Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Angel
Abilities Flying,Transform, Vigilance, Flash
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Avacyn’s flip causes 3 damage to all other creatures, offering a sweeping tactical advantage.
  2. Flash ability enables surprise play and board control, keeping opponents on their toes.
  3. Her transformability into Avacyn, the Purifier makes her a meta-relevant force in many decks.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

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

Flash Flying, vigilance When Archangel Avacyn enters the battlefield, creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn. When a non-Angel creature you control dies, transform Archangel Avacyn at the beginning of the next upkeep.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The transformational power of Archangel Avacyn is quite noteworthy. Once she flips into Avacyn, the Purifier, she does 3 damage to each other creature and each opponent, potentially wiping enemy board and providing a tremendous card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: The Flash ability of Archangel Avacyn allows you to cast her at instant speed and increase your board presence drastically without consuming your main phase mana. This accelerates your resources, enabling aggressive game-play and surprising counters.

Instant Speed: The instant speed casting of Archangel Avacyn ensures that you hold the game’s tempo. Her Indestructibility and ability to transform at instant speed give you tactical control over the game’s flow. Waiting to cast until the opponent’s end step, after seeing all of their moves, allows you optimal position to control the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Archangel Avacyn does not technically require a discard, however, the risk of causing self-inflicted damage when transforming into Avacyn, the Purifier can be equated to a discard. This unpredictability could put your cards or life points at a disadvantage if you’re not well prepared.

Specific Mana Cost: Being part of the red and white deck, the cost of summoning Archangel Avacyn requires specific colored mana. This implies your deck’s diversity gets limited, as you might not be able to ideally mix it with decks that don’t synergize well with red and white mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Archangel Avacyn comes up with a defensive five cost card. While the cost is justified by her flip side and the indestructible buff she gives all your creatures upon entering the field, there might be other cards equally useful but less expensive to cast.


Reasons to Include Archangel Avacyn in Your Collection

Versatility: The transformative quality of Archangel Avacyn sets this card apart. As a creature, Avacyn provides both offensive power and protective abilities. Moreover, when Avacyn transforms into Avacyn, the Purifier, it delivers a devastating blow to your opponent’s creatures and planeswalkers.

Combo Potential: Archangel Avacyn’s flip ability unveils numerous possibilities for deck-building strategy. It can be paired with cards that trigger or benefit from damage inflicted to your opponent’s side of the board. Combining this card with self-sacrificing creatures can also speed up its transformation.

Meta-Relevance: The indomitable Archangel Avacyn, unpredictable with its quick transformation, remains relevant in the current MTG meta, particularly in control and mid-range strategies. Avacyn’s Flash ability and control-tilted protective powers make it a formidable card in many match-ups.


How to beat

Archangel Avacyn is a formidable opponent in the realm of Magic: The Gathering proceedings due to her resilient transformation into Avacyn, the Purifier. This angel card is famous for her “Flash” ability, which can essentially fend off your opponent’s attacks unexpectedly. However, she proves to be beatable if you follow the right tactics.

One potential strategy is employing low mana cost instant spells such as Fatal Push or Unsummon which could remove her from the battlefield before she transforms. Alternatively, cards with abilities that could exile her from the game like Path to Exile or Vraska’s Contempt can be just as effective. This tactic is particularly potent because Avacyn doesn’t trigger her transformation when she is exiled from the game.

Another alternative to beat Archangel Avacyn is by utilizing cards with “Indestructible” ability, such as Darksteel Myr, that wouldn’t be affected by her lethal 3 damage upon transformation. Planning your moves carefully and having a strategic deck in place is key to overcome the potential threats posed by this powerful angel card.

In summary, even though Archangel Avacyn is a dominant force on the MTG battlefield, she can be outmaneuvered and beaten if your strategy invokes quick removal, effective exiling, and resourceful invulnerability.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the strategic nuances of MTG and give your deck an edge with Archangel Avacyn. Her dual nature provides both a sanctuary and a storm, with the potential to flip the game in your favor. But beyond one card lies an entire tapestry of tactical decisions and a collection eager for expansion. Let the insights you’ve gleaned guide your next moves. From constructing killer combos to outmaneuvering opponents, every piece of knowledge enriches your gameplay. Ready for a deeper dive into the world of MTG? Explore with us and solidify your position as a formidable player in the MTG arena.


Cards like Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier

As a key card within Magic: The Gathering, Archangel Avacyn holds noteworthy similarities to other cards in its category. One card that springs to mind is Sigarda, Heron’s Grace. Both these cards are five-mana Angels that provide a unique defensive mechanism to their controller. However, Sigarda’s ability to provide hexproof to you and humans you control is a constant, while Avacyn’s effect initiates once she enters the battlefield.

Another relevant comparison comes to light when we study Gisela, the Broken Blade. Gisela, like Avacyn, is a powerful Angel with lifelink. However, Gisela is less expensive to cast with the cost of four mana and still boasts a formidable offensive and defensive presence. The edge here, however, goes to Archangel Avacyn for her ability to transform into Avacyn, the Purifier when a non-Angel creature you control dies, unleashing a significant blow to your opponent’s creatures.

Upon grasping the mechanics and abilities of various Angel cards, Archangel Avacyn surely holds a prestigious spot. The versatility and potential of her transformative power elevate her status in Magic: The Gathering, proving her worth within dynamic gameplay.

Sigarda, Heron's Grace - MTG Card versions
Sigarda, Heron's Grace - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad 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 Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 52015TransformBlackJames Ryman
22016-04-08Shadows over Innistrad PromosPSOI 5s2015TransformBlackJames Ryman
32017-11-24From the Vault: TransformV17 12015TransformBlackJames Ryman
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 12092015TransformBlackNana Qi
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11562015TransformBorderlessNana Qi
62023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 132015TransformBlackJames Ryman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-04-08 Archangel Avacyn’s delayed triggered ability triggers at the beginning of the next upkeep regardless of whose turn it is.
2016-04-08 Archangel Avacyn’s delayed triggered ability won’t cause it to transform back into Archangel Avacyn if it has already transformed into Avacyn, the Purifier, perhaps because several creatures died in one turn.
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).

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