8 Best MTG Angels [Helpful Angel Guide]


1. Serra Angel

Serra Angel has to be one of the oldest angels around when it comes to MTG.

This card is not just in this list because it is one of the oldest but because it is still around today in many sets and decks.

This 4/4 flying angel with Vigilance (does not tap to attack) was released all the way back in 1994 and has been a staple costing two white mana and three colorless.

Serra Angel has been associated with all formats of MTG, including Standard, Modern, Vintage, Commander, Casual, Legacy, and the rest.

Moreover, this card is so versatile it has been used in a combination of decks, including mono-white, control, demons/angels, and many more. It is still used in various competitions today and is placed in welcome decks for beginners.

2. Platinum Angel

No list would be complete without an artifact card. Luckily for us, Platinum Angel, an artifact creature angel, fits the bill accordingly.

This mythic that costs seven colorless mana is a 4/4 flying and was released in 2011. But that’s not all. Its ability is what sets it apart from almost any other card out there.

The ability reads, “You can’t lose the game, and your opponent can’t win the game.” Needless to say, because it is an artifact card, you can use it with any color deck, and its ability, if used correctly, can help you set up your side of the board in the late game to help you secure a win.

3. Baneslayer Angel

This is another white angel that makes our list. Remember that, for the most part, angels are mainly going to be a white creature type when it comes to MTG.

This mythic was first released in core set 2010 but has had another recent reprint in M21. In addition to being a 4/4 Flying costing two white mana and three colorless, Its other abilities include First Strike, Life Link, and protection from Demons and Angels.

Great for all formats and play styles, including opponents using Tribal decks, this card is still used today in competitive and casual play.

It has seen fifteen top 8 Pro Tour finishes as well as thirty-nine top 8 Grand Prix finishes.

4. Linvala, Keeper of Silence

Released in 2010, Linvala has seen its fair share of competitive play, including Grand Prix finishes as well as having two Pro Tour Top 8 finishes.

This legendary mythic rare creature is a 3/4 flying that only costs four total mana, with two being white and the other two being colorless.

As with Platinum Angel, this card’s passive ability is pretty powerful. It reads, “Activated abilities of creatures your opponent’s control cant be activated.”

As you can see, this card will work amazingly in a control deck and is legal in most formats.

5. Archangel Avacyn/Avacyn, The Purifier

Coming in as our only white/red angel, this card has been a top contender in competitive play over the years, having eight top 8 Pro Tour finishes and a massive eighty-four Top 8 Grand Prix tour finishes.

Costing only two white and three colorless mana, this 4/4 legendary mythic rare Flying angel has Vigilance and also Flash, meaning it can be used anytime you could use an Instant.

In addition, when it enters the battlefield, other creatures you control gain indestructible. If that was not enough, it also has the ability that when a non-angel creature you control dies, it transforms at the beginning of your next upkeep.

Once transformed, Avacyn deals three damage to each creature and each opponent with it also being a 6/5 flying angel.

Proving itself in most formats, this card is typically paired with red removal spells (control decks) or even aggro decks to catch even the largest creatures your opponent has off guard.

6. Restoration Angel

Perhaps one of the most devastating angel cards we have in this list, Restoration Angel has made its appearance in seventeen top 8 Pro Tour finishes as well as a staggering ninety top 8 Grand Prix finishes.

Costing only four mana, this 3/4 Flying and Flash creature has the most outstanding ability. Its ability reads, “When this card enters the battlefield, you may exile a non-angel creature you control and then return that card to the battlefield under your control.”

As you can see, this card can be devastating and cause havoc if you have other cards that trigger when they enter the battlefield.

Always one of the greats, Restoration Angel is perfect for almost any format you find yourself playing.

7. Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice

Coming in as our only multicolored angel, Atraxa costs one green, one white, one blue, and one black mana, totaling a relatively cheap four.

A legendary rare that is a 4/4 flying has some other incredible abilities as well. These include Vigilance, Deathtouch, and Lifelink. Moreover, it also has Proliferate at the beginning of your end step, which will give you the ability to add or remove counters on any of your cards.

Once you see this card, you may think that it is relatively cheap for what you get, but you must remember that you will most likely be playing with a four-color deck, and that could be pretty involved.

Nonetheless, Atraxa makes it to our list because of its incredible abilities and being so cheap. However, one factor to consider is that it has not been used in many Pro Tours or Grand Prixs due to its multicolored cost.

This card is great for casual play and some niche formats.

8. Iona, Shield of Emeria

The last angel on our list costs the most mana, with it needing three white and six colorless to be put out. However, playing this card in the late game is totally worth it.

Being released in 2010, this card has had its fair share of controversy. Being banned in many formats because of how powerful it is, what list would not be complete without a card that crushes everything else?

Not only is it a massive 7/7 Flying, its activated ability when it enters the battlefield allows you to choose a color. Once you have chosen that color, your opponents can’t cast spells of that color.

You could effectively cripple your opponent in one fell swoop rendering them inert, giving you complete control of the game.

Although this card is banned in most formats, you are still able to use it in 1v1 Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Modern, as well as casual play.

Nicholas Lloyd

Hi, I'm Nick, a professional writer living in Japan, and have been a part of the Trading Card Game community for over 20 years. I share tips, answer questions, and anything else I can do to help more people enjoy this wonderful cardboard hobby.

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