"This artwork is so Heavy Metal, it's like a guitar solo with added rules text."
Oh, and since this a +1 CMC upgrade of Angel of Despair (+ Archon of Justice), which was Vindicate stapled to a 5/5 flyer, we now need to reverse-engineer this thing and get something like:
Feels like this was supposed to be somewhere in the RTR block. Just seems strange to print a homage to Angel of Despair after coming from the plane she comes from.
Me: *Sacs with Rescue from the Underworld* Opponent: Why would you do that? Me: to do this, *puts two ashen riders on the battlefield* It's been nice playing with you
d-101
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Looking outside of standard: combos really well with Dread Return. This screams inclusion in a dredge deck.
I have a same sense of mild distaste towards it the same way I had distaste for Baneslayer Angel obsoleting Serra Angel.
You're seriously just upping it by one mana and one rarity and slightly altering the rules text? Can't you....change the numbers more? Give it Vigilance or Lifelink and make it 3/3? Do....something? to make it different-er?
It's good but...too similar to Angel of Despair, which I like :P I REALLY don't like that Angel of Despair is so outclassed by this, bc as everyone who uses Gatherer knows, DarthParallax likes Kaalia of the Vast :P
Purplerooster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kills 2 Gods...
LordAlvon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gotta love the Archon of Despair.
seraphsembrace
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Probably one of the better Mimic Vat targets in the game.
RAV0004
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
They print cards that they have tested perfectly in the FFL in the set after, when they run out of room to put them in the set they actually belong. Worldspine Wurm is an excellent example. this is just another in a long line of them.
Dabok
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Okay, it has been said time and again that this would be great in reanimator. Why I think that is the case is that, not only does it do something powerful upon entering the battlefield and being a big flyer fatty by itself. For me what's appealing is also the fact that it does something devastating upon dying.
I've got an "all-in" type of reanimator, in the sense that I have the means to put a big creature real fast, but by doing so I dump my hand and have simply no means to defend my creature. This "kind of" fixes the problem since it's ability deters your opponents upon destroying it.
That and the aesthetic side of the card....I mean wow. It's a scary looking creature akin to Specters riding a very ferocious looking beast (not sure if big wolf or feline) !!!
5/5 definitely
Keiya
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Gets rid of any of the big three Eldrazi, which is good enough for me.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wizards: "Oh you just bought a set of Angel of Despair for your sideboard?" Me: -_-
Cygore
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Epic art. Depending on what kind of deck you're using, this could be good with Cloudshift or for players like me who like tri-colored decks, I imagine if you combo'd this guy with Venser, the Sojourner it would make for some good control.
Objection
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It doesn't say nonland permanent. This could be an effective way to colour screw your opponents, especially if you can reuse the ability.
on the vorthos side of things I'm a little upset that they started giving archons gender. i all ways felt that's what separated them from the angels.... oh well its still a good card and will do great in my W/B EDH.
rollinsclone
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Anything riding a flying polar bear is pretty much automatically awesome.
Hepatizon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I, too, am not a big fan of this just basically replacing Angel of Despair. Maybe if Angel of Despair didn't have any place in game anymore, but come on. If you're going to pump some power into the set, do it imaginatively!
Kontrah
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's better than Angel of Despair, but in a too linear fashion...one extra mana grants permanent exile, and then again when it dies? Why overshadow a great card so significantly? Tempting to run two copies of each as some kinda b/w finishers with some flicker effects.
A nice in-color target for Obzedat's Aid at any rate.
Shadowcaster3975
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hey everyone! just imagine how overpowered this would be if it had evoke.
Yozuk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@master-blake
There are no angels in Greek Mythology.
Ness64
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yet another card that probably wasn't designed with Flash in mind
Additionally, I really wish (in a sick way) that it was leaves the battlefield instead of dies. It works with he flavor better and would be even more gross with flicker. Can you imagine, exiling two permanents with cloudshift? Ick.
BirdsOfLlanowar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At the academy, "show and tell" too often becomes "run and hide."
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How anyone hasn't noticed the insane synergy with Rescue from the Underworld yet, I'll never know. You'd think people, especially reanimator junkies, would've spotted that in a heartbeat.
@MrMonday: Someone doesn't know the difference between exiling and flickering it looks like.
When you flicker, things come back. If you just exile them, they don't.
AirborneLemming
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Favorite card in Theros, got two at the prerelease and won.
MICKEY.KNOX
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"I don't always play Ashen Rider in my reanimator... ...but when I do, I play it with Vish Kal and Sheoldred."
Mistralis
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Definitely replacing Woodfall Primus in my Legacy dredge. This is obviously better than Angel of Despair, but I feel that this is better than Primus for a few reasons: 1. It exiles (duh) 2. It hits creatures 3. Unlike Primus, where it can hit the GY and be exiled by Deathrite Shaman before Persist can bring it back, this does it on death. Much harder to interact with. 4. She dies once. Persist isn't optional. You can kill her with a Cabal Therapy so you can bring her back again with another Dread Return in case you really need a third use. 5. She's black, meaning she can feed Ichorid.
However, that being said, the fact that she only dies once may be relevant if you need more tokens off Bridge from Below. I've never been in that situation, but it may happen.
@MrMonday: Um, first of all, Krond is triple density in two colors. That's pretty hard to hardcast. Next, if you use either of them, you both A) Don't hardcast them and B) Aren't using them for damage. Even if you are using them for damage, they both kill in the same number of hits (4). Furthermore, he triggers on attacking, making him very slow and much easier to deal with. And finally, he doesn't even do his job. He needs an aura to help him out. That only propagates the issue, as you are clearly not going to have him survive long enough to attack, so why not allow your opponents to 2-for-1 you as well?
