Marauding Blight-Priest MTG Card


Incorporating Blight-Priest into life-gain decks offers indirect card advantage and game acceleration. Its dependence on black mana and higher cost can restrict deck-building flexibility. The priest benefits from meta relevance, versatility in match-ups, and solid combo potential.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Vampire Cleric
Power 3
Toughness 2

Text of card

Whenever you gain life, each opponent loses 1 life.

"The vampires never had gods. We followed our bloodchiefs. Now they are gone. What is left? Destruction and death, my friends. That is enough."


Cards like Marauding Blight-Priest

Marauding Blight-Priest offers a potent synergy for anyone building a deck around life gain in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the effect of cards like Epicure of Blood, in which opponents lose life whenever you gain life. While Marauding Blight-Priest costs less at three mana, making it accessible earlier in the game, Epicure of Blood has a larger body, which means it can better withstand removal and deal more damage.

Another parallel is encountered in Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, which not only lets your life gain turn into life loss for opponents but also doubles the impact when given enough mana. Although Vito’s effect is more potent, it’s also known to be a lightning rod for removal. The Marauding Blight-Priest, being less prominent, might slip under the radar, allowing strategic players to capitalize on its abilities subtly yet effectively.

Assessing these cards in the context of life gain strategies, Marauding Blight-Priest stands out for its cost-to-effect ratio, making it a stealthy, yet substantial, component for any deck master looking to siphon life from their adversaries in Magic: The Gathering.

Epicure of Blood - MTG Card versions
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions
Epicure of Blood - MTG Card versions
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions

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Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Spined Basher - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WBWB PauperBLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup
BRGBRG PauperBLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Marauding Blight-Priest itself does not directly allow you to draw cards, it works harmoniously with life-gain decks that often feature mechanics to draw or scry, indirectly leading to card advantage. Integrating this priest in a strategy that thrives on card draw and life gain can be a formidable combo against opponents.

Resource Acceleration: In decks centered around life gain, this card can significantly enhance your plays. Each instance of life gain turns into a potentially offensive maneuver, enabling faster depletion of your adversary’s life total. This kind of pressure can accelerate the game’s pace in your favor, especially when you have multiple creatures or spells that trigger life gain.

Instant Speed: Although Marauding Blight-Priest is a creature card and not cast at instant speed, it can benefit from other instant speed spells in your deck that gain you life, triggering its ability unexpectedly during your opponent’s turn. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategies, especially when timed to coincide with their combat or end phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Marauding Blight-Priest, while not demanding card discard, still imposes a pressure on your hand as it mandates a strategy focusing on life gain to exploit its ability.

Specific Mana Cost: As the Marauding Blight-Priest requires a specific mana setting with black, it narrows deck building options, compelling players to work within the black mana archetype or splash for it, potentially complicating the mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, which includes two black mana symbols, the card could be considered costly for its 3/2 body. Considering other cards in the mana range, players might find better value elsewhere.


Reasons to Include Marauding Blight-Priest in Your Collection

Versatility: The Marauding Blight-Priest serves as an impactful addition to any deck that thrives on life gain strategies. Its ability to convert each instance of life gain into loss for your opponent makes it a flexible card for various match-ups.

Combo Potential: Combined with cards that offer repeated life gain, this priest can quickly whittle down an opponent’s health. Integrating it with a persistent source of life gain transforms it into a powerful engine for draining opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where life-gain decks are prevalent, the Blight-Priest provides an extra edge, adding a layer of aggression to what is traditionally a defensive strategy. It finds relevance in meta where the incremental advantage is key to success.


How to Beat Marauding Blight-Priest

The Marauding Blight-Priest is a card that can pose a challenge in MTG due to its ability to drain life from the opponent whenever you gain life. It’s a key component in decks that emphasize life gain strategies, often turning the tide in prolonged matches. To counteract this persistent threat, it’s crucial to limit the life gain abilities of your opponent or remove the priest from play quickly.

Effective strategies include using instant-speed removal spells, which can dispatch the priest before its life-draining ability becomes overwhelming. Cards like Shock or Heartless Act are excellent tools in this situation, as they provide an efficient and cost-effective way to keep the board clear. Another tactic is to manage the battlefield, maintaining pressure and not allowing the opponent to establish a board position that can exploit the priest’s ability.

Blocking life gain altogether is another solid plan. Running cards like Tormod’s Crypt can interrupt graveyard strategies, while Erebos, God of the Dead prevents life gain entirely, rendering the Marauding Blight-Priest’s ability moot. Staying proactive with your approach will ensure that the priest’s impact on the game is minimal, keeping you on track to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

If Marauding Blight-Priest has piqued your interest, delve further with us. Perfecting its use in MTG entails understanding the nuances of life gain synergies and strategic deck construction. By embracing the delicate balance of offense and support roles, you can optimize your gameplay and find creative ways to turn life gain into a formidable weapon. The priest may not be a standalone powerhouse, but in the right deck, it shines as a subtle game-changer. Continue your journey with us as we explore deeper deck-building strategies and unlock the full potential of Marauding Blight-Priest to fortify your path to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Marauding Blight-Priest MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Marauding Blight-Priest and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Marauding Blight-Priest Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-09-25 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Caio Monteiro.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 1122015NormalBlackCaio Monteiro
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4392015NormalBlackCaio Monteiro

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Marauding Blight-Priest has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-09-25 An ability that triggers “whenever you gain life” triggers just once for each life-gaining event, no matter how much life you gain.
2020-09-25 Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, a “whenever you gain life” ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
2020-09-25 If you gain an amount of life “for each” of something, that life is gained as one event and the ability will trigger only once.
2020-09-25 In a Two-Headed Giant game, Marauding Blight-Priest’s ability causes the opposing team to lose 2 life.
2020-09-25 In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it caused your team’s life total to increase.