Ayesha Tanaka MTG Card


Ayesha’s indirect playstyle advances card advantage, outpacing opponents in resource management. Artifact synergy and instant speed responses with Ayesha create dynamic, strategic gameplay. When using Ayesha Tanaka, balancing discard and mana costs is crucial for deck efficiency.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Artificer
Abilities Banding
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Banding oc T: Artifact effect which requires an activation cost is countered unless its controller spends o W. This ability is played as an interrupt.


Cards like Ayesha Tanaka

Ayesha Tanaka holds a unique position among legendary creatures in Magic: The Gathering. As a comparison, characters like Hokori, Dust Drinker tap down resources, disrupting opponent’s strategies in a way similar to Ayesha’s ability to counter activations of artifact abilities. Both offer control elements, although through slightly different means. Hokori, however, impacts lands and doesn’t require a specific mana color to utilize its skill, diverging from Ayesha’s targeted artifact ability negation.

Distinguished from Hokori, Ayesha demands a mix of blue and white mana to execute her ability, akin to cards like Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, another card that exerts control but does so by making spells costlier for opponents and less expensive for you. This nuanced approach to hindering opponents places her in a unique category, where she directly cancels actions rather than tweaking cost dynamics.

Assessing the utility and strategic advantage, Ayesha Tanaka carries her own in the wide array of control-themed creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Her capability to selectively target and neutralize threats can pivot the pace of engagement, marking her as a strategic choice against decks leaning heavily on artifact abilities.

Hokori, Dust Drinker - MTG Card versions
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - MTG Card versions
Hokori, Dust Drinker - MTG Card versions
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - MTG Card versions

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Kangee, Aerie Keeper - MTG Card versions
Benalish Heralds - MTG Card versions
Glimmering Angel - MTG Card versions
Sawtooth Loon - MTG Card versions
Mirror Wall - MTG Card versions
Brago, King Eternal - MTG Card versions
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - MTG Card versions
Meddling Kids - MTG Card versions
Thistledown Liege - MTG Card versions
Swans of Bryn Argoll - MTG Card versions
Skymark Roc - MTG Card versions
Hussar Patrol - MTG Card versions
Ascended Lawmage - MTG Card versions
Coastline Chimera - MTG Card versions
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Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ayesha Tanaka can significantly contribute to card advantage by circumventing the need to play certain artifacts directly from your hand. This ability to indirectly affect the battlefield and your hand can leave you better positioned in terms of resources compared to your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: As a legendary artifact creature, Ayesha Tanaka has the potential to synergize with other cards that boost resource acceleration. Her unique interaction with various artifacts can lead to a more efficient deployment of resources, allowing for a quicker execution of your strategy.

Instant Speed: Ayesha Tanaka’s abilities can often be utilized at instant speed, providing flexibility in response to your opponent’s actions. This can be especially impactful in formats where the timing of control and counterspell strategies can dictate the outcome of a match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While building your strategy around Ayesha Tanaka, consider the drawback of discard mechanics. If Ayesha Tanaka mandates a discard as part of the casting cost or ability activation, this could lead to a depletion of valuable hand options, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if your resources are already stretched thin.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck construction can be tricky with cards like Ayesha Tanaka that require a particular mana combination. If her casting cost is heavily reliant on specific colors, such as white and blue mana, including her in a deck may pose a challenge for players who do not consistently generate those mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For players seeking efficiency in their mana curve, Ayesha Tanaka might stand out as a pricier option. If her abilities come with a high mana cost compared to other cards with similar functions, evaluating her benefits versus the investment becomes crucial. In MTG, leveraging cost-effective cards is often key to outmaneuvering opponents, and heavier mana investments can slow down your game.


Reasons to Include Ayesha Tanaka in Your Collection

Versatility: Ayesha Tanaka is a card that can be seamlessly incorporated into a wide array of deck builds. Her ability to thwart activated abilities of artifacts gives her a strategic advantage in many game scenarios, especially in artifact-heavy environments.

Combo Potential: With Ayesha’s unique control capabilities, she can be the linchpin in decks that focus on denying opponents’ strategies or synergizing with cards that benefit from controlling opponents’ artifacts. Her potential to disrupt and combine with other control elements is substantial.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where artifacts are commonplace, Ayesha Tanaka can become an essential tool for maintaining an upper hand. Her presence on the battlefield can turn the tide by negating key artifact abilities that opponents rely on.


How to Beat

Ayesha Tanaka is a unique character on the battlefield, renowned among players for her ability to counter activated abilities by tapping untapped artifacts you control. To effectively navigate a match against Ayesha Tanaka, consider using cards that can remove or bypass her. Targeted removal spells or abilities that don’t hinge on activated abilities are an excellent start since they can eliminate Ayesha without triggering her defensive capability.

Broadening your strategy, cards that impose restrictions on abilities, limit opponents’ mana, or sweep the board clean of creatures are potent against Ayesha. Also, introduce cards that specifically target artifacts, to neutralize the artifacts your opponent could use for Ayesha’s ability. In a game where tempo matters, focus on establishing a board presence that can sustain and apply pressure without relying too heavily on activated abilities which fall prey to her skillset. Keeping these tips in mind can help tip the scales in your favor against Ayesha Tanaka’s suppressive power on the field.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ayesha Tanaka MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Ayesha Tanaka and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ayesha Tanaka Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 1995-07-01. Illustrated by Bryon Wackwitz.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 2201993NormalBlackBryon Wackwitz
21995-07-01ChroniclesCHR 731993NormalWhiteBryon Wackwitz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ayesha Tanaka has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-10-01 A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it.
2008-10-01 Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker.
2008-10-01 If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned.
2009-10-01 If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment.
2016-06-08 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.