While we’ve seen it in a few supplemental products recently, the ‘Quest Counter’ MTG mechanic hasn’t been in Standard since 2009’s Zendikar. MTG Avatar, however, features a cycle of four Ascension cards that use this neglected mechanic, one for each of the four elements.
We saw Airbender Ascension early on in previews, and it immediately struck us as a card with real constructed potential. Now that we have the rest of the cycle, we’re happy to report that they’re looking just as good. These are enchantments efficient enough to see play in constructed, but with enough long-term value potential to be worthwhile in Commander, too.
Waterbender Ascension
Waterbender Ascension is the most intriguing new member of this potent MTG Avatar cycle. For two mana, it essentially gives you a Coastal Piracy and a Rogue’s Passage rolled into one. Granted, you need to build up to the former part with three previous attacks, but the latter part lets you Waterbend to help pay the cost.
This immediately seems like an interesting addition to Dimir Midrange decks in Standard. Those decks rely heavily on Enduring Curiosity as a card draw engine, and this serves a similar role at a lower cost. The initial delay is a big deal, mind you. Even if it comes down two turns earlier than Curiosity, four hits of damage is no joke. As a result, this may end up as more of a sideboard piece against decks where early damage is easier to land than a main deck mainstay.
Of course, with the bans looming, it’s unclear whether Dimir Midrange will still be part of the metagame come next week. Thankfully, Waterbender Ascension also does a ton of work in Commander. Good card draw engines are in constant demand in that format, and this fills that role for more aggressive blue decks.
In addition, the unblockable-granting ability should make this a slam-dunk in Voltron decks. Getting to sneak your Commander through each turn and draw more cards to protect it in the process is a great deal. Everything from Kotis, the Fangkeeper to Captain America, First Avenger will want to find a home for this one.
Firebender Ascension
Like Waterbender Ascension, Firebender Ascension is a card with multi-format potential. Even if you ignore the bulk of its text, this is a 2/2 for two with Firebending 1. That’s a solid rate, and could well make the card a good addition to Mono-Red decks in Standard on this aspect alone. There’s no shortage of cheap instants and activated abilities in Mono-Red for you to spend the free mana on, after all.
Unfortunately, unlike Waterbender Ascension, the ‘Quest Complete’ ability on this one isn’t quite as exciting in constructed. There just aren’t many decks that lean heavily on attack triggers right now, even in Standard. It does play extremely well with Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s Mobilize ability, mind you, so there’s potential here. If next week’s bans end up displacing the top Aggro strategies in the format, a Mobilize list running this could possibly take their place.
If you really want to make full use of this card, however, then Commander is your best bet. There are plenty of powerful decks that lean into the attack trigger mechanic, from Isshin, Two Heavens as One to The Ur-Dragon. Firebender Ascension is a cheap way to get more triggers in and eventually create some explosive swing turns once you build up your counters.
Heck, in decks like Kaalia of the Vast or Voja, Jaws of the Conclave, one doubled trigger from this could be enough to end the game on the spot. For two mana, and with a body attached, that’s a deal no attack trigger deck is going to pass up. It’s less widely applicable than Waterbending Ascension, but in the decks it shines in it’ll really shine.
Earthbender Ascension
Rounding out the MTG Avatar Ascension cycle, Earthbender Ascension is perhaps the hardest one to evaluate. While it has the most immediate impact of any of these cards, it also feels the least explosive on the back end.
Getting to tutor up a tapped basic and Earthbend 2 for just three mana feels like a fantastic deal. Most ramp spells have the drawback of costing you tempo to use, but this one neatly sidesteps that issue by giving you a 2/2 to work with. This ability alone puts the card on a similar footing to Cultivate, an all-time MTG ramp classic. The additional board presence may even allow this to see play in constructed.
For the most part, this is what you’ll want to run Earthbender Ascension for. The other ability, which you can access if you make four land drops after playing it, just gives you a slightly better Bristly Bill, Spiny Sower trigger. Standard Mono Green Landfall might want this, but it seems too slow outside of specialized strategies for constructed.
It’s worth noting that Ascension kind of fulfills half of its requirements by itself, since it brings a land in and Earthbends one that can then bounce back in later. The kind of deck that wants a small power buff and Trample would be something like Mono-Green Aggro, however, which, outside of Landfall, is decidedly not the kind of deck that also wants a three-mana ramp spell. Finding the right home for this card, outside of Landfall lists in Commander, will be tricky for that reason.
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