Alesha, Who Smiles at Death is a legendary Mardu-colored (red, white, and black) creature card from the Magic: The Gathering set, Fate Reforged. This human warrior allows players to reanimate creatures with power 2 or less from their graveyard onto the battlefield. This ability is typically activated during combat, offering both offensive and defensive advantages. An example play involves attacking with Alesha, then triggering her ability to return a small, powerful creature to bolster the attack, or perhaps a utility creature to disrupt an opponent.
The card’s significance stems from its efficient reanimation ability and strategic versatility. It enables aggressive strategies focused on recurring powerful, low-cost creatures. Historically, it has seen competitive play in various constructed formats, proving especially effective in graveyard-centric decks. Its presence encouraged innovative deckbuilding around powerful two-power creatures, influencing the metagame and demonstrating the impact a single card can have on the broader game. The low mana cost combined with the reusable reanimation offers significant value over time, particularly in longer matches.
Further examination will explore specific deck archetypes leveraging this character, analyze its impact on competitive play, and evaluate its position within the larger context of Magic: The Gathering’s history and design.
1. Legendary Creature
The “Legendary Creature” designation holds significant weight within Magic: The Gathering, directly impacting Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s functionality and strategic implications. This designation limits players to controlling only one copy of Alesha on the battlefield at any given time. While this might appear restrictive, it subtly influences deck construction and gameplay. Deck builders must carefully consider resource allocation, recognizing the redundancy a second Alesha would create. This restriction promotes strategic depth, encouraging players to maximize the value of each card slot and diversify their threats. For example, including multiple copies of a legendary creature reduces consistency, decreasing the likelihood of drawing the desired card at the optimal moment. This encourages players to build decks with a broader range of threats, rather than relying heavily on a single card. The “legend rule” also interacts with certain card effects that create copies of creatures. If a copy of Alesha enters the battlefield, the player must choose one to keep and the other is sent to the graveyard.
This “Legendary” status fosters a unique dynamic around Alesha. Players must prioritize protecting her, recognizing the difficulty of replacing her unique reanimation ability. This heightened importance makes her a prime target for removal spells, increasing the strategic tension during gameplay. Opponents understand the disruptive potential of her ability and will prioritize neutralizing her. This interplay of threat and removal forms a core element of Magic: The Gathering’s strategic depth. For instance, if a player invests heavily in preparing their graveyard for Alesha’s reanimation ability, losing her to removal can significantly disrupt their game plan. Therefore, players must carefully consider the timing of deploying Alesha and utilize protective spells or tactics to ensure her survival.
In summary, the “Legendary Creature” designation significantly impacts Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, affecting deckbuilding choices and in-game decision-making. While seemingly a simple restriction, the “legend rule” adds layers of strategic complexity to Magic: The Gathering, influencing card evaluation and overall gameplay experience. Understanding this rule and its implications is crucial for effectively utilizing and playing against Alesha, Who Smiles at Death.
2. Mardu Colors (Red/White/Black)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s color identityMardu, representing red, white, and blackis fundamental to the card’s function and strategic applications within the Magic: The Gathering color pie. This combination grants access to a specific range of effects that synergize with her reanimation ability, shaping the types of decks she thrives in and the playstyles she supports.
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Aggressive Tempo
Red provides aggressive elements such as direct damage and haste, enabling quick attacks to pressure opponents. This aligns with Alesha’s ability by presenting early-game threats that can later be resurrected for additional pressure. Cards like Lightning Bolt offer efficient removal, paving the way for attacks, while Goblin Guide exemplifies a creature benefiting from haste, putting immediate pressure on opponents and acting as valuable fuel for Aleshas ability later in the game.
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Disruptive Elements
Black offers disruptive tactics, including discard, removal, and graveyard manipulation. Discard spells disrupt opponents’ strategies by depriving them of key cards, while removal spells eliminate blockers or problematic threats. Thoughtseize exemplifies a powerful discard spell that can cripple opponents early game plans, while Fatal Push represents an efficient removal spell, clearing the way for Alesha’s attacks or removing problematic creatures.
