Liliana, Death Wielder MTG Card


Liliana, Death Wielder - Amonkhet
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Liliana
Released2017-04-28
Set symbol
Set nameAmonkhet
Set codeAKH
Loyalty 5
Number275
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byClint Cearley

Key Takeaways

  1. Her ability offers resource acceleration and significant board impact by generating loyal zombies and disrupting foes.
  2. Despite mana specificity and a high casting cost, her inclusion enriches black-centric and control strategies.
  3. Countering Liliana involves early pressure, exploiting hexproof/indestructible creatures, and strategic removal tactics.

Text of card

+2: Put a -1/-1 counter on up to one target creature. −3: Destroy target creature with a -1/-1 counter on it. −10: Return all creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Liliana, Death Wielder’s ability to draw cards upon the demise of your opponent’s creatures provides a consistent edge in maintaining hand superiority.

Resource Acceleration: Her -3 ability is a potent form of acceleration that can disrupt your adversary’s battlefield while simultaneously ramping up your own mana resources with loyal zombie followers.

Instant Speed: While Liliana herself does not operate at instant speed, her ultimate ability can be a game-changer, putting you so far ahead in resources that opponents struggle to recover.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Liliana, Death Wielder’s abilities may sometimes force a sacrifice of hand advantage. In MTG, managing your hand is as vital as battlefield presence, and discarding can put you at a strategic loss.

Specific Mana Cost: This Planeswalker card’s mana cost requires a specific combination of black and other colors, potentially limiting its inclusion to decks with a strong black mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a seven mana value to cast this card, players may find it challenging to utilize her in the early to mid-game phases, which may result in lagging behind when faster-paced decks gain momentum.


Reasons to Include Liliana, Death Wielder in Your Collection

Versatility: Liliana, Death Wielder is a definitive choice for those building black-centric or planeswalker-focused decks. Her abilities to distribute -1/-1 counters can disrupt your opponent’s field while keeping your side fortified.

Combo Potential: The synergy with other cards that thrive on -1/-1 counters is not to be overlooked. This planeswalker can be the cornerstone of combo strategies that dismantle opponent defenses and summon potent creatures for less cost.

Meta-Relevance: Given the shifting dynamics of the competitive scene, having Liliana in your arsenal means you’re prepared to tackle a diversity of threats. In metas where creature-based strategies prevail, her controlling magic comes significantly handy.


How to beat

Liliana, Death Wielder is a formidable planeswalker card known for her ability to disrupt the battlefield with -1/-1 counters and her ultimate that can wipe an opponent’s creatures off the board. Overcoming this powerhouse requires strategic planning. It’s critical to apply pressure early in the game before Liliana can stabilize the board and gain control. Direct damage spells or creatures with haste can target Liliana immediately after she enters the battlefield to prevent her loyalty from rising.

Another tactic is to utilize hexproof or indestructible creatures that are impervious to her -1/-1 counter placement. Cards that can counteract planeswalker abilities, such as Pithing Needle, are also effective, rendering her abilities unusable. Moreover, instant-speed removal spells can disrupt your opponent’s play during their turn, ensuring Liliana’s loyalty doesn’t become insurmountable. Lastly, always be mindful of your creature count; avoid overcommitting to the board to prevent a devastating loss from Liliana’s ultimate ability.

In summary, while Liliana, Death Wielder poses a significant threat in Magic: The Gathering, with the right combination of early aggression, board protection, and disruption tactics, you can navigate around her powerful effects and secure victory.


Cards like Liliana, Death Wielder

Liliana, Death Wielder marks her presence in the pantheon of planeswalkers in MTG with a mastery over the undead and the manipulation of death itself. Bearing resemblance to other necromantic planeswalkers such as Liliana Vess, Liliana, Death Wielder has a unique ability to both proliferate -1/-1 counters and generate zombie tokens, a potent combination for any black-based control strategy. Liliana Vess’s main distinction lies in her ability to force discards and tutor for cards, offering a different bend towards disruption and precision deck manipulation.

Another peer in this dark gathering is Liliana, the Last Hope, whose prowess lies in recurring creatures from the graveyard while weakening the opponents’ creatures. While Liliana, Death Wielder excels in controlling and dwindling opposing forces with her -1/-1 counters, Liliana, the Last Hope provides a more direct path to recovering key creatures and ensuring a strong board presence.

Each of these powerful women brings their own flavor to the strategy table, making Liliana, Death Wielder stand out with her unique blend of wide-reaching deathly influence and zombie army creation, a formidable force for those who tread the path of death in MTG.

Liliana Vess - MTG Card versions
Liliana, the Last Hope - MTG Card versions
Liliana Vess - MTG Card versions
Liliana, the Last Hope - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Liliana, Death Wielder MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet, 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 Liliana, Death Wielder and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Liliana, Death Wielder has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

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