Reaper's Talisman MTG Card

Reaper's Talisman - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2021-07-23
Set symbol
Set name	Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
Set code	AFR
Number	117
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Olena Richards

Key Takeaways

It transforms attacks into card draw and forces opponent discards, tipping the scales of card advantage.
Disrupting at instant speed, Reaper’s Talisman grants a tactical edge by disrupting opponent strategies abruptly.
Despite its power, the talisman’s specific mana cost and effect requirement may limit deck integration options.

Text of card

Whenever equipped creature attacks, it gains deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever equipped creature attacks alone, defending player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Equipping Reaper’s Talisman to a creature can turn each attack into a potential draw, as its ability to make opponents discard plays into your favor. Over multiple turns, this can accumulate a significant advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or tokens, Reaper’s Talisman helps to thin out your opponent’s resources. By forcing discards, you’re effectively accelerating past your opponent by limiting their options and keeping them on the back foot.

Instant Speed: One key strength lies in its ability to disrupt at instant speed. When your equipped creature attacks and isn’t blocked, triggering the ability can instantly throw off an opponent’s game plan, providing a psychological edge as they lose resources at a moment’s notice.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Reaper’s Talisman necessitates the loss of a precious card from your hand to initiate its ability, which could deplete your hand faster than desired, especially if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Demanding a particular combination of mana to cast, it could potentially hinder deck-building flexibility, as it requires dedicated support from your mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With alternatives available that might offer similar or better effects at a lower cost, the investment to bring Reaper’s Talisman online may not always align with an efficient mana curve.

Reasons to Include Reaper’s Talisman in Your Collection

Versatility: Reaper’s Talisman’s ability to enable constant life drain and card advantage can be slotted into various deck types. It particularly excels in decks that aim to keep opponents on the back foot by consistently whittling down their life total.

Combo Potential: This card has a synergy with decks that capitalize on attacking creatures. It can be paired with cards that untap creatures or grant multiple combat phases to maximize the number of triggers in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: Given the current environment often has decks that aim to win by fine margins, Reaper’s Talisman offers players a tool to turn the tide by discouraging blocks and subtly tipping the life balance. Its presence can be a key component in breaking stalemates or closing games.

How to Beat Reaper’s Talisman

Reaper’s Talisman is a potent accessory in the trading card game arena that various decks use to gain an edge. The artifact not only confers deathtouch but also allows its controller to drain life upon dealing combat damage to a player, fostering a significant advantage. Given its three-mana equip cost, the artifact often becomes central to an opponent’s strategy.

Combatting Reaper’s Talisman effectively necessitates strategic planning. Tapping into enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Artifact Blast can directly eliminate the threat. Alternatively, counterspells preempt its use entirely, with Negate and Counterspell serving as efficient options. Additionally, creature removal can disrupt the artifact’s effect, rendering it useless and hampering the opponent’s game plan. Efficient creature removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can readily remove problematic equipped creatures.

Strategic creature blocking also forms a solid defense against the life-draining artifact. Creatures with high toughness or those that can regenerate, like Drudge Skeletons or Wall of Roots, offer a formidable line of defense. Lastly, playing evasive creatures can help circumvent the need to interact with a talisman-equipped attacker, focusing instead on outpacing the opponent. Utilizing a multidimensional approach against Reaper’s Talisman thereby diminishes its impact and can tip the scales of the game in your favor.

Cards like Reaper's Talisman

Reaper’s Talisman is an intriguing equipment card that has a remarkable impact on the battlefield dynamics in MTG. This card bears some resemblance to Vampire’s Fangs for its ability to bolster a creature’s power with deathtouch. Both cards can turn even the smallest creature into a significant threat. Reaper’s Talisman, though, offers additional value by causing the opponent to lose life and granting you life whenever the equipped creature attacks and isn’t blocked, much like a scaled-down version of Sword of War and Peace.

Another comparison might be drawn to the likes of Scytheclaw, which similarly equips to grant deathtouch and has a bonus effect on combat damage to a player. But Scytheclaw brings a more dramatic lifeloss effect at the expense of a higher cost. Shadow Spear also enters the discussion, with its static abilities enhancing your creature’s longevity and combat prowess. However, Shadow Spear lacks the direct life-swing effect Reaper’s Talisman offers, trading it for broader utility with its ability to remove indestructible from opposing permanents.

To sum up, Reaper’s Talisman has its own niche with a combination of offensive pressure and life total manipulation, positioning it as a potent equipment card for players seeking to gain incremental advantage against their opponents on the battlefield.

Sword of War and Peace - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reaper's Talisman MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Reaper's Talisman and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reaper's Talisman has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Commander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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