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Resilience and Recursion
White contributes to resilience through lifegain and creature-based effects. While Aleshas ability primarily focuses on recursion from the graveyard, whites supportive elements enhance the overall strategy. Path to Exile, although primarily used for removal, also incidentally gains life, offsetting some of the aggression from red and black. Moreover, white provides access to valuable sideboard cards that can shore up weaknesses against specific strategies.
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Synergistic Effects
The Mardu color combination allows for synergistic effects across all three colors. This allows for deck construction that maximizes the efficiency and impact of Alesha’s ability. For example, sacrificing a creature to a black spell can set up a powerful reanimation play with Alesha on the following turn. Alternatively, a red spell could remove a blocker, allowing Alesha to attack and trigger her ability. This interplay between colors creates strategic depth and flexibility.
The Mardu colors offer a blend of aggression, disruption, and resilience that significantly enhances Alesha’s utility. This color combination allows for diverse deckbuilding strategies, supporting aggressive approaches focused on overwhelming opponents early, while providing tools to maintain pressure in later stages of the game. The ability to combine efficient removal, aggressive creatures, and graveyard manipulation within a single deck makes Alesha a formidable force in various Magic: The Gathering formats.
3. Three Mana (2RW)
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s mana cost of three (specifically 2RW) is a crucial element defining its role and effectiveness within Magic: The Gathering. This cost places the card in a specific niche, allowing for early-game deployment while requiring a specific color commitment. The two red and one white mana requirement dictates deck construction, influencing color choices and impacting strategic decisions throughout a match. This balance between early availability and color intensity allows for diverse strategic applications, but also presents limitations that must be considered during deckbuilding and gameplay.
Three mana allows Alesha to enter the battlefield relatively early, enabling her ability to impact the game before larger, more expensive threats emerge. This timing is critical for aggressive strategies, as it allows for the establishment of board presence and the application of early pressure. However, the specific mana requirement of two red and one white can restrict deckbuilding options. It necessitates a strong commitment to both red and white, potentially limiting access to other colors and their associated strategic advantages. This color requirement reinforces Alesha’s role in aggressive, Mardu-colored strategies, encouraging deckbuilding that focuses on speed and efficiency.
For example, in a fast-paced format, a three-mana creature that can immediately impact the board is highly valued. Alesha’s ability to reanimate a small creature from the graveyard upon attacking adds immediate value and offensive pressure. However, in slower formats, where games extend longer, the three-mana cost becomes less of a defining factor, and the focus shifts to the long-term value generated by her ability. This nuance highlights the importance of context and format when evaluating a card’s mana cost and overall effectiveness. Understanding the implications of Alesha’s mana cost is crucial for maximizing her potential and building effective decks that leverage her strengths while mitigating her weaknesses.
4. 3/2 Power/Toughness
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s 3/2 power/toughness stat line significantly influences its vulnerability and combat effectiveness. This relatively low toughness makes the creature susceptible to common removal spells, highlighting the importance of strategic deployment and protection. While its 3 power allows it to eliminate smaller creatures and deal reasonable damage to opponents, it remains vulnerable to larger blockers and targeted removal. This balance of offensive capability and defensive fragility necessitates careful consideration during gameplay. Players must evaluate the risk of deploying Alesha into unfavorable combat situations and prioritize protecting her from removal to maximize the value of her reanimation ability. For instance, deploying Alesha against an opponent with a 4/4 creature on the battlefield presents a significant risk. Unless the player has a way to remove the blocker or boost Alesha’s power, she will likely be destroyed in combat.
