Razia, Boros Archangel MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Angel
Abilities Flying,Haste, Vigilance
Power 6
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Razia offers a balance of attack and defense with flying and vigilance, enhancing board presence.
  2. Her damage redirection can surprise opponents, disrupting their strategies and protecting allies.
  3. Despite a high mana cost, Razia’s impact in slower-paced games justifies her inclusion in select decks.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Flying, vigilance, haste : The next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature you control this turn is dealt to another target creature instead.

Her sword burns with such brightness that foes avert their eyes and arrows divert their paths.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Razia, Boros Archangel provides a form of pseudo card advantage by offering multiple abilities within a single card. Its protection from creatures also potentially saves your other cards from being spent on defense, ensuring you have more resources over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Razia doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of ramping mana, her vigilance allows you to stay aggressive on the battlefield while maintaining a defensive position. This dual role can lead to an accelerated victory, which is a pivotal form of resource advantage.

Instant Speed: Although Razia does not function at instant speed, her ability to redirect damage can be activated at any time, granting you a surprising level of adaptability during combat phases or in response to direct-damage spells, which is crucial in maintaining board presence and tempo.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In a game where each resource can tip the balance, Razia, Boros Archangel demands a constant supply of other creatures to shield her from harm, which can deplete your hand quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: Razia’s allegiance to the Boros Legion is clear with her strict mana requirements, harnessing both red and white mana in substantial amounts. This can restrict her presence to only those decks that can consistently produce the right colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The angelic might of Razia comes at a steep price; eight mana is a significant investment, one that can be particularly taxing in the earlier phases of a match where speed often equates to victory.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Razia, Boros Archangel, with her robust flying and vigilance abilities, easily slots into a diverse array of decks. Her durability on the battlefield makes her a steadfast inclusion in Commander and other casual formats where her presence can be a game-changer.

Combo Potential: Razia has a remarkable ability to redirect damage which can be used to concoct myriad combos, especially in decks that employ damage-based effects or strategies that can capitalize on her redirection ability.

Meta-Relevance: While Razia may not be a staple in the most competitive of environments, she holds a place in the meta that enjoys a slower pace, where her high casting cost is less of a detraction and her impact on the board becomes more pronounced.


How to beat

Razia, Boros Archangel is a powerful figure within the Magic: The Gathering multiverse, standing out as a vigilant defender with flying and vigilance. Not only can she shield herself from harm, but her ability to redirect damage to another creature adds a layer of complexity when facing her on the battlefield. Understanding the dynamics of her abilities is key to developing strategies to overcome her.

When constructing a deck to counter Razia, consider spells that neutralize creatures regardless of their damage redirection. This might include cards that force a sacrifice or ones that don’t deal damage but exile or transform her instead. Targeted removal spells that bypass her ability, such as Path to Exile, are particularly effective. Moreover, leveraging board wipes like Wrath of God ensures the removal of Razia without needing to target her directly. Control decks that manage the pace of the game through permission spells and disruption also pose a threat to Razia-focused strategies by preventing her from entering the battlefield in the first place.

While Razia can be a formidable adversary, a combination of strategic removals, board controls, and playing around her redirection ability can turn the tide of battle in your favor. By incorporating these elements into your strategy, Razia, Boros Archangel can be effectively countered, maintaining a path to victory in your MTG matches.


Cards like Razia, Boros Archangel

Razia, Boros Archangel remains a steadfast warrior in the Magic universe, sharing some similarities with fellow celestial beings in the realm of MTG. She can be compared to cards like Aurelia, the Warleader, who also hails from the Boros Legion and has a profound impact on the battlefield. However, Razia takes command with her ability to redirect damage from a source you control to her, a unique protective trait that isn’t found on Aurelia.

Gisela, Blade of Goldnight is another figure that echoes Razia in terms of altering damage outcomes, doubling damage to opponents and halving damage to you and permanents you control. While Gisela doesn’t offer the same directional shield as Razia, her effect on damage is more comprehensive overall. Another valiant card is Archangel Avacyn, who carries a transformative surprise, becoming Avacyn, the Purifier when tragedy strikes on your side of the field, resulting in a sweeping damage wave to your opponents’ creatures.

Comparatively, Razia, with her vigilant stance in the air and damage redirection, offers a distinct tactical advantage, asserting not just offensive prowess but a strategic defensive role as well. Each angelic guardian brings a unique blend of assault and protection, but Razia stands alone with her signature shield of deflection in the battle for supremacy in MTG.

Aurelia, the Warleader - MTG Card versions
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - MTG Card versions
Aurelia, the Warleader - Gatecrash (GTC)
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight - Open the Helvault (PHEL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Razia, Boros Archangel MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Planechase, 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 Razia, Boros Archangel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Razia, Boros Archangel Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2018-11-02. Illustrated by Donato Giancola.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 2232003normalblackDonato Giancola
22009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 922003normalblackDonato Giancola
32018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 932015normalblackDonato Giancola

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Razia, Boros Archangel has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2005-10-01 If either target creature leaves the battlefield before damage is dealt, that damage won’t be redirected. It doesn’t matter if Razia leaves the battlefield.
2005-10-01 The 3 damage doesn’t have to be from the same source, and it doesn’t have to be all dealt at once. If only 2 damage is redirected, the next 1 damage will also be redirected.

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