Dead Ringers MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2001-06-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Apocalypse |
| Set code | APC |
| Number | 37 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Greg Staples |
Key Takeaways
- Dead Ringers excels in removing same-colored creatures, creating card advantage and clearing the battlefield.
- The card’s requirement for specific mana types and discard cost can limit deck-building flexibility.
- Despite some downsides, its potential for powerful two-for-one removal makes it a notable collection addition.
Text of card
Destroy two target nonblack creatures unless either one is a color the other isn't. They can't be regenerated.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" crowed Crovax. "They fought together. Now they will die together."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dead Ringers stands out as a potent card due to its ability to dismantle two potentially threatening creatures with the same color. By removing these creatures from the equation, you not only clear a path for your own attacks but often leave your opponent with fewer resources, effectively tipping the card balance in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or acceleration, the removal of key threats can indirectly lead to resource dominance. By clearing the way, your plays become more efficient, possibly leading to a quicker victory which is a form of acceleration in its own right.
Instant Speed: The speed at which you can play Dead Ringers is a tactical advantage. Being an instant, it allows for flexibility and surprise, meaning you can wait until the most opportune moment within your opponent’s turn to cast it. This can disrupt their strategy significantly, as they may commit to a line of play, assuming the safety of their creatures, just to have it unraveled in an instant.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: This MTG card necessitates discarding another card to fulfill its effect, which can deplete your hand and leave you at a strategic disadvantage, particularly against decks that capitalize on reducing opponents’ hand sizes.
Specific Mana Cost: Dead Ringers requires both blue and black mana for its activation cost, making it less flexible for inclusion in decks that do not consistently generate both types of mana or that are built around a different color identity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that involves four specific mana, this card’s impact on the game may not align with its mana investment. In a game where tempo is key, there are alternatives that may provide similar or better effects without such a restrictive mana cost.
Reasons to Include Dead Ringers in Your Collection
Versatility: Dead Ringers showcases an ability to potentially eliminate two creatures at once, making it a powerful addition to decks that thrive on controlling the board and maintaining a clear path for your win conditions.
Combo Potential: This card can be paired with effects that copy creatures or change creature types on the battlefield, enabling targeted removal in more complex board states. It has a unique spot in combo decks that manipulate the identities of creatures on the board.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where decks often run pairs of identical creatures, Dead Ringers can be a formidable answer. It stays relevant in metas that favor symmetry or have common creature setups, providing a sneaky edge in creature-based matchups.
How to beat Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers can be a perplexing card to face in Magic: The Gathering. At first glance, it seems potent with its ability to destroy two nonblack creatures that share a color. However, seasoned players recognize its inherent limitation – it only targets creatures with the exact same color, not types or shades. This specificity is where you can capitalize to ensure your board remains unaffected.
One approach to outplay Dead Ringers is diversification; deploy a mix of creatures across a variety of colors. By incorporating multicolored creatures into your deck, or those with protection from certain colors, you minimize the risk of being swept by this spell. Additionally, instant-speed hexproof or indestructibility enablers can be key in thwarting Dead Ringers’ effect at a crucial moment. Think of spells like Blossoming Defense or Heroic Intervention – they can render your key creature invulnerable when Dead Ringers is cast.
Ultimately, Dead Ringers demands strategic forethought; it’s not innately powerful unless conditions are ideal. By carefully constructing your deck and being vigilant about the board state, you’ll find that countering this spell becomes less of a challenge and more of a minor setback in your path to victory.
Cards like Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers serves as a niche but impactful card in the realm of removal spells of Magic: The Gathering. It stands side by side with traditional spot removals like Terror or Doom Blade, yet differs in its ability to potentially eliminate two creatures for the cost of one card. Aligning closer to Dead Ringers in terms of function, Echoing Decay also targets two creatures but only if they share a name, placing a greater restriction compared to the color match criteria of Dead Ringers.
Furthermore, examining Dead Ringers alongside Twin Bolt reveals a complementary aspect of dealing with creatures. While Twin Bolt is limited to dealing 2 damage, which can be split among creatures, Dead Ringers’ removal condition, based on identical colors, doesn’t depend on the creatures’ toughness, enabling the destruction of even the most formidable threats, provided they match hues. However, it’s worth noting that Dead Ringers has a higher mana requirement and only works when the stars align – when two identically colored creatures are present on the battlefield.
Evaluating these cards, it’s evident that Dead Ringers occupies a unique position due to its conditional yet potentially game-swinging removal capability, placing it in a specialized niche for MTG strategy enthusiasts.
Cards similar to Dead Ringers by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dead Ringers MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse, 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 Dead Ringers and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dead Ringers has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dead Ringers card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Both of the target creatures must be exactly the same color or combination of colors. Both being colorless is also okay. If they differ in any way, you can still cast the spell, but it does not do anything on resolution. |
| 2004-10-04 | Colors are checked on resolution. |