This fragility influences deckbuilding decisions. Cards that offer protection, such as Gods Willing or Sheltering Light, become valuable additions to decks utilizing Alesha. Alternatively, cards that can remove blockers or enhance Alesha’s power can mitigate her vulnerability. For example, including Lightning Strike in a deck can help eliminate potential blockers, increasing Alesha’s survivability and enabling her to trigger her ability more consistently. This interplay between creature stats and supporting cards highlights the strategic depth of Magic: The Gathering.
The 3/2 power/toughness also interacts with other card mechanics and effects. Effects that boost power, such as equipment or auras, can significantly enhance Alesha’s offensive potential while remaining mindful of her vulnerability. For example, equipping Alesha with a Bonesplitter increases her power to 5, allowing her to challenge larger creatures in combat and deal more damage to opponents. However, this does not improve her toughness, leaving her vulnerable to removal. Understanding this interplay of stats, abilities, and external factors is crucial for maximizing Alesha’s effectiveness and navigating complex combat scenarios. The 3/2 distribution exemplifies the delicate balance between risk and reward inherent in Magic: The Gathering‘s design.
5. Human Warrior
The creature type “Human Warrior” assigned to Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, while seemingly simple, carries specific relevance within the broader context of Magic: The Gathering. This classification interacts with other cards and mechanics, influencing deckbuilding choices and strategic gameplay decisions. While not as impactful as her other characteristics, the “Human” and “Warrior” designations offer potential synergies and contribute to the card’s overall identity and potential within the game.
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Tribal Synergies
The “Human” subtype allows Alesha to interact with cards that specifically target or benefit humans. While these synergies might not be as prevalent as other creature types, they offer niche applications within specific deck archetypes. For example, cards like Champion of the Parish gain power as more humans enter the battlefield, potentially creating powerful synergies with Alesha’s reanimation ability. This interaction highlights the potential for tribal-focused decks built around the human creature type.
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Warrior-Specific Effects
Similar to “Human,” the “Warrior” subtype enables synergies with cards that specifically target or benefit warriors. Although less common than other creature types, these synergies can provide additional layers of strategy within warrior-themed decks. Cards like Chief of the Edge grant a power boost to other warriors, enhancing Alesha’s combat effectiveness and making her a more formidable threat. This synergy emphasizes the potential for building decks specifically focused on the warrior creature type.
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Flavor and Lore
The “Human Warrior” designation reinforces Alesha’s narrative within the lore of Magic: The Gathering, establishing her identity as a skilled combatant and leader. This connection to the game’s lore adds depth and context to the card, enriching the player’s experience beyond the mechanical aspects of gameplay. Alesha’s backstory as a fearless warrior resonates with the card’s ability to bring fallen allies back to the battlefield, creating a cohesive narrative that enhances player engagement.
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Limited Interactions
While not as prominent as the synergies mentioned above, the “Human Warrior” typing can occasionally interact with specific cards or effects that target these creature types. These interactions might not be central to Alesha’s core strategy but can offer situational advantages or contribute to specific deck archetypes in limited formats like draft or sealed. For example, a card that grants all humans +1/+1 would also benefit Alesha, enhancing her survivability and combat prowess in a limited environment.
Although the “Human Warrior” classification might not be the primary focus of Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s design, it adds depth and potential for interaction within the broader context of Magic: The Gathering. While not as defining as her reanimation ability or mana cost, these creature subtypes contribute to her strategic versatility, flavor, and overall impact within the game. Understanding these nuances and their potential interactions allows players to fully utilize Alesha’s capabilities and explore diverse deckbuilding possibilities.
6. Reanimates Power 2 or Less
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s defining characteristic is the ability to reanimate creatures with power 2 or less. This restriction shapes deck construction and strategic decision-making, focusing attention on maximizing the impact of smaller creatures. The ability to repeatedly return these creatures to the battlefield creates resilient threats and presents numerous tactical advantages.
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Strategic Value of Low-Power Creatures
While seemingly limiting, the “power 2 or less” restriction opens a world of strategic possibilities. Many creatures with powerful abilities have low power, making them ideal targets for Alesha’s ability. Cards like Bloodsoaked Champion, with its persistent return from the graveyard, become incredibly resilient when paired with Alesha. Similarly, utility creatures like Cartel Aristocrat, which can disrupt opponent’s strategies by granting protection, gain significant value through repeated reanimation.
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Deck Construction Constraints and Opportunities
This restriction necessitates careful deck construction. Players must curate a selection of creatures with power 2 or less that synergize effectively with Alesha’s ability and the overall game plan. This encourages creativity and strategic thinking, pushing players to identify undervalued cards and exploit their full potential. Building a deck around Alesha requires focusing on creatures that offer significant value despite their low power, such as utility creatures or those with enter-the-battlefield effects.
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Combat-Triggered Advantage
Alesha’s ability triggers when she attacks. This creates an offensive and defensive advantage. Reanimating a creature during combat can bolster an attack or provide a crucial blocker. This timing element adds another layer of strategic complexity. Attacking with Alesha presents a threat that forces opponents to react, even if she is not reanimating a creature. This can create opportunities for other creatures to attack or disrupt the opponent’s plans.
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Synergy with Graveyard Strategies
Alesha’s ability synergizes with other graveyard-based strategies. Cards that fill the graveyard, such as Satyr Wayfinder or Grisly Salvage, become valuable tools for setting up Alesha’s reanimation targets. This interaction creates a positive feedback loop, making the deck more resilient and powerful as the game progresses. Filling the graveyard becomes a strategic advantage, providing more options for Alesha’s ability and fueling other graveyard synergies.
The “reanimates power 2 or less” ability defines Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s role within Magic: The Gathering. It fosters strategic deckbuilding, rewards skillful piloting, and creates dynamic gameplay experiences. This seemingly restrictive ability unlocks a wide range of strategic possibilities, emphasizing the importance of card evaluation and tactical decision-making in maximizing the card’s potential.
7. Combat-Triggered Ability
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s combat-triggered ability significantly impacts strategic gameplay. The requirement for Alesha to attack to trigger her reanimation ability creates inherent risk and reward dynamics. This combat-triggered nature necessitates careful planning and consideration of potential blockers, removal spells, and combat tricks. The timing of the trigger, specifically during the declare attackers step, offers tactical advantages. Players can respond to opponents’ actions and adjust their strategy accordingly. For example, an opponent deploying a large blocker can be circumvented by reanimating a removal spell, or recurring a creature with a relevant ability.
This combat trigger encourages proactive gameplay, incentivizing attacking even when facing unfavorable board states. The potential to reanimate a creature mid-combat can deter opponents from blocking, effectively turning Alesha into a removal spell or creating favorable attack opportunities for other creatures. This offensive pressure can disrupt opponent strategies and force suboptimal defensive plays. For instance, an opponent may choose to keep a larger creature back to block Alesha, even if it means taking damage from other attackers. This dynamic adds a layer of psychological warfare to the game, rewarding calculated aggression.
The combat-triggered nature of Alesha’s ability necessitates understanding the nuances of combat in Magic: The Gathering. Players must consider the declare attackers step, the declare blockers step, and the damage step to effectively utilize her ability. This timing window allows for complex interactions and strategic maneuvering. Declaring Alesha as an attacker presents a threat that must be addressed by the opponent, regardless of whether a suitable reanimation target exists in the graveyard. This inherent threat generates strategic advantages even without activating her ability, adding depth and complexity to gameplay. Mastering the combat phase and understanding the implications of Alesha’s combat trigger are essential for maximizing the card’s potential and achieving strategic victories.
8. Graveyard Synergy
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s inherent reliance on the graveyard as a resource establishes a strong connection with graveyard synergy strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Her ability to reanimate creatures directly from the graveyard necessitates a consistent flow of cards into this zone, creating opportunities for synergistic interactions with other cards and mechanics that manipulate or utilize the graveyard. Understanding this connection is crucial for maximizing Alesha’s potential and building effective decks that capitalize on graveyard manipulation.
