Avatar: The Last Airbender (TLA) Limited Set Review: White

As a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I think this is one of the best crossovers Magic has had, in terms of how well the IP transfers to the card game. The elemental “bending” abilities are all fun, and I look forward to seeing how they play out in limited. Let’s jump into breaking down some cards!

5.0: Disgustingly powerful and basically unbeatable. Either answer it the turn it comes down or just pack up your cards. (Gruff Triplets, Virtue of Persistence, The Eternal Wanderer)

4.5: Incredible bomb that still gives your opponent a slim chance. (Virtue of Loyalty, Imodane's Recruiter, Realm-Scorcher Hellkite)

4.0: Great rare or the absolute best uncommons and removal. (Faunsbane Troll, Gumdrop Poisoner, Talion’s Messenger)

3.5: Great role filler or removal that you never cut. (Candy Grapple, Hearth Elemental, Torch the Tower)

3.0: Good playable that I’m basically never cutting. (Shrouded Shepherd, Spellscorn Coven, Sharae of Numbing Depths)

2.5: Decent playable and the bar I hope nearly every card in my deck to reach. (Evolving Wilds, Archon's Glory, Flick a Coin)

2.0: Mediocre filler that normally is your 20-23rd card(s). (Mintstrosity, Ice Out, Grabby Giant)

1.5: Replaceable, overall bad filler. Could also be decent sideboard cards. (Titanic Growth, Scarecrow Guide, Territorial Witchstalker)

1.0: Bad filler. Gets cut most of the time. (Dark Tutelage, Kindled Heroism, Impact Tremors)

0.5: Very unhappy to main deck this, but maybe it has fringe sideboard applications. Cards that “could” be situationally decent, but bad in most situations. (Smothering Tithe, Rhystic Study, Mana Flare)

0.0: Unplayable in every possible situation. They rarely print cards this bad these days. (Hew the Entwood, One with Nothing)

Aang’s Iceberg

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This is as premium as removal can get. Instant speed, any nonland permanent, and even a payoff if it gets removed.

Aang, the Last Airbender

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

4 for a 3/2 flyer is fine. Airbend can be pretty powerful at times, and works really well on offense or with your own ETB triggers. The lifelink will come up often enough to be relevant when considering the cards power as well.

Airbender Ascension

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

For the most part, this is just airbend for 2 mana. It’s not terrible, but if you are able to ascend this with good ETBs, it could prove to be decent as well.

Airbender’s Reversal

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is mostly just a kill spell on an attacker, as the second mode is a bit weak.

Airbending Lesson

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

I like this card quite a bit. Assuming you airbend your opponents creature, and they have to pay 2 to recast it, it feels a bit more like this costs W to flicker a creature and draw a card.

Appa, Loyal Sky Bison

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This guy is beefy, but pretty slow. It’s mostly a finisher/win more card, that can be alright as a top-end one-of.

Appa, Steadfast Guardian

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

The majority of this cards strength is just being a 3/4 flash flyer. Everything else is upside!

Avatar Enthusiasts

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is a bit slow, but there is a huge number of ally creatures in this set.

Avatar’s Wrath

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This is an interesting take on Wrath of God. It’s a fantastic finisher, that can net you some meaningful attacks until the board gets reestablished.

Compassionate Healer

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

A suitable 2 drop if you need a 2 drop.

Curious Farm Animals

Rating: SB // 5.0

This is too weak to main deck, but could be a suitable sideboard option.

Destined Confrontation

Rating: SB // 5.0

This is a really tricky card to throw into any deck. It could often end up doing nothing/be bad for you. I do like it as a sideboard option against decks with multiple creatures with 5 or greater power.

Earth Kingdom Jailer

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This is a premium 3 drop. It should be included in any white deck.

Earth Kingdom Protectors

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is a slightly worse version of Selfless Savior. It’s able to protect the majority of creatures, but there are a few non-ally creatures it cannot protect.

Enter the Avatar State

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This isn’t a bad trick, and it’s at its best when saving an attacker, or gaining a chunk of life from a bigger creature.

Fancy Footwork

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

These types of tricks are typically pretty bad. The only place you might want to try it is in a hyper-aggressive creature deck. Otherwise, I’d advise avoiding it.

Gather the White Lotus

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This is weak when cast with >3 plains in play, and scales up the “whiter” your deck is. It can be a bomb if you somehow end up in (or very close to) mono White.

Glider Kids

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

Scry 1 is a pretty nice buff to the otherwise unexciting creature. This should be fine in most White builds.

Glider Staff

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

I would only play this in aggressive white decks. Taking a blocker out and making an attacker fly can be a powerful sequence.

Hakoda, Selfless Commander

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

The longer this guy sticks around, the more value you will gain. With the high toughness, it’s difficult to deal with

Invasion Reinforcements

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A decent 2 drop that works well with flicker effects or go-wide strategies.

Jeong Jeong’s Deserters

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

2 drop 2/3s are still solid filler.

Kyoshi Warriors

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A decent 4 drop that works well with go-wide strategies.

Master Piandao

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

With the amount of ally creatures in White, it’s pretty easy to hit a free card.

Momo, Friendly Flier

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This scales up in power with the more flyers in your deck.

Momo, Playful Pet

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This does a good amount for 1 mana, getting a few points of damage through, then chump blocking and providing a decent death trigger.

Path to Redemption

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

This is a nice upgrade to Pacifism. You do need to watch out for the airbend mechanic when using this.

Rabaroo Troop

Rating: 1.0 // 5.0

This is a very weak landcycler.

Razor Rings

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

A nice upgrade from the classic Divine Arrow

Sandbenders’ Storm

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This is still pretty narrow, despite having two options. I’m not a big fan of this, outside of a potential sideboard option.

Southern Air Temple

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

This can be a powerful effect for go-wide White decks. It can be pretty underwhelming with two or fewer creatures in play.

South Pole Voyager

Rating: 3.0 // 5.0

There are a good amount of creatures that can trigger the card draw by themselves, like Invasion Reinforcements, or Kyoshi Warriors.

Suki, Courageous Rescuer

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

This creature is a nightmare of passive threats. The 2/4 stat line makes this a bit harder to kill as well.

Team Avatar

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

I really like the design of this card. It’s alright in your average white deck, but is a huge enabler for the go-wide builds. Acting as a split card to kill creatures, or enable giant attackers.

The Legend of Yangchen // Avatar Yangchen

Rating: 3.5 // 5.0

The first chapter is a bit wordy, but it’s essentially “exile target nonland card with CMC 3 or less”. The second chapter is optional, then it turns into a 4/5 flyer that can take out blockers.

United Front

Rating: 4.0 // 5.0

The amount of power this can generate in the late game is almost certain to end the game on the following turn.

Vengeful Villagers

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

This card can enable some attacks, but is just a 3/3 if you can’t turn it sideways.

Water Tribe Captain

Rating: 2.0 // 5.0

A fine 3 drop for most decks that works better in the more creature heavy ones.

Water Tribe Rallier

Rating: 2.5 // 5.0

A really powerful engine, that can cost as few as 0 mana thanks to waterbend.

Yip Yip!

Rating: 1.5 // 5.0

A cheap pump trick. There are other tricks I would prefer to play.

Top 3 White Commons:

Path to Redemption Razor Rings Water Tribe Captain

For the most part, White wants to be aggressive, and go-wide. It has plenty of creatures that provide two bodies, and payoffs for more attackers. Airbend can be used for value, but it’s best when it’s taking out blockers in aggressive decks. I’ll be breaking down Blue next, stay tuned!

Lose and Learn, Learn and Win!