Ride the Avalanche
Instant
The next spell you cast this turn can be cast as though it had flash. When you next cast a spell this turn, put X +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature, where X is the mana value of that spell.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GU
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Forgotten Realms Commander
- Price
- $0.42
- EDHREC rank
- #16490
Ride the Avalanche gives target creature +X/+X until end of turn where X is its power, effectively doubling its power and setting its toughness to match — on a creature already large, that's a one-shot kill setup for essentially nothing. Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl and Isu the Abominable are the natural homes, since both care about big-base-power creatures and can put the buff immediately to use in combat.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Isu the Abominable
Isu the Abominable rewards you for going tall on a single creature, and Ride the Avalanche doubles the payoff — Isu's +1/+1 counters compound the buff, turning an already threatening attacker into a commander-damage kill out of nowhere.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Ride the Avalanche is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but it's a Commander card through and through. In Legacy and Vintage, the card pool has faster, more flexible pump spells that don't require you to already have a large creature in play, so it doesn't see meaningful play there. In Commander, the power floor is higher — curve toppers are bigger, games go longer, and doubling a 6/6 into a 12/12 for one mana at instant speed is the kind of swing that ends games in a single attack step. Oathbreaker can support it in the same way Commander does, though the smaller deck size and faster pace make the window narrower.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Storvald, Frost Giant JarlTree of RedemptionNear-Death ExperienceRide the Avalanche
Win the game at the beginning of your next upkeep
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.42 bulk tier
At $0.42, Ride the Avalanche sits firmly in bulk territory, which makes it an easy inclusion for any budget Giant or snow-tribal list. Bulk pump spells rarely climb in price, so treat it as a functional roleplayer you pick up cheap, not a spec.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl
- Isu the Abominable
- Tree of Redemption
- Near-Death Experience
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.