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Self-Mill as an Enabler
Self-mill, the act of deliberately sending cards from one’s library to the graveyard, becomes a key enabler for Alesha. Cards like Satyr Wayfinder and Grisly Salvage not only provide access to land cards for mana development but also fuel the graveyard with potential reanimation targets. This proactive approach to filling the graveyard transforms a typically detrimental action into a strategic advantage. Strategic self-mill allows players to select specific creatures for reanimation, increasing the consistency and effectiveness of Alesha’s ability.
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Recurring Value from Fallen Allies
Alesha’s ability to reanimate fallen creatures creates recurring value. Creatures with valuable enter-the-battlefield effects, such as Bone Shredder, gain additional impact as they can be repeatedly brought back to the battlefield. This recurring value engine pressures opponents and provides strategic advantages throughout the game. Repeatedly triggering these effects can generate card advantage, disrupt opponent’s plans, or establish a dominant board presence.
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Strategic Graveyard Management
Effective graveyard management becomes crucial in Alesha decks. Balancing the need to fill the graveyard with reanimation targets while avoiding discarding crucial cards requires careful consideration. Cards that allow selective discarding, like Faithless Looting, offer greater control over graveyard composition. Strategic discarding enables players to prioritize specific creatures for reanimation, maximizing Alesha’s impact and ensuring access to key cards throughout the game.
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Vulnerability to Graveyard Hate
Alesha’s reliance on the graveyard creates a vulnerability to graveyard hate cards. Cards like Rest in Peace or Grafdigger’s Cage can severely disrupt Alesha’s strategy by preventing access to the graveyard. This vulnerability necessitates strategic planning and consideration of sideboard options that can mitigate the impact of graveyard hate. Understanding the prevalence of graveyard hate in a specific metagame is crucial for building effective Alesha decks and adapting to the opponent’s strategy.
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death’s close relationship with the graveyard defines the strategic focus of decks built around the card. Effectively utilizing Alesha requires understanding the nuances of graveyard manipulation, balancing the need to fill the graveyard with the risk of graveyard hate. This intricate interplay between card advantage, strategic discarding, and graveyard manipulation highlights the strategic depth of Alesha, Who Smiles at Death in Magic: The Gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions about Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
This section addresses common questions and misconceptions regarding Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, providing further clarity on the card’s mechanics, strategic applications, and overall impact within Magic: The Gathering.
Question 1: Can Alesha, Who Smiles at Death reanimate creatures from an opponent’s graveyard?
No. Alesha’s ability specifically targets only the owner’s graveyard.
Question 2: Can Alesha reanimate creatures with a power of 2 or less that have been exiled?
No. Alesha can only reanimate creatures from the graveyard. Exiled cards are not accessible to her ability.
Question 3: What happens if Alesha leaves the battlefield before her triggered ability resolves?
The ability will still resolve. Even if Alesha is removed from the battlefield after attacking, any creatures targeted by her ability will still be reanimated.
Question 4: Can Alesha’s ability be used multiple times in a single turn?
Yes. If Alesha attacks multiple times in a single turn (for example, due to extra combat phases), her ability will trigger each time she attacks.
Question 5: Does Alesha’s ability target?
Yes, Aleshas ability targets. This means that if the chosen creature card becomes an illegal target before the ability resolves (e.g. it is exiled), the ability will not reanimate anything.
Question 6: Does Alesha have to deal combat damage to trigger her ability?
No. The ability triggers upon declaring Alesha as an attacker, regardless of whether combat damage is dealt. This means even if Alesha is blocked and dealt lethal damage before the combat damage step, her ability will still trigger.
Understanding these nuances clarifies Alesha’s strategic potential and limitations. This knowledge enables more effective deck construction and skillful piloting, maximizing the card’s impact during gameplay.
