Witty Demon MTG Card


Witty Demon enhances deck strategy with card draw and resource acceleration, pivotal for dominating play. While offering instant speed plays, the demon’s casting cost includes a mandatory card discard. Despite a high mana cost, its versatility and combo potential make it a valuable collection addition.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Demon
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 3

Text of card

Flying When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if your starting library had at least 13 cards over the minimum, search your library for a card and put that card into your hand, then shuffle your library. Otherwise, CARDNAME deals 4 damage to you.


Cards like Witty Demon

Witty Demon is an intriguing entry in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its counterparts, such as Indulgent Tormentor, also share the dynamic of granting both benefits and detriments to the player. While Indulgent Tormentor allows for card advantage or loss of life to your opponent, Witty Demon provides a somewhat similar yet unique dilemma – offering demonically inspired card selection but at a potential cost of life points if not played strategically.

Diving into comparison, we encounter Kothophed, Soul Hoarder, which brings an aspect of card advantage upon the death of other creatures. Though similar in card gain, Kothophed’s ability is a mandatory trigger that can backfire, unlike Witty Demon’s optional nature. Then there’s Painful Quandary, which presents opponents with hard choices akin to Witty Demon. However, Painful Quandary affects the entire game state with its repeatability and impacts all spells cast, unlike the one-time condition of Witty Demon.

Upon review of its synergies and consequences, Witty Demon distinctly stands out. It demands clever timing and strategic leveraging of its card selection effect, marking its place among such unique demonic cards in Magic: The Gathering.

Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Kothophed, Soul Hoarder - MTG Card versions
Painful Quandary - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Kothophed, Soul Hoarder - MTG Card versions
Painful Quandary - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Witty Demon by color, type and mana cost

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Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions
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
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - 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
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key elements of Witty Demon is its ability to manipulate deck strategy by offering card draw mechanics, keeping your hand full and giving you more options every turn. This flexibility is crucial for maintaining dominance on the battlefield and countering your opponent’s moves.

Resource Acceleration: Witty Demon’s capability for resource acceleration is a game-changer, providing players with extra mana resources which might be pivotal for casting critical spells earlier than usual or overwhelming the adversary with powerful creatures and spells ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Witty Demon at instant speed provides an unexpected advantage, allowing for a dynamic response to an opponent’s actions. Whether it’s disrupting their strategy during their turn or waiting for the perfect moment to deploy your demon, this attribute offers a substantial tactical edge.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Witty Demon demands the player to discard a card as part of its casting cost. This can be a significant drawback for players who are trying to maintain card advantage or those who need to retain key pieces in their hand for strategic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Its steep cost is not only high, but it also requires a specific combination of mana colors. This can restrict the card’s integration into multicolored decks, limiting its versatility and potentially hampering your mana base to cast it on time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Witty Demon comes with a hefty mana cost that may not be justified by its impact on the game. Considering the pace of the current meta, there are alternative creatures or spells that could provide a larger benefit for the same, or lower, investment.


Reasons to Include Witty Demon in Your Collection

Versatility: Witty Demon can easily find its place in a variety of decks, particularly those that thrive on manipulating life totals and utilizing death triggers.

Combo Potential: With its unique ability to offer card advantage at a life cost, this card can synergize with strategies that capitalize on life gain or use life as a resource to activate powerful effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies are prevalent, having a card like Witty Demon that can disrupt opponent’s plays while also offering strategic depth to your own game plan is invaluable.


How to beat

Witty Demon presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, tempting players with an enticing draw mechanic while threatening with a potential loss of life. Unlike many creatures that simply require brute force to remove, outsmarting this demon demands strategic planning. To counteract its abilities, one might consider incorporating enchantment removal within their deck to handle its Animate Library ability which turns a library into a creature.

Moreover, instant removal cards like Swords to Plowshares can be a quick solution to exile Witty Demon, circumventing its formidable presence and negating its death trigger. Additionally, employing graveyard hate cards such as Tormod’s Crypt can help to prevent any potential advantages that your opponent could gain from self-mill strategies. In essence, a measured combination of removal spells, enchantment destruction, and graveyard manipulation can turn the tide against the deceptive power of Witty Demon.

Mastering the art of anticipation and having the right answers at the correct moment plays a crucial role in overpowering this intimidating card. Ensure your sideboard is equipped with versatile tools to dismantle the demon’s strengths, and victory can be within reach.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Witty Demon MTG card by a specific set like Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019 and Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021, 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 Witty Demon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Witty Demon Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-11-07 and 2021-08-20. Illustrated by Brittany Austin.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-11-07Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019CMB1 502015NormalBlackBrittany Austin
22021-08-20Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021CMB2 502015NormalBlackBrittany Austin

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-11-12 The minimum deck size is normally 40 cards in a Limited event and 60 cards in a Constructed event.
2019-11-12 “Starting library” should be interpreted as “starting deck,” including cards that started the game in a zone other than your library (such as Buried Ogre or Memory Bank).