Athreos, God of Passage MTG Card


Athreos challenges opponents with tough decisions, leveraging creature deaths for card advantage. Flexibility across formats makes Athreos a resilient and versatile card for various decks. Critical strategies to defeat Athreos involve exile effects, graveyard disruption, and enchantment removal.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Enchantment Creature — God
Abilities Indestructible
Power 5
Toughness 4

Text of card

Indestructible As long as your devotion to white and black is less than seven, Athreos isn't a creature. Whenever another creature you own dies, return it to your hand unless target opponent pays 3 life.


Cards like Athreos, God of Passage

Athreos, God of Passage is a distinctive card in MTG, providing a blend of creature sustain and intimidation for opponents. Standing alongside Athreos in purpose, Tymaret, the Murder King offers a way to return creatures from the graveyard to hand, but lacks the permanency of Athreos’s ability to keep creatures in play. Tymaret demands sacrificing another creature and a payment of mana, underscoring Athreos’s comparative efficiency and condition-free trigger upon a creature’s death.

Merely observing Athreos’s influence in a game invites comparisons to Teysa, Orzhov Scion, another card that leads to strategic graveyard interaction. Teysa can exile creatures to create token creatures, a different pathway to card advantage and board presence, yet not affording the resilience to removal that Athreos does. Moreover, Teysa’s ability is constrained to a sacrificial engine that needs setup, whereas Athreos passively demands answers from opponents with every creature’s demise.

In essence, while similar cards offer varying benefits related to graveyard manipulation, Athreos, God of Passage stands out as a powerful lynchpin in decks that prioritize keeping creatures in circulation and forcing opponents to weigh the cost of their removal strategies. The added pressure it places on the opposition cements its role as a cornerstone in such MTG strategies.

Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Teysa, Orzhov Scion - MTG Card versions
Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Teysa, Orzhov Scion - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Athreos, God of Passage by color, type and mana cost

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Circle of Despair - MTG Card versions
Righteous War - MTG Card versions
Soul Link - MTG Card versions
Etchings of the Chosen - MTG Card versions
Pillory of the Sleepless - MTG Card versions
Gift of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Behind the Scenes - MTG Card versions
Profane Procession // Tomb of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions
Oath of Kaya - MTG Card versions
Knights' Charge - MTG Card versions
Ascent of the Worthy - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Athreos, God of Passage. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos AggroRakdos Aggro ModernMardu MidrangeF2F Tour Championship - Ottawa Round 5 (Regional Championship)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Athreos, God of Passage, shines when it comes to sustaining card advantage. This card obliges your opponents to make difficult decisions whenever a creature you control dies, potentially returning those creatures to your hand for continued strategic use.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Athreos can indirectly accelerate your resources. The threat of recurring creatures from the graveyard can pressure opponents into paying life, keeping your board presence and momentum strong without additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: The unique aspect of Athreos is its influence during each player’s turn. Its passive ability triggers whenever a creature you own dies, meaning you can strategically plan creature sacrifices or utilize instant speed removal to prompt its effect outside of your own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Athreos, God of Passage does not inherently require you to discard cards, building a strategy around its ability often incentivises players to have cheap, disposable creatures. This could inadvertently result in a hand-depletion strategy, leaving you at a disadvantage if the game extends longer than planned.

Specific Mana Cost: As a deity hailing from Theros, Athreos boasts a mana cost that includes both white and black. This specificity restricts the card’s integration strictly to decks that can support these colors, potentially excluding it from a broad spectrum of deck archetypes that can’t accommodate its mana needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial three mana investment, inclusive of multi-colors, is a considerable cost for a deity whose power does not immediately impact the board. Given this cost, players may find themselves behind in tempo against more aggressive strategies that utilize their mana more efficiently in the early stages of the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Athreos, God of Passage has a flexible nature that allows it to slot into a variety of decks, particularly those building around creature strategies. Its ability to return creatures to your hand from the graveyard makes it a resilient choice for commander and other formats.

Combo Potential: With Athreos, you can set up powerful combinations that revolve around creatures dying and recurring. It’s synergistic with sacrificial mechanics, enabling a loop that can be difficult for opponents to break without the right removal.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based decks see a lot of play, Athreos provides a persistent threat and resilience against board wipes. This dynamic can give players an edge, maintaining pressure on the opponent while keeping a strong board presence.


How to Beat Athreos, God of Passage

Confronting Athreos, God of Passage on the battlefield can be quite the challenge. This deity from the pantheon of Theros shines in its ability to return creatures from the graveyard to your hand, nudging the game towards an enduring strategy. Unlike other gods, Athreos requires a specific approach because of its resilience and the indestructible nature attributed to many god cards.

Exile effects become paramount when dealing with Gods like Athreos. Cards that can exile creatures or enchantments such as Path to Exile or Merciless Eviction bypass Athreos’s ability, preventing an endless loop of creature revival. Moreover, countering Athreos early on with counter spells ensures he never impacts the board. If Athreos does make it onto the battlefield, enchantment removal such as Return to Nature or Oblivion Ring can temporarily neutralize the advantage offered by the god. Lastly, graveyard hate with cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can nullify Athreos’s influence by removing the resource it relies upon: the graveyard.

To summarize, the key strategy against Athreos, God of Passage revolves around prevention and disruption. Rarely will direct damage do the trick, so focusing on exiling, countering, or restricting graveyard interactions are the preferred methods to ensure victory against this formidable god card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unveil the depth of strategy Athreos, God of Passage brings to your MTG gameplay. This enigmatic deity enhances your deck with intriguing possibilities, offering persistent card advantage and elevating creature-based tactics to new heights. By integrating Athreos into your collection, you not only solidify your board’s resilience but also impose a constant dilemma upon your adversaries—rendering each match a complex ballet of strategic decisions. Dive into our insights and harness the potential of Athreos, shaping your deck into an exemplar of endurance and finesse. For players looking to bolster their strategy and maintain dominance in every turn, discovering this card’s multifaceted dynamics is pivotal. Learn more and fortify your MTG arsenal today.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Athreos, God of Passage MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx and Mystery Booster, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Athreos, God of Passage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Athreos, God of Passage Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-05-02 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-05-02Journey into NyxJOU 1462003NormalBlackRyan Barger
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13912003NormalBlackRyan Barger
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 762015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
42020-09-26The ListPLST JOU-1462003NormalBlackRyan Barger

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Athreos, God of Passage has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Athreos, God of Passage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2014-04-26 Athreos's last ability will trigger if a token creature you own dies. The target opponent has the option to pay 3 life, although the token can't return to your hand.
2014-04-26 If there are no legal targets for Athreos's last ability (perhaps because each of your opponents has hexproof), it will be removed from the stack with no effect. No one may pay 3 life and you won't return the creature card to your hand.
2014-04-26 It doesn't matter who controlled the creature when it died. Athreos's last ability will trigger if you owned that creature.
2014-04-26 The target opponent chooses whether to pay 3 life when Athreos's last ability resolves. You won't return the card to your hand if that player pays 3 life or if the card leaves the graveyard before the ability resolves.
2014-04-26 You are a creature's owner if the card representing it began the game in your deck, or if it's a token that entered the battlefield under your control.
2020-01-24 As a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color will determine whether any replacement effects that affect creatures entering the battlefield apply to that God. Because replacement effects are considered before the God is on the battlefield, the mana symbols in its mana cost won't be counted when determining this.
2020-01-24 Counters put on a God remain on it while it's not a creature, even if they have no effect.
2020-01-24 If a God is attacking or blocking and it stops being a creature, it will be removed from combat. It won't rejoin combat if it resumes being a creature later during that combat.
2020-01-24 If a God stops being a creature, it loses the type creature and the creature type God. It continues to be a legendary enchantment.
2020-01-24 If an effect causes a God to lose all abilities, its ability that causes it to stop being a creature still applies if appropriate.
2020-01-24 The abilities of Gods function as long as they're on the battlefield, regardless of whether they're creatures.
2020-01-24 The type-changing ability that can make a God not be a creature functions only on the battlefield. It's always a creature card in other zones, regardless of your devotion to its color. It's always a creature spell while it's on the stack.
2020-01-24 When a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color (including the mana symbols in the mana cost of the God itself) will determine if a creature entered the battlefield or not for abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield.
2020-01-24 Your devotion to two colors is the number of mana symbols among mana costs of permanents you control that are the first color, the second, or both. If an effect counts your devotion to two colors, a hybrid symbol that is both of those colors is counted just once.