This card was made for reanimator decks. It has an incredibly high
cost that even it doesn't really expect you to
pay. Its condition for getting it cheap is for
there to be a lot of creature cards in
graveyards-- something that a reanimator deck
aims to make happen anyway. And once it's in
play, wow! Not only is it a 6/5 with fear-- a
ferocious win condition-- but it's also got a
killer activated ability. Literally. I don't
know if I've ever actually seen an Avatar of Woe
attack, since it's usually preoccupied with
tapping to systematically slaughter the other
guy's side of the table. If your opponent
manages to make this thing stick, you'll be
feeling the woe yourself.
Constructed- 4
Casual- 4.5
Limited- 4.75
Multiplayer- 4.5
David Fanany
Player since
1995
Avatar of Woe
Despite Prophecy's seeming unpopularity, I
personally always liked the set. That may have
had more to do with the fact that this card (and
the rest of the Avatar cycle, for that matter)
were in it than anything else, but I liked it.
Avatar of Woe is one of the less likely of said
cycle to hit play on the second turn, although
the reduced cost helps if you want to bluff a
counterspell or play other creatures after it;
it is, though, probably the most threatening of
the cycle, at least to any deck relying on
creatures. Its size means it can be hard to get
off the table, and many opponents simply won't
be able to keep up with its ability to destroy
anything and everything.
Today's card of the day is Avatar of Woe which
is an eight mana 6/5 with Fear, can tap to
destroy target creature, and if ten or more
creature cards are in all graveyards it costs
six less to cast. With any kind of milling
or sending creatures from the library to the
graveyard support this is a very aggressive
threat even in the early stages of the game.
Having evasion, a useful tap ability when
attacking isn't an option, and solid offensive
and defensive capabilities make this one of
Black's best weapons if the full mana cost is
avoided.
In any limited format that includes this Avatar
it is a huge bomb that is very likely to win the
game if it is played. A large creature
that can destroy other threats, has evasion, and
in the creature driven format will likely bypass
the eight casting cost is very impressive.
An absolute first pick in Booster and should be
used whenever the Black pool in Sealed is strong
enough to dedicate half of the deck to.
Splashing Avatar of Woe may be tempting with
just two Black mana symbols, but it can be
difficult to have two sources of Black mana in
play in the earlier stages without color fixing.
In Multiplayer the more players involved in the
game the better this is as just the first
creature or two in each graveyard might be
enough to trigger the primary effect.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
a classic creature that has been play around
kitchen tables since it was introduced as the
more players are in the game the more likely the
chance it will hit play at a discounted cost. In
standard this card is not legal and in extended
and modern I don’t think this can compete with
Titans and Wurmcoil Engines although it does
have a useful and powerful ability or can swing
for big damage it just doesn’t cut the mustard
anymore like so many cards once in their prime.
In eternal formats legacy and vintage this cards
ability is too troublesome to to trigger making
it an eight mana card that doesn’t win the game.
In casual and multiplayer this card is quite a
power house and can eat the board early while
beating down or threatening to kill your
opponents most powerful creatures making it an
amazing choice for casual and multiplayer decks
as a deterrent from people attacking you. In
limited this would be an atomic bomb removal and
a large evasive body and possibly a discounted
cost if you can draft it you should.
