The third of five planeswalkers within the Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms was revealed today by the Magic: The Gathering Facebook page, featuring the fallen angel Zariel, Archduke of Avenus.
Mono-Red in MTG has a new planeswalker in the Standard format, releasing digitally on July 8 via the Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR) set. Full of Chandra and Tibalt vibes, Zariel, Archduke of Avernus is a four-drop planeswalker who creates 1/1 Devil tokens at zero loyalty counters that ping any target when they die. She also pumps, provides Haste, and can force an additional combat phase.
Zareil, Archduke of Avernus
- CMC: 2RR
- Type: Legendary Planeswalker
- Rarity: Mythic Rare
- Starting loyalty counter: 4
- Plus-one counter: Creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain Haste until the end of the turn
- Zero loyalty counter: Create a 1/1 Red Devil creature token with “When this creature dies, it deals one damage to any target.”
- Minus-six ultimate: You get an emblem with “At the end of the first combat phase on your turn, untap target creature you control. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase.”
The release of Tibalt, Rakish Instigator with War of the Spark had many players doubting the power of a one damage ping. Tibalt was later banned from the Standard format in Magic. Zareil not only provides that same one-damage ping via Red Devil token creatures, but fuels Aggro decks with her plus-one and ultimate.
Zareil and the other four AFR planeswalkers will release digitally via Magic Online and MTG Arena on July 8. The tabletop global launch is scheduled to take place on July 23.
