Dreadmalkin MTG Card


Dreadmalkin excels by recycling creatures, enhancing card advantage through sacrifice and reanimation tactics. It pressures opponents early and dictates game tempo with its menacing presence and low cost. While powerful, it requires careful play to avoid diminishing your board or hand resources.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Zombie Cat
Abilities Menace
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.) , Sacrifice another creature or planeswalker: Put two +1/+1 counters on Dreadmalkin.

The feline Eternal felt Liliana's command, looked at her disdainfully, flicked its paw, and scampered away across the rooftops.


Cards like Dreadmalkin

Dreadmalkin claims a niche spot in the pantheon of aggressive one-drops in Magic: The Gathering. With its menacing ability and the potential to grow larger by sacrificing other creatures, it bears a resemblance to cards like Vampire Lacerator, a strong early-game aggressor. However, unlike Lacerator, Dreadmalkin can become quite the powerhouse, albeit at the expense of other creatures on your battlefield.

Grasping Scoundrel is another card that players may parallel with Dreadmalkin for its early damage output. Although Scoundrel comes out swinging with potentially 2 damage on the first attack, it lacks the versatility and staying power provided by Dreadmalkin’s sacrifice ability. Gutterbones enters the conversation as well, being another one-drop with recursive ability. Yet, for quicker power scaling and evasive attacks thanks to menace, Dreadmalkin outshines its skeletal counterpart.

Considering these aspects, Dreadmalkin positions itself uniquely among one-drop creatures, offering more than just an early beatdown card but rather a strategic piece that can adapt to the board state and become a consistent threat over time.

Vampire Lacerator - MTG Card versions
Grasping Scoundrel - MTG Card versions
Gutterbones - MTG Card versions
Vampire Lacerator - MTG Card versions
Grasping Scoundrel - MTG Card versions
Gutterbones - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Dreadmalkin by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WBWB PioneerOrzhov Hammer TimeNRG Series $5,000 Trial - Madison, Wisconsin (Pioneer)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dreadmalkin’s ability to sacrifice another creature as a cost gives you the potential to reuse eternalize or embalm abilities, effectively recycling your creatures and gaining more from your cards than your opponent can from theirs.

Resource Acceleration: Though Dreadmalkin itself doesn’t produce extra mana, its low casting cost allows for a quicker deployment of other spells. Plus, having a 1/1 creature with menace early in the game can apply pressure, allowing you to potentially dictate the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: Dreadmalkin’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, enabling unexpected combat tricks or interaction on your opponent’s turn, thereby altering the battlefield in your favor on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Dreadmalkin necessitates a card to be sacrificed to activate its ability. This can deplete your hand or board presence, possibly leaving you at a disadvantage against resource-abundant opponents.

Specific Mana Cost: This fiendish feline carries a specific mana cost that demands one black mana. This restricts its inclusion to decks that have black mana readily available, potentially sidelining it in multicolor deck construction.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at one black mana and two other mana for a 1/1 creature, it’s a nontrivial investment considering the baseline stats. While its potential growth is a plus, decks may find more immediate value in other creatures with a lower mana cost or those that offer additional abilities upon entering the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dreadmalkin is a robust addition to any black deck, particularly those that thrive on sacrifice mechanics or need a resilient one-drop creature.

Combo Potential: This feline fiend pairs exceptionally well with cards that generate token creatures, allowing you to buff it significantly through its sacrifice ability, thus enabling powerful attack strategies early in the game.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to grow quickly and serve as a graveyard-filling tool, Dreadmalkin holds its ground in a variety of metas, especially those dominated by creature-centric decks and graveyard synergy.


How to beat

Dreadmalkin is a menacing creature in the battlefield, known for its sneaky strength and ability to grow quickly. This agile black cat isn’t just an ordinary feline; it wields a formidable mechanic where you can sacrifice another creature to give it +3/+3 until end of turn. Players facing Dreadmalkin must be wise and act swiftly. One efficient strategy is using removal spells that can target it regardless of its size, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile.

Moreover, since Dreadmalkin thrives on having other creatures to sacrifice, controlling the number of creatures your opponent has can also turn the tables. Spells that clear the board or force an opponent to sacrifice creatures can effectively neutralize Dreadmalkin’s advantage. Playing enchantments like Seal Away or utilizing creatures with ‘enters the battlefield’ effects that exile or destroy creatures can also create a robust defense against this predatory threat.

Understanding Dreadmalkin’s reliance on other creatures and staying one step ahead with timely removals or board control can shift the momentum in your favor and neutralize this feline menace from the game of Magic: The Gathering.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dreadmalkin MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Dreadmalkin and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Dreadmalkin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Aaron Miller.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 872015NormalBlackAaron Miller
22024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 752015NormalBlackAaron Miller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dreadmalkin has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal