Aven Trooper MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Soldier
Abilities	Flying
Released	2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Torment
Set code	TOR
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	2
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Greg Staples

Key Takeaways

Its ability to discard for power pumps can utilize the graveyard as an advantageous resource in gameplay.
Flexibility at instant speed during combat offers strategic options for both defense and offense.
Aven Trooper’s role in combos and its versatility make it a worthy consideration for particular metas.

Text of card

Flying o W, Discard a card from your hand: Aven Trooper gets +1/+2 until end of turn.

The very skies seethe with the aven's hatred for the Cabal.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aven Trooper may not seem like an immediate source of card advantage, but with a thoughtful deck build, it can be. Its ability to discard a card to pump its power lets you selectively place cards in your graveyard. This sets the stage for later synergies with abilities like delve or flashback, turning your graveyard into a resource zone and indirectly leading to card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Aven Trooper itself does not directly accelerate your resources, it can be a cog in the machine for strategies that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or dying. The trooper can be sacrificed post-pump to various effects or abilities that require creatures, indirectly contributing to your overarching resource acceleration strategy within a well-tuned deck.

Instant Speed: Aven Trooper’s ability to boost its power at instant speed gives you flexibility in combat, allowing you to threaten an opponent with increased power during their turn or unexpectedly turning it into a more formidable blocker. Utilizing this ability at the right moment can deter attackers or secure crucial combat engagements in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To pump Aven Trooper’s power, you must discard a card, which might deplete your hand quickly and leave you at a disadvantage, especially if you’re running out of options or need to maintain card advantage in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Aven Trooper requires a white mana which means it can be restrictive for multi-colored decks or those with a shaky mana base. Finding the right mana at the right time is crucial for a well-timed play, and this can hinder your deck’s performance if not carefully managed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana investment to bring Aven Trooper into play, it can be considered inefficient especially when there are many other creatures with better abilities or greater power and toughness that could be played at the same or lesser cost, making it a less than optimal choice for players looking to maximize their mana usage.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aven Trooper can serve as an early flying blocker or an offensive utility creature in decks that need a low-cost flyer. Its flexibility to self-pump makes it adjustable to different board states.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with effects that trigger upon creature deaths or casting of creature spells due to its sacrifice ability. Whether it’s boosting graveyard strategies or empowering sacrifice-based mechanics, Aven Trooper can find its niche.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with an emphasis on highly interactive air combat or the need for evasive creatures, Aven Trooper can be a practical inclusion. Its ability to potentially become a larger threat can keep opponents vigilant, making it a relevant choice for certain deck builds.

How to beat

Aven Trooper is a lesser-known creature in the universe of Magic: The Gathering, challenging players to reconsider their traditional approaches to card advantages. With its unique ability to bolster its own power at the expense of sacrificing cards from your hand, Aven Trooper demands careful forethought from its wielder. To effectively deal with this avian soldier, one must look beyond direct damage and consider more strategic forms of removal.

Keeping removal spells that don’t rely on damage, like Murder or Path to Exile, handy can be one of the most effective ways to deal with Aven Trooper before your opponent can leverage it into a significant threat. Counter spells also prove useful in preemptively denying this creature’s arrival on the battlefield. Moreover, incorporating edict effects, which force players to sacrifice a creature, can elegantly sidestep Aven Trooper’s own sacrifice ability. In this way, you not only remove the threat but also potentially strain your opponent’s resources.

Taking into account the cost-to-benefit ratio that Aven Trooper presents, players should remember it is not the most mana-efficient creature, and outpacing it with more cost-effective creatures or spells will likely tilt the advantage in your favor. Understanding the subtleties of these different strategic elements can guide one to victory against an Aven Trooper.

Cards like Aven Trooper

Aven Trooper might not be the mightiest creature in your deck but shares some common ground with other cards in MTG. It’s somewhat on par with cards like Skyshroud Elite, which also presents a low-cost creature option for players, although Skyshroud Elite has the potential to become stronger based on an opponent’s land type. Unlike Aven Trooper, it doesn’t require an additional mana investment to boost its power.

Turning our attention to another similar card, Welkin Tern offers flying abilities right off the bat without the need for extra mana, showcasing an advantage in aerial combat. However, it can’t block as Aven Trooper does, presenting a trade-off between offense and defense. Then we have Battlewise Aven, which also possesses a flying ability and operates under a different condition, gaining strength whenever you cast a spell that targets it. This can make it a versatile choice depending on your deck’s strategy.

Assessing the nuances of each card, Aven Trooper finds its niche for players who prefer flexible power dynamics and are prepared for mana investments over an inherently stronger but condition-restricted card like Skyshroud Elite or a more aggressive yet defensive-impaired Welkin Tern.

Cards similar to Aven Trooper by color, type and mana cost

Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions

Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions

Veteran of the Depths - MTG Card versions

Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions

Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aven Trooper MTG card by a specific set like Torment, 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 Aven Trooper and other MTG cards: