So, the new product from Wizards’ famous ‘From the Vault’ series just dropped, and this time, they seem to have targeted a rather niche market with the release of Angels. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve bought the set as I feel the value you get for the price of the product is extremely good. I am a massive fan of EDH and it seems the product was designed with the format in mind, so for me, buying the product was a no-brainer. In this article I will go over each card individually and give my opinions on what formats I feel the cards are best suited for and we will delve a little into the  value of previous non-foil prints.

Avacyn, Angel of Hope:

So, first and foremost and probably the most appealing card in the set, Avacyn, Angel of Hope. This card is just plain ridiculous. An 8/8 indestructible flyer with vigilance that makes all other permanents you control indestructible, what’s not to love about this card? I believe this card is made for EDH either as a general or just as a component of a deck. Also, in terms of card value, an original one of these will set you back a pretty penny, around £24.00-£30.00 depending on if you shop around.

Iona, Shield of Emeria:

Iona, just like Avacyn could be played as a general, although she’s even more expensive in terms of mana cost and you’ll probably only get to cast her once. If done properly however, once is all you’ll ever need. Where she may not hold the same financial value as Avacyn, the power level is just as frightening, especially for those who like to play a mono-colored deck. Also, the alternate art from the Angels set is absolutely stunning. You can pick up a regular Iona for around £8.00-£12.00 depending on which set you get her from.

Akroma. Angel of Fury/Angel of Wrath:

These cards are extremely different in their own respects but again, the power level is practically through the roof. Thanks to the built-in protection from certain colors, they can be an absolutely nightmare when facing the right deck and both have the ability to stomp over your opponents in no time. These cards weren’t massively valuable before getting this print but the artwork is beautiful. I’m a massive fan with what’s been done to these cards and I’m happy I own them. You can pick up various copies of both cards from around £4.00 and up depending on what set you purchase the cards from.

Baneslayer Angel:

This card was an absolute monster back when it was first printed and it’s not hard to see why. The card is extremely well costed and comes with an awesome ability package. Where as the protection from Demons and Dragons may not be as crucial as it was before, first-strike, lifelink and evasion are always helpful. Again, this is probably only ever going to be a card used in EDH but we’re all okay with that right? The card has always held a solid value of roughly £8.00 and I don’t see it ever going below that price if I’m honest.

Entreat the Angels:

As most of us all know, miracles are nothing to laugh at with some decks being played in Legacy. Entreat the Angels can be an absolute back breaker when cast for its miracle cost and can pretty much seal your opponents fate when it resolves and you have a lot more angels on board than you did in your previous turn. The going price on Entreat the Angels seems to be around £6.00 – £8.00 and I don’t see it ever going below that, as it still sees constructed play.

Aurelia, the Warleader:

Aurelia is a card who on first glance may seem unappealing to some but then you give her  ability a read and it’s easy to see why this card is no laughing matter. These days, all she will ever see play in is EDH but I can tell you from experience, she makes a nasty General which is more than capable of killing the entire table if given the time to set up on board. Her explosive power is why she still holds some value and foil versions will always be sought after by those who like to foil out their Commander decks.

A normal print Aurelia will usually only set you back around £4.00 which is more than reasonable. I would recommend her as a General for someone who is looking to break into EDH as she is very simple to play and build around.

Tariel, Reckoner of Souls:

Tariel, like Aurelia, is a great option for someone new looking to decide on their first General, the ability is really simple and against decks like Grim-grin that try to win through graveyard interactions in particular, it can really foil their plans. It gives you access to Mardu colors as well which is great if you take the removal package route, as well as giving you access to some of the most destructive creatures in the game. Tariel unfortunately does not retain a lot of value as she only sees play in EDH and from what I’ve seen, not a lot of it at that. She holds a price of around £6.00 and that’s probably due to the fact she’s only received one print.

