Here’s twenty different ways to harness the elements with Avatar: The Last Airbender!
Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender introduces masterful benders who harness the raw power of the elements, sky bison that soar over the four nations, and a cabbage vendor who just can’t catch a break. Beyond the flavor, these cards spark the imaginations of deck builders everywhere, offering a treasure trove of enablers for infinite or game-winning combos. The power they unleash is enough to leave your opponents stunned, staring at the battlefield in disbelief.
The Infinite or Game-Winning Combos from MTG | Avatar: The Last Airbender
This article spotlights 20 of the most delightfully devious combos the set has to offer, presented alphabetically so you can quickly find your favorite card. Each one is either infinite or outright game-ending, making most of them prime candidates for Commander shenanigans, while a few may even find homes in 60-card Constructed formats. Whether you’re a competitive brewer scheming for your next tournament or a casual player eager to emerge from your iceberg, it’s time to channel the full elemental force of Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender!
Aang, Master of Elements (Pioneer)
Market Price: $10.67
Bending all four elements in a single turn is no small feat, but the payoff is extraordinary. Once Avatar Aang transforms into Aang, Master of Elements, your spells become WUBRG less to cast, unlocking a range of infinite possibilities. In Pioneer, one of the cleanest options is to pair him with Acererak the Archlich. With Aang’s cost reduction, you can cast Acererak for free, returning it to your hand and venturing into the Lost Mine of Phandelver. Repeat the loop to drain your opponents’ life endlessly.
In broader formats like Commander, the potential only grows. Buyback spells such as Searing Touch can easily translate Aang’s cost reduction into infinite damage. You can also exploit Moonmist as a convenient shortcut to his transformation, but that’s hardly the most thematic path. If you want true flavor points, master all four elements, just like the real Avatar.
Aang’s Iceberg (Standard)
Most recent versions of this type of enchantment — such as Trapped in the Screen, Stormplain Detainment, Banishing Light, or Web Up — limit you to targeting only an opponent’s permanents. Aang’s Iceberg, however, does not have that restriction. As Luis Scott-Vargas once demonstrated, three copies of Oblivion Ring on an empty board can break the game, or at least result in a draw, and triple Aang’s Iceberg comes dangerously close.
It doesn’t quite create an unstoppable loop, since the card reads “exile up to one permanent”, allowing you to choose not to target another Iceberg. But if you happen to control Balemurk Leech, you can achieve infinite drains. With that eerie payoff creature in play, exile Iceberg #1 with Iceberg #2, then play Iceberg #3 to exile Iceberg #1. This frees Iceberg #2, which in turn exiles Iceberg #3, and so on. Repeat infinitely for endless Eerie triggers … and one very bewildered Aang and Appa.
Appa, Steadfast Guardian (Standard)
Market Price: $12.85
Speaking of Appa, Appa, Steadfast Guardian can serve as both an enabler and a payoff for infinite airbending. To set this up, you’ll need two additional ingredients.
First, you need another permanent that airbends or blinks upon entering. Aang, Swift Savior offers the best stats for Standard playability, but Airbender Ascension, Glider Staff, Aang, the Last Airbender, Aang, Airbending Master, or Appa, Loyal Sky Bison can fill the same role. In older formats, even Restoration Angel fits the bill.
Second, you’ll need a way to reduce the cost of spells from exile by two. In Standard, Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius is perfect, costing only two mana. In older formats or Commander decks built around Appa, artifacts like Semblance Anvil and Urza’s Incubator work just as well.
Once assembled, the loop flows beautifully. Let Appa enter and airbend Aang. Then cast Aang for free from exile, triggering Appa to create an Ally token. When Aang enters, he airbends Appa. Then recast Appa, and loop for infinite Allies! Even better, since Appa can airbend any number of nonland permanents, adding a card like Lion Heart in Standard orTriskelion in Commander turns the loop into infinite damage.
Badgermole Cub (Modern)
Market Price: $52.51
Badgermole Cub looks like a strong turn-two follow-up to Llanowar Elves in Standard, and it could power out explosive turns alongside Enduring Vitality. While I did not see a straightforward infinite combo in Standard, there’s further potential with the Modern card pool.
By introducing Pili-Pala into the mix, infinite mana becomes easy. With Enduring Vitality and Badgermole Cub on the battlefield, Pili-Pala taps for two mana. Use that mana to untap Pili-Pala, netting an extra mana each iteration. While such a three-card creature combo is unlikely to make an impact on competitive Modern, it’s a fun way to reach infinite mana.
Bumi, Unleashed (Pioneer)
When Bumi, Unleashed attacks and tramples over to deal combat damage to your opponent, his trigger untaps all your lands. Thanks to Ashaya, Soul of the Wild, that effect extends to every creature you control since they all count as lands, including Bumi himself.
From there, the path to victory is simple: attack again. Only land creatures can swing this time, but that hardly slows Bumi down, as he’s already a Forest. Repeat the process for infinite attacks and an endlessly rumbling battlefield.
Alternatively, if Ashaya is already in play when you cast Bumi, he can earthbend himself, causing him to return to the battlefield whenever he dies. In older formats, this opens up a more sinister route: pair him with Goblin Bombardment to sacrifice, return, and repeat for infinite damage. Even if your opponent blocks every swing, Bumi’s got another way to shake things up.
Beifong’s Bounty Hunters (Standard)
Beifong’s Bounty Hunters can go infinite when paired with a card that generates a creature whenever a land enters, such as Bloodghast or Felidar Retreat. For example, if you control Bloodghast and Umbral Collar Zealot, you can start the chain by sacrificing Bloodghast to Umbral Collar Zealot. This triggers Beifong’s Bounty Hunters, earthbending one of your lands into a creature. Next, sacrifice that creature land to Umbral Collar Zealot, letting it return to the battlefield through the earthbend trigger.
When the land reenters, Bloodghast returns as well, enabling you to loop for infinite surveil and death triggers. To actually win, cards like Iridescent Vinelasher, Vengeful Bloodwitch, or Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER can turn the loop into infinite life drain, and you can surveil one to the top if necessary. While Orzhov Sacrifice hasn’t yet been a major contender in Standard, an Abzan Sacrifice brew with Beifong’s Bounty Hunters could make for a surprisingly entertaining experiment.
In Modern, there’s an even simpler loop with Khalni Garden. Sacrifice the 0/1 Plant token to Goblin Bombardment, then earthbend Khalni Garden into a 0/0 creature with zero +1/+1 counters. It dies instantly, returning as a land and creating another Plant. Repeat for infinite damage!
Fire Lord Zuko (Modern)
If you can raise Fire Lord Zuko’s power to seven, you can ignite an infinite loop of combat phases. Attack to generate seven red mana, then use that mana to pay for Hellkite Charger’s trigger. This untaps all your attacking creatures and grants you an additional combat phase. You can repeat this process arbitrarily often.
While Fire Lord Zuko is impressive for being able to potentially firebend seven mana on his own, any combination of creatures that collectively produce seven red mana through firebending will achieve the same effect. For example, Sozin’s Comet lets any single creature alongside Hellkite Charger blaze through infinite combat steps.
Firebending Student (Standard)
Firebending Student looks like a powerhouse for an instant-heavy red aggro deck in Standard. And under the right conditions, it can deliver a blistering turn-three kill. To pull it off, first boost Firebending Student to five power with Full Bore. Then cast Bulk Up to trigger prowess and double its power to 12. Attack, generate 12 mana, flash back Bulk Up, trigger prowess again, and your fiery prodigy now swings for a scorching 26 damage.
And as if that weren’t enough, you’ll still have six mana left over. That’s more than enough to incinerate any unlucky blocker that dares stand in your way.
Fire Nation Archers (Commander)
Market Price: $11.13
Market Price: $37.73
With Mana Echoes on the battlefield, activate Fire Nation Archers to deal two damage and create a Soldier token. After a few activations, you’ll reach the critical mass of five Soldiers in play, where each subsequent activation essentially pays for itself. From there, it’s a simple matter to loop for infinite Soldiers, infinite damage, and infinite damage.
Glider Staff (Commander)
Market Price: $25.03
With Magnetic Snuffler and Krark-Clan Ironworks on the battlefield, the loop begins as soon as Glider Staff enters. Airbend Magnetic Snuffler, then sacrifice Glider Staff to Krark-Clan Ironworks. Use the two mana generated to cast Magnetic Snuffler from exile, return Glider Staff, and loop as often as you like.
READ MORE ABOUT AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
The 10 Cards Everybody Wants from MTG | Avatar: The Last AirbenderTop 10 Bestselling Presales from MTG | Avatar: The Last Airbender
While each iteration may feel like just spinning your wheels, the loop can be turned into a game-ending engine. Pair it with Soul Warden for infinite life or with Impact Tremors or Reckless Fireweaver for infinite damage, letting your opponents truly feel the power of the Air Nomads.
Haru, Hidden Talent (Pioneer)
Begin by letting Cabaretti Courtyard enter the battlefield, triggering Retreat to Emeria to create an Ally token. This triggers Haru, Hidden Talent, who earthbends the Courtyard with its enter-the-battlefield trigger still on the stack. When the Courtyard’s enter-the-battlefield ability resolves, you sacrifice it and gain 1 life before it returns thanks to earthbend.
Repeat the sequence, and you have an infinite loop: endless Ally tokens and limitless life, all orchestrated by Haru’s hidden earthbending mastery.
Koh, the Face Stealer (Commander)
With Koh, the Face Stealer on the battlefield, destroy your own Asmodeus the Archfiend, exiling it to Koh. Pay 1 life to gain Asmodeus’ abilities, then spend three mana to draw seven cards. Since Asmodeus’ “Binding Contract” ability is a replacement effect, it’s not gained by Koh, meaning you actually draw the cards.
Next, discard three cards to Skirge Familiar to add three black mana, then activate Asmodeus’ ability again. Repeat the process to effectively draw your entire deck. You can finish the game by using the third mode on Season of Loss to claim victory in spectacular fashion.
Long Feng, Grand Secretariat (Modern)
While unlikely to dethrone the classic Blade of the Bloodchief combo in Modern, Long Feng, Grand Secretariat brings a fresh approach.
Whenever you sacrifice an Eldrazi Spawn for mana, Long Feng places a +1/+1 counter on Basking Broodscale, which in turn creates a new Eldrazi Spawn. Repeat the process as often as you like to generate infinite mana while growing Basking Broodscale to an unstoppable size.
Monk Gyatso (Commander)
With both creatures on the battlefield and at least six lands, activate Zacama, Primal Calamity’s own ability to ping itself. This triggers Monk Gyatso, who airbends Zacama, allowing you to recast it from exile for just two mana.
When Zacama enters, since casting from exile still counts as casting the spell, all your lands untap. Repeat the loop for infinite mana, which can then be converted into limitless life.
North Pole Patrol (Standard)
With all three permanents on the battlefield, start by untapping Forensic Researcher with North Pole Patrol, then untap North Pole Patrol with Forensic Researcher. Each iteration creates a Merfolk token via Deeproot Pilgrimage, allowing you to loop for infinite tokens.
While the combo was previously possible with just two copies of Forensic Researcher, the added redundancy makes it far easier to set up consistently.
Ozai, the Phoenix King (Commander)
Market Price: $17.79
Ozai, the Phoenix King removes the usual limitations on firebending. Instead of mana disappearing at end of combat, it now carries over into your main phase. So with Ozai and any other firebender on the battlefield, you’ll begin your next main phase with at least five red mana. That’s enough to activate Aggravated Assault.
Untap all your creatures, attack again, firebend, and activate Aggravated Assault once more. Repeat the sequence for an endless series of combat phases.
The Legend of Kuruk (Commander)
Market Price: $26.46
Once The Legend of Kuruk transforms into Avatar Kuruk, you get a creature with an Exhaust ability that allows you to pay 20 mana for an extra turn. Though waterbending lets artifacts and creatures help pay that steep cost, assembling enough mana is only half the challenge. The real trick is how to repeatedly activate the Exhaust ability turn after turn.
One approach is to use blinking and proliferate loops, using cards like Conjurer’s Closet and Contagion Engine to ensure a fresh Avatar Kuruk enters every turn. Since each blink results in a new object, the Exhaust ability “resets,” ready to be used again.
An even simpler and more elegant solution involves Quicksilver Elemental. When it gains a copy of an Exhaust ability, it’s a new instance of the ability that is different from previous ones, overriding Exhaust activation restrictions. So with Avatar Kuruk, Quicksilver Elemental, and sufficient mana, you can take infinite turns, truly bending the flow of time in your favor.
The Walls of Ba Sing Se (Modern)
Market Price: $16.09
Excluding B.F.M. (Big Furry Monster) from Unglued, The Walls of Ba Sing Se holds the title for the creature with the highest toughness ever printed in Magic, opening the door to some truly unusual combos. For example, in two-player Commander, an instant kill is theoretically possible with Jaws of Defeat, exploiting the massive 30-point gap between the creature’s power and toughness.
But casting an eight-drop to pull that off is still a tall order. A simpler route is to discard or mill The Walls of Ba Sing Se, then exile it with Scour the Desert to create 30 Bird tokens. That enormous aerial army is more than capable of flying in for a swift and decisive victory.
Toph, the First Metalbender (Modern)
From a combo perspective, Toph, the First Metalbender is my favorite card in the set. The idea of turning artifacts into lands is already fascinating, but granting them the ability “when it dies or is exiled, return it to the battlefield tapped” opens a whole world of creative possibilities.
One of the simplest and most devastating combos pairs her with Mindslaver. At the beginning of your end step, earthbend Mindslaver, then sacrifice it to control your opponent’s next turn. Mindslaver then returns to the battlefield, and you can loop to control your opponent’s decisions for the remainder of the game.
In Commander, Toph’s potential grows even further. She can turn Candelabra of Tawnos into a land, letting it untap itself and a land like Lotus Field or Gaea’s Cradle for two mana. This process can then be repeated for infinite mana. Toph’s potential is nearly endless, making her a perfect centerpiece for inventive and powerful brews.
Tui and La, Moon and Ocean (Commander)
While far from the first combo enabled by Freed from the Real, this setup is worth considering for a Commander deck built around Tui and La, Moon and Ocean. Give your Commander the ability to tap for mana through Paradise Mantle, then untap it repeatedly using Freed from the Real.
Each iteration pays for itself, letting you draw basically your entire deck while boosting your Fish Spirit into astronomical proportions. As long as you make sure not to deck yourself as you prepare for a lethal attack, it should be trivial to win from that spot.
In conclusion, Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender is packed with inventive and exciting possibilities. All that remains is to choose your favorite combo, supercharge your deck, and bend the elements to your will!