MTG Ascend from Avernus

In Magic: The Gathering, few cards offer the sheer potential for a game-changing swing like Ascend from Avernus. This powerful white sorcery from the Dungeons & Dragons: Battle for Baldur’s Gate set introduces a way for white decks to recover from board wipes or accelerate their board presence into overwhelming threats. Whether you’re playing Commander or casual formats, Ascend from Avernus provides a unique tool for recursion that aligns with white’s themes of justice, resurrection, and divine power. Understanding how to effectively use this card can turn it from just another spell into the linchpin of your strategy.

Card Overview and Mechanics

What Is Ascend from Avernus?

Ascend from Avernus is a white sorcery with the following effect:

• Mana Cost: XWW
• Effect: Return all creature and planeswalker cards with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. Exile Ascend from Avernus.

This card is essentially a mass resurrection spell that lets you bring back a host of permanents from your graveyard in one go. Because it scales with mana, it becomes more powerful the longer the game goes on. Unlike other resurrection spells, it allows for both creatures and planeswalkers, which opens up a broader range of strategic applications.

Card Legality and Format

Ascend from Avernus is legal in formats like Commander, Legacy, and Vintage. It’s most commonly seen in Commander, where graveyard recursion is a critical aspect of long-term strategies and where high mana spells are more easily cast thanks to ramp and long game durations.

Best Use Cases and Strategic Timing

Post-Board Wipe Recovery

One of the most effective uses for Ascend from Avernus is recovering after a board wipe. White decks often use global destruction spells like Wrath of God or Day of Judgment, which also destroy their own creatures. With Ascend from Avernus, you can plan to reset the battlefield and then repopulate it with your most valuable creatures and planeswalkers immediately after.

Combo and Synergy Turns

This card shines when you can set up a powerful turn that involves bringing back creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects, combo pieces, or creatures that benefit from mass recursion. Cards like Sun Titan, Reveillark, or Archon of Emeria can become devastating when reanimated in a group, enabling combo loops or creating instant board pressure.

Late-Game Bomb

In long Commander games, white decks can often fall behind in card advantage. Ascend from Avernus provides a way to dump an entire graveyard of creatures and planeswalkers onto the field, immediately swinging momentum in your favor. In these cases, casting the spell for 8+ mana isn’t unreasonable, especially with access to mana rocks and ramp spells.

Deck Archetypes That Benefit Most

Mono White Commander Decks

Mono white has historically struggled with card draw and graveyard recursion. Ascend from Avernus gives these decks a way to return a huge number of lost creatures without needing to splash other colors. Commanders like:

• Heliod, Sun-Crowned
• Linden, the Steadfast Queen
• Avacyn, Angel of Hope

…can all benefit greatly from a late-game mass resurrection.

White-Heavy Multicolor Decks

Decks that use white as part of a broader color identity such asOrzhov(white-black),Azorius(white-blue), orEsper(white-blue-black) often include graveyard synergies. Cards like Sun Titan, Karmic Guide, or Liliana, Dreadhorde General can create synergy loops when brought back together.

Token and Aristocrats Strategies

If your deck focuses on death triggers or sacrificing creatures, Ascend from Avernus becomes even more powerful. Reanimating a field full of creatures that trigger when entering or leaving the battlefield can overwhelm opponents in a single turn. Consider pairing it with:

• Bastion of Remembrance
• Zulaport Cutthroat
• Blood Artist

Combos and Card Synergies

Mass Buffs and Haste Enablers

One common challenge with bringing back a lot of creatures is summoning sickness. However, if you’re running cards that grant mass haste such as Odric, Lunarch Marshal or Anger (in multicolor builds) you can attack immediately. Pairing with anthem effects like Cathars’ Crusade or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite can also boost your new army significantly.

Planeswalker Reanimation

Most recursion spells focus on creatures, but Ascend from Avernus uniquely includes planeswalkers. This opens up synergies with Superfriends-style decks or any deck that uses 3–5 mana value walkers like:

• Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
• Ajani, Strength of the Pride

Recovering planeswalkers along with creatures can reestablish board control almost instantly.

Graveyard Filling Support

To maximize the card’s impact, you’ll want ways to get creatures into the graveyard efficiently. Some useful tools include:

• Skullclamp– draws cards and feeds the graveyard
• Altar of Dementia– mills yourself for value
• Buried Alive– selects key targets for resurrection

Drawbacks and Considerations

Exile After Use

Ascend from Avernus exiles itself after use, meaning you can’t use it repeatedly unless you have specific recursion for exiled cards which is rare. Because of this, timing is critical. You want to cast it only when you can get maximum value, or when a comeback is necessary.

Vulnerability to Graveyard Hate

Since this card relies heavily on the graveyard, it’s vulnerable to common Commander staples like Bojuka Bog, Rest in Peace, or Tormod’s Crypt. If your opponents are running graveyard hate, it’s wise to have backup plans or ways to protect your graveyard.

Mana Intensive

The spell is quite mana-hungry. You’ll need at least five or six mana to bring back a meaningful amount of value. That makes ramping with artifacts or cards like Land Tax, Smothering Tithe, or Knight of the White Orchid especially important in white decks that rely on this spell.

Tips for Optimal Play

• Don’t rush to cast Ascend from Avernus. Wait until your graveyard has 3–5 high-value targets.
• Use self-mill or sacrifice engines to fill your graveyard more quickly and control which cards return.
• Protect your graveyard by running counter-hate or timing the spell when opponents are tapped out.
• Look for combos that win the game when multiple pieces are returned simultaneously.

Ascend from Avernus is a game-defining card in the right deck. Its ability to recover multiple creatures and planeswalkers makes it one of the most impactful white recursion spells in Magic: The Gathering, especially in Commander. When timed correctly, it transforms a losing board state into a devastating comeback. With proper planning, support cards, and an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, Ascend from Avernus can be the divine intervention your deck needs to rise from the ashes and claim victory.