlessChris Rallis
22019-01-25Ravnica Allegiance PromosPRNA 186p2015normalblackYongjae Choi
32019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 1862015normalblackYongjae Choi
42020-09-26The ListPLST RNA-1862015normalblackYongjae Choi
52024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 1942015normalblackYongjae Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kaya, Orzhov Usurper 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 Kaya, Orzhov Usurper card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-01-25 If a permanent has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2019-01-25 Kaya’s last ability causes you to gain life equal to the number of cards the target player owns in exile, even if an effect causes her to deal more or less than that amount of damage to that player.
2019-01-25 Tokens that aren’t a copy of something else don’t have a mana cost. Anything without a mana cost normally has a converted mana cost of 0.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks