The Bending abilities in Avatar: The Last Airbender are one of my favorite "Magic Systems" in contemporary fantasy. They're easy to understand, they make sense, and they balance each other well. They also translate very well to Magic's color system (for the most part, a fifth Bending would have been a little to perfect though).

When it was spoiled that we would be getting an Avatar set, I was interested in seeing how the design team wove the abilities into the cards, and I am happy to say that they knocked it out of the park. The set looks like a homerun and honors the series very well. I'm excited to build Standard decks around the Bending abilities and thought I'd take a look at where we might go with each of them.

Waterbending

Best Waterbend card: Katara, Water Tribe's Hope

We'll start with the Bending ability that (thus far), I see as the weakest of the bunch. When brewing with Waterbending, it feels like you're being pulle din too many directions to make the ability and the cards relevant. When we saw Yue, the Moon Spirit soiled as one of the first preview cards, I was excited, think that they were going to go wild on the ability. If the very first card is an Omniscience cheat, what else could they throw in there!?!

Well, they did, kinda. The Waterbend cards get some of the most amazing text, with cards that do things like, "Shuffle your graveyard into your library and draw seven cards," and, "control that player during their next turn." Waterbending has the absolutely highest top end. The only problem is, they heavily restricted these cards behind a substantial Waterbend cost.

If I were to build a deck around cads with the Waterbend ability, I would try to find cards that generate artifacts, as they are much more difficult to interact with than creatures, presenting a more reliable discount on the Waterbend spells. Cards like The Mechanist, Aerial Artisan in Blue, or Scavenger's Talent in Black.

Firebending

Best Firebend Card: Firebending Student

Free mana is the most busted mechanic in Magic's history (closely followed by free cards) and people have jumped through ridiculous hoops to use it in previous eras. This feels like the most, "pushed" of the bending abilities. The default use is to combine the ability with Instants, but every creature with flash or activated abilities should be looked at further (even something as mundane as using the mana for a "free" activation of Fountainport could be game changing).

All of the firebending cards deserve appreciation, but Firebending Student and Fire Lord Azula seem especially potent, and both could see decks built around them. For Firebending Student, the ability to take multiple pump spells and use the mana that's then generated to finish off the opponent should open up even more turn 3 wins for a mostly-mono-Red deck in the near future. Azula will go a different way, but if you build a deck with her ability in mind, it should be that you win the game if you manage to untap and attack with her.

Earthbending

Best Earthbend Card: Badgermole Cub

Earthbending is probably the most, "stable" of the bending abilities. You're not going to be doing inherently broken things with Earthbend. No take extra turns, no massive swings for damage on turn 3. Yet, while it may not have the flash, it will have the sizzle, as I think this is ability that's the easiest to build powerful decks around, and it's all thanks to the return/protection text. Outside of Ultima, there is almost no downside to targeting a land with Earthbend, and it may take awhile to get over the initial reticence to make your land a creature. But, Earthbend presents a unique way to generate creatures.

Not that Earthbending can't be tricky too. Just Earthbend that Demolition Field or Fabled Passage and watch your opponent squirm.

Badgermole Cub is widely considered to be one of the best cards in the set, and I have yet to see anything to dispel that notion. It's the spotlight card in Earthbending, allowing explosives starts and coming down late to allow any previously Earthbent lands to generate additional mana. However, Ba Sing Se is a stellar card and one that should see play the entire time it is legal (and may even reach back to older formats) and Bumi, Unleashed gives the ability an additional push at the top end.

Airbending

Best Airbend Card: Aang, Swift Savior

Airbend gets my pick for being the, "best" ability in the set, as it is easily the most versatile. It can be used both as an aggressive tactic, removing blockers or resetting your creatures with Enters abilities. But it also works defensively, forcing your opponent to recast their creatures or rescuing your creatures from removal. This one of the best, "tempo" abilities we've had in a hot minute, and it feels like it will reward players who take the time to learn all of the play patterns or have the skill to think to the many different ways the ability can be used.

While I chose Aang, Swift Savior as my best card in the set, I've really come around on Appa, Steadfast Guardian. Aang highlights the versatility of Airbending, but Appa shows the sheer power of Airbending, and is already the centerpiece of a combo deck with Aang and Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius. Airbend Ascension is another great way to use the ability and keep an eye on Avatar's Wrath, as I could see it becoming a groan-inducing spell that shapes the format.

You can find more of my Magic musings on Twitter/X @travishall456 and on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anakinsdad.bsky.social