With Ashen Rider, you don't particularly care about what your opponents do. As long as she's hit the table, she's done her job. Not only that, but if they get the idea to get rid of her because, well, a 5/5 flyer is something, then you will be able to exile another thing.
CaptainBlue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just noticed the "or dies" part of the ability text. Okay the flavor makes a lot more sense now. Yeah, I'd say mythic worthy.
4.5/5
orzhov20
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this + cartel aristocrat + gift of immortality = exiling 4 permanents on every combination of your turn and your opponents turn. pretty sure your opponent wont have many lands to fight back.
ShayuWolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card can target and kill Darksteel-Forge, f***.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Yes, Flash is an absolutely busted card, but... this combos with it. Just saying.
Important to remember the card says "When Ashen Rider enters the battlefield or 'DIES', exile target permanent." This means that if you have used the Whip of Erebos or Mimic Vat (anything that exiles her on the way out) that her ability will not proc a second time because exiling is not the same as dying.
ThatChrisFella
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think of this card as a 5 drop 5/5 flier; which is always awesome. Then, for 3 more mana you cast two copies of Unmake which can target any permanent, not just their creatures. I love it.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not just Reanimator, but also Sneak and Show. You attack with 5 in the air and you EXILE, not destroy, 2 permanents.
But she just took the throne as queen of Reanimator beside Griselbrand.
JoshtheWizard
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
How does this have a lower rating than Angel of Dispair, it only costs one more and EXILES not only when it enters but when it dies too this card is amazing for commander or any control deck when you take into account the two exiles into its cost its essentially a 5/5 flyer for 2 its so strong, sure its no Sculptor or even master of waves but come on, this card is swimming in value
Comments (49)
"This artwork is so Heavy Metal, it's like a guitar solo with added rules text."
Oh, and since this a +1 CMC upgrade of Angel of Despair (+ Archon of Justice), which was Vindicate stapled to a 5/5 flyer, we now need to reverse-engineer this thing and get something like:
Recurring Nightmare!!!
Recurring Nightmare!!!
Opponent: Why would you do that?
Me: to do this, *puts two ashen riders on the battlefield*
It's been nice playing with you
I have a same sense of mild distaste towards it the same way I had distaste for Baneslayer Angel obsoleting Serra Angel.
You're seriously just upping it by one mana and one rarity and slightly altering the rules text? Can't you....change the numbers more? Give it Vigilance or Lifelink and make it 3/3? Do....something? to make it different-er?
It's good but...too similar to Angel of Despair, which I like :P I REALLY don't like that Angel of Despair is so outclassed by this, bc as everyone who uses Gatherer knows, DarthParallax likes Kaalia of the Vast :P
Why I think that is the case is that, not only does it do something powerful upon entering the battlefield and being a big flyer fatty by itself. For me what's appealing is also the fact that it does something devastating upon dying.
I've got an "all-in" type of reanimator, in the sense that I have the means to put a big creature real fast, but by doing so I dump my hand and have simply no means to defend my creature. This "kind of" fixes the problem since it's ability deters your opponents upon destroying it.
That and the aesthetic side of the card....I mean wow. It's a scary looking creature akin to Specters riding a very ferocious looking beast (not sure if big wolf or feline) !!!
5/5 definitely
Me: -_-
-Kaalia...
A nice in-color target for Obzedat's Aid at any rate.
There are no angels in Greek Mythology.
Unless you're playing a flicker deck, I suppose. This would combo nicely with Galepowder Mage or Venser, the Sojourner.
*Ok...
>I play Cloudshift
*What?
>Hey look who's back, exile that one.
*FFS
>Oh look!
*What?
>CLOUDSHIFT
*Motherf...
Additionally, I really wish (in a sick way) that it was leaves the battlefield instead of dies. It works with he flavor better and would be even more gross with flicker. Can you imagine, exiling two permanents with cloudshift? Ick.
@MrMonday: Someone doesn't know the difference between exiling and flickering it looks like.
When you flicker, things come back. If you just exile them, they don't.
...but when I do, I play it with Vish Kal and Sheoldred."
This is obviously better than Angel of Despair, but I feel that this is better than Primus for a few reasons:
1. It exiles (duh)
2. It hits creatures
3. Unlike Primus, where it can hit the GY and be exiled by Deathrite Shaman before Persist can bring it back, this does it on death. Much harder to interact with.
4. She dies once. Persist isn't optional. You can kill her with a Cabal Therapy so you can bring her back again with another Dread Return in case you really need a third use.
5. She's black, meaning she can feed Ichorid.
However, that being said, the fact that she only dies once may be relevant if you need more tokens off Bridge from Below. I've never been in that situation, but it may happen.
@MrMonday: Um, first of all, Krond is triple density in two colors. That's pretty hard to hardcast. Next, if you use either of them, you both A) Don't hardcast them and B) Aren't using them for damage. Even if you are using them for damage, they both kill in the same number of hits (4). Furthermore, he triggers on attacking, making him very slow and much easier to deal with. And finally, he doesn't even do his job. He needs an aura to help him out. That only propagates the issue, as you are clearly not going to have him survive long enough to attack, so why not allow your opponents to 2-for-1 you as well?
With Ashen Rider, you don't particularly care about what your opponents do. As long as she's hit the table, she's done her job. Not only that, but if they get the idea to get rid of her because, well, a 5/5 flyer is something, then you will be able to exile another thing.
4.5/5
This means that if you have used the Whip of Erebos or Mimic Vat (anything that exiles her on the way out) that her ability will not proc a second time because exiling is not the same as dying.
I love it.
But she just took the throne as queen of Reanimator beside Griselbrand.
this card is amazing for commander or any control deck
when you take into account the two exiles into its cost its essentially a 5/5 flyer for 2
its so strong, sure its no Sculptor or even master of waves but come on, this card is swimming in value