Platinum Angel:

Platinum Angel is a card that can slot into almost any deck in Commander. It costs a fair amount of mana, sat at a CMC of 7, however, the ability can be enough to swing the game back in your favor, especially if your opponents seem to be running low on removal. This card combined with the indestructibility package from Avacyn is a personal favorite of mine as Exile spells aren’t too much of a problem. The card holds value of around £6.00 but it has seen a lot of reprints in the past which to be honest, is a good thing.

Archangel of Strife:

Probably one of the more interesting cards in the set, Archangel of Strife has a really unique ability package that can turn a game state upside down immediately. Whether you choose to increase your creatures power or toughness can be what wins you the game, however, your opponents are also going to receive a power boost as well. Luckily, if you’re playing a lot of Angels in your Commander deck, they tend to have pretty high stats as standard which gives you an advantage over other decks. Archangel of Strife only holds a value of around £2.00-£3.00 but that doesn’t mean the cards power level is anything to scoff at. It’s still a solid pick for any deck running white in Commander.

Exalted Angel:

Now, Exalted Angel is one of those few cards that have the Morph ability and this one is really well costed at that. I see nothing wrong with casting it as a morph on turn 3 and then flipping it face-up on turn 4 so you now have a 4/5 body with Flying and Lifelink which can also attack that turn. It seems a bit underwhelming if cast for it’s CMC of 6 but it’s still a strong pick regardless. This card has only received one precious print in the Onslaught block if you don’t count the Judge promo. It’s not a particularly valuable card but the new artwork is really unique and I personally prefer it over the previous artwork. Exalted Angel will usually only set you back around £2.00-£3.00 so it’s still a good pick for those looking to build on a budget.

Serra Angel:

Serra Angel is a card that has seen constant reprints and due to this, holds next to no value unless you start looking for Alpha and Beta prints which are well over £30.00 and up. The card is another good choice for those who haven’t got a huge budget to build an EDH deck. However, in this set, the card has received new artwork and it’s one of my favorites. The art style is very different to what we usually see printed these days and it’s something that I really appreciate. Most prints excluding the Alpha and Beta sets only see a value of around 40p but none have art as beautiful as the print in the Angels set.

Jenara, Asura of War:

Jenara is a card that I personally would have seen no use for up until a few months ago but that was before the Tiny Leaders format was discovered. If you want to play Bant colors in Tiny Leaders then Jenara is the obvious choice, I’d recommend an aggressive strategy with plenty of pump spells and enchantments to turn Jenara into an absolute beast. A friend of mine has done so and it works extremely well. Jenara has a value of around £7.00-£9.00 and this is probably due to the fact she was only printed once previously in the Alara Reborn set.

Iridescent Angel:

Where the mana cost of this card is rather high and may seem underwhelming at first, protection from all colors is nothing to pass up if it’s in the right colors for your Commander deck. The card does really well in a deck which plays a lot of equipment that you can throw on to Iridescent Angel such as Sword of Feast and Famine or Sword of Fire and Ice. It certainly an interesting card and I may indeed use it one day if I build a deck in those colors. The value of this card is little more than a £1.00 and that’s where it will remain unfortunately.

Lightning Angel:

I’ve saved this card for last as it’s most likely the worst card in the set. Don’t get me wrong, the card is well costed, has a decent body and has some strong abilities, however, there is a card currently in standard that I believe has cast a rather significant shadow over Lightning Angel and that card is Mantis Rider. Mantis Rider only costs 3 mana to cast and only loses 1 point of toughness over the Lightning Angel. I’d probably still use this card if I were playing Jeskai colors in Commander as it’s a very aggressive card which can get some good damage in if given the chance. Lightning Angel holds next to no value and can be picked up from around 20p and up.

Overall, I feel that what you get for your money is definitely worth it, however, I would only recommend picking up this product if you’re going to use the majority of the cards in decks like I am. It’s a great set for Commander players like myself and all of the cards look stunning in foil. The alternate art on some of the cards is what also appealed to me, they’ve had some real thought put into them and I prefer the art in this set over any of the previous prints. If you made it through this article I commend you for your dedication and thank you for giving this article a read. It’s been a long journey and I was excited to write about this new release. I’ll be back next week with a new project I’m starting so keep an eye out for it!