The next section will delve into specific deck archetypes featuring Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, showcasing practical applications of these concepts and strategies.
Strategic Tips for Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
This section provides strategic insights and practical tips for maximizing the effectiveness of Alesha, Who Smiles at Death in Magic: The Gathering. These tips focus on deckbuilding considerations, gameplay tactics, and strategic decision-making to enhance competitive performance.
Tip 1: Prioritize Resilient Threats: Creatures with abilities that trigger upon entering the battlefield or recurring abilities synergize effectively with Alesha’s reanimation ability. Consider cards like Bloodsoaked Champion, which returns to the battlefield from the graveyard consistently, or Cartel Aristocrat, which disrupts removal strategies.
Tip 2: Diversify Reanimation Targets: Include a mix of creatures with different functionalities. A combination of aggressive creatures, utility creatures, and disruptive elements provides flexibility and adaptability in various game situations. This avoids over-reliance on a single reanimation target and allows for strategic responses to diverse threats.
Tip 3: Optimize Mana Base: Ensure consistent access to both red and white mana early in the game to deploy Alesha on curve. The specific mana requirements necessitate a balanced mana base to avoid delays in casting Alesha and other crucial spells. Consider the specific format and adjust the mana base accordingly to maximize consistency.
Tip 4: Consider Protective Measures: Alesha’s vulnerability to removal necessitates protective measures. Cards like Gods Willing or Sheltering Light can shield Alesha from targeted removal, ensuring she remains on the battlefield to generate value through her ability. These protective spells enhance survivability and increase the long-term impact of Alesha’s reanimation strategy.
Tip 5: Leverage Graveyard Synergies: Utilize cards that fill the graveyard strategically. Cards like Satyr Wayfinder or Grisly Salvage not only aid in mana development but also provide reanimation targets for Alesha. These synergistic interactions enhance consistency and provide additional value from cards that manipulate the graveyard. Strategic self-mill can significantly improve Alesha’s effectiveness and overall deck performance.
Tip 6: Account for Graveyard Hate: Be prepared for opponents’ graveyard hate strategies. Sideboard cards like Wear // Tear offer versatility in addressing both graveyard hate and artifact threats. Adapting to the prevalent metagame and anticipating graveyard hate ensures strategic flexibility and maintains Alesha’s viability in diverse competitive environments.
By understanding and applying these strategic tips, players can significantly enhance their utilization of Alesha, Who Smiles at Death and maximize the card’s potential within various Magic: The Gathering formats. These insights provide a foundation for effective deckbuilding and strategic gameplay, leading to improved competitive performance.
The concluding section will summarize the key strengths and weaknesses of Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, providing a comprehensive overview of the card’s impact on the game.
Conclusion
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death presents a unique intersection of aggressive tempo, graveyard manipulation, and strategic deckbuilding within Magic: The Gathering. Analysis reveals the card’s strength lies in its ability to reanimate small, impactful creatures, generating recurring value and presenting resilient threats. The Mardu color identity provides access to removal, disruption, and aggressive elements, synergizing with the reanimation strategy. However, the card’s vulnerability to removal and reliance on the graveyard necessitate careful planning and strategic mitigation. The “power 2 or less” restriction, while seemingly limiting, encourages creative deckbuilding and exploration of underutilized cards. The combat-triggered nature of the ability adds a layer of tactical complexity, rewarding skillful piloting and strategic thinking.
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death remains a relevant and engaging card within Magic: The Gathering, demonstrating the potential for innovative design and strategic depth within a seemingly simple ability. Its continued presence in various formats underscores the enduring appeal of graveyard strategies and the ongoing evolution of competitive deckbuilding. The card serves as a testament to the power of strategic synergy and the importance of adapting to the ever-shifting landscape of the game. Further exploration of competitive decklists and metagame analysis can provide deeper insights into the card’s evolving role and future potential within Magic: The Gathering.
