Aurelia, the Warleader: A Masterclass in Tempo and Control

Aurelia, the Warleader is a legendary creature that has been a staple in Modern and Legacy for years. This powerful angelic leader excels at controlling the board and creating tempo swings through her unique abilities. In this review, we'll delve into Aurelia's card mechanics, strategic uses, synergies, and deckbuilding roles to understand why she remains a top-tier creature.

Card Mechanics and Interactions

Aurelia's most notable ability is her "additional combat phase" after she attacks for the first time each turn. This ability triggers immediately after Aurelia attacks, creating an additional phase where any damage dealt by her or other creatures she controls is applied to the opponent. Additionally, Aurelia's vigilance and haste allow her to attack with any amount of power from that turn.

When Aurelia attacks for the first time on a turn, all creatures you control are untapped. This can lead to significant tempo swings as it allows your other creatures to attack immediately, while also giving you access to their full potential. The additional combat phase after this triggers allows you to deal additional damage and disrupt the opponent's board.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Aurelia's ability to untap all creatures she controls makes her a perfect fit for control decks that want to swarm the board with creatures. Her flying, vigilance, and haste make her an excellent attacker as well. When paired with removal spells or other creature-based threats, Aurelia becomes nearly unbeatable.

One popular strategy is to use Aurelia's ability to untap all creatures she controls, then attack immediately while untapped, followed by the additional combat phase. This can lead to devastating tempo swings and significant life drain on the opponent. Another strategy is to use Aurelia's haste to attack as soon as possible, creating an aggressive board presence.

Aurelia also has synergies with other creatures that share her flying ability, such as Monastery Swiftspear or Silverwing Kinship. When paired together, these creatures become formidable attackers, while Aurelia provides the tempo swing and advantage.

• Some key combos to consider:
  • Aurelia + Monastery Swiftspear: This combination allows for a powerful attacking presence and can be used to pressure the opponent's life total.
  • Aurelia + Gideon Jura: This combo creates an unbeatable board presence, with both creatures providing tempo swings and removal capabilities.
• Synergies:
  • Aurleia's ability can also be used in conjunction with other creatures that share her flying ability, such as Silverwing Kinship or Angelic Armada. These creatures provide additional attacking pressure and can be used to create a formidable board presence.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Aurelia's primary role is as a control creature that generates advantage through her untap ability. She excels in formats where control is key to winning, such as Modern or Legacy.

In aggressive decks, Aurelia can provide an additional attacking presence, creating pressure on the opponent's life total. When paired with removal spells and other creatures, Aurelia becomes nearly unbeatable.

• Deckbuilding tips:
  • Control decks: Focus on pairing Aurelia with creatures that share her flying ability, such as Monastery Swiftspear or Silverwing Kinship.
  • Aggressive decks: Use Aurelia to provide an additional attacking presence and pressure the opponent's life total.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Aurelia has been a staple in control and aggressive formats for years, particularly in Modern and Legacy. Her ability to untap all creatures she controls makes her a key component of many winning strategies.

In Modern, Aurelia is often paired with other powerful flying creatures like Monastery Swiftspear or Gideon Jura, while in Legacy, she's often used in combo decks that rely on her ability to generate advantage.

• Competitive context:
  • Modern: Aurelia is a top-tier creature in control and aggressive formats.
  • Legacy: Aurelia has been used in various combo decks that rely on her ability to generate advantage.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

Aurelia's additional combat phase after attacking for the first time each turn is a unique interaction. This phase only applies to Aurelia herself and creatures under her control, not to opponents or other permanents.

When Aurelia attacks, any damage dealt by her or other creatures she controls during this phase will be applied in addition to the normal combat damage phase.

• Technical notes:
  • The additional combat phase can be used to attack an opponent's creature multiple times.
  • Aurelia's ability can be used in conjunction with other spells and abilities that provide tempo swings, such as Disdainful Stroke or Angelic Authority.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Aurelia's art features a powerful angelic leader standing atop a battlefield, commanding her troops into battle. Her flavor text emphasizes her role as a warleader who inspires her allies to victory.

Historically, Aurelia has been a popular choice in control decks since her release in 2012. She was one of the most powerful creatures in the game at the time and remains a staple in many formats.

• Flavor text:
  • "I am the master of my own destiny, and I will not be swayed by the whims of others."
• Historical context:
  • Aurelia was released in 2012 as part of the Lorwyn block.
  • She quickly became a top-tier creature in control and aggressive formats.

Conclusion Summary

Aurelia, the Warleader is an incredibly powerful legendary creature that excels at controlling the board and creating tempo swings through her unique abilities. Her flying, vigilance, and haste make her a formidable attacker, while her ability to untap all creatures she controls creates significant advantage.

When paired with control or aggressive strategies, Aurelia becomes nearly unbeatable. In formats like Modern or Legacy, Aurleia's ability to generate advantage makes her a staple in many winning decks. With her powerful abilities and synergies, Aurelia is a must-have creature for any serious Magic player.