Baneslayer Angel
Creature — Angel
Flying, first strike, lifelink, protection from Demons and from Dragons
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- mythic
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #4761
Baneslayer Angel puts a 5/5 flying, first strike, lifelink, protection from Demons and Dragons body on the board for five mana — that's a combat math nightmare that also swings your life total by double digits a turn. The cost is real: five mana with no enters-the-battlefield effect means it needs a turn to attack, and removal at sorcery speed punishes you hard. In Giada, Font of Hope specifically, that tax drops to effectively less with Giada's cost reduction, which makes the calculus much easier.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Giada, Font of Hope
Giada, Font of Hope reduces Baneslayer Angel's cost and puts a +1/+1 counter on it the moment it enters, turning an already-imposing 5/5 into a 6/6 on curve while the deck's tribal synergies compound the advantage.
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Avacyn, Angel of Hope builds an indestructible Angel army, and Baneslayer Angel contributes a lifelink, first-strike body that punishes any ground attacker dumb enough to run into it — Avacyn's protection keeps it alive long enough to dominate combat repeatedly.
Sigarda, Font of Blessings
Sigarda, Font of Blessings gives all Angels you control hexproof, solving Baneslayer Angel's one real liability — dying to a single Path to Exile before it attacks — and turns it into a near-uncounterable threat that opponents have to block instead of target.
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight doubles Baneslayer Angel's combat damage to opponents while halving what comes back — a 5/5 first-strike lifelink body under Gisela is 10 damage dealt and potentially 20 life swung in a single hit.
Aurelia, the Warleader
Aurelia, the Warleader's extra combat step means Baneslayer Angel swings twice per turn cycle, stacking lifelink triggers and threatening to close games with cumulative first-strike pressure that few boards can absorb.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Baneslayer Angel is a solid role-player in Angel tribal decks but rarely a must-include outside them — five mana for a creature with no immediate impact is a real ask in a multiplayer format full of instant-speed removal. Modern and Pioneer have largely passed it by; the format has moved toward cheaper threats or creatures that do something the turn they enter, and Baneslayer Angel's vanilla-combat gameplan doesn't clear that bar in competitive 60-card shells. Legacy is legal but irrelevant — the power ceiling there makes a 5/5 with no card-advantage effect invisible. Where Baneslayer Angel still earns its slot is in Commander Angel synergy decks, casual white aggro builds, and any shell that can reduce its cost or protect it from the sorcery-speed removal that punishes the investment.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't available at the moment, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for current Baneslayer Angel listings before buying. Historically it has spiked and retreated multiple times due to casual demand and reprint cycles, so the spread between printings is worth checking — older foils and the original art command a premium over reprinted copies.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Giada, Font of Hope
- Avacyn, Angel of Hope
- Sigarda, Font of Blessings
- Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
- Aurelia, the Warleader
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.