Apocalypse Demon MTG Card
2017-07-14 - Number 58
2017-07-15 - Number 58s
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Demon |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | * |
| Toughness | * |
Text of card
Flying Apocalypse Demon's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your graveyard. At the beginning of your upkeep, tap Apocalypse Demon unless you sacrifice another creature.
Cards like Apocalypse Demon
The depths of black mana occasionally bring forth fearsome creatures like Apocalypse Demon. This formidable flyer is similar in nature to the likes of Desecration Demon and Abyssal Persecutor. Each of these cards offers powerful abilities at a potentially low mana cost. Apocalypse Demon, with its scale in power and toughness equal to the number of cards in your graveyard, shines in decks that rapidly fill the graveyard. This offers an advantage over Desecration Demon, which demands sacrifices from opponents but provides a constant body.
Analogously, Abyssal Persecutor offers immense power and toughness for a smaller mana investment, but with the crucial downside of not allowing you to win the game while it’s on the battlefield. Apocalypse Demon doesn’t share this game-winning limitation, though harnessing its full potential depends on graveyard management.
When comparing these with other large black creatures in MTG, Apocalypse Demon has a unique place. It can potentially become a game-ending threat, but also requires a deck built to support its needs, differentiating it from its counterparts which are often easier to integrate into various strategies.
Cards similar to Apocalypse Demon by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Apocalypse Demon’s power ties to the number of cards in your graveyard, converting a stocked graveyard into a commanding board presence, thus rewarding players for amassing a substantial graveyard over the course of a match.
Resource Acceleration: This card serves as a potent force in decks designed around self-mill or discard strategies, efficiently utilizing resources that are traditionally less valuable by turning them into a formidable threat.
Instant Speed: While Apocalypse Demon itself does not operate at instant speed, its flying ability ensures that it remains a constant threat, ready to strike swiftly in the aerial zone, catching opponents off-guard when they’re unprepared for an air assault.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For players looking to include Apocalypse Demon in their deck, they must remain cognizant of its mechanic which requires a discard for amplification. Each card in a player’s hand is valuable, and having to discard can sometimes mean sacrificing critical strategy pieces. Handling Apocalypse Demon demands a careful balance, ensuring that the discard fuels its strength without draining essential resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Apocalypse Demon’s cost is tuned to a black mana intensive deck, meaning it must be played with an ample supply of swamps or other sources of black mana. This can be restrictive, pigeonholing the card into specific archetypes and barring it from more color-diverse decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The summoning cost for Apocalypse Demon is steep, requiring a significant mana investment at six mana. In the pace of the game, this can be cumbersome as other cards with lower costs may offer more immediate impact or utility, leading players to weigh its value against potentially more mana-efficient alternatives.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Apocalypse Demon offers a flexible role in various deck builds, particularly in those that utilize the graveyard. As a flying attacker or defender, it adapts to the pace of the game, showcasing its adaptability.
Combo Potential: With its ability scaling with the number of cards in your graveyard, this demon can become a behemoth in combo strategies that rapidly fill the graveyard, thus unlocking lethal potential in tandem with cards that capitalize on high power creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where slower, grindy games dominate, Apocalypse Demon gains value as games progress, potentially outclassing other finishers with its size and flying capability. Its relevance peaks within metagames that permit graveyard strategies to flourish.
How to Beat Apocalypse Demon
Apocalypse Demon presents a unique challenge in MTG, standing out with its power and toughness directly tied to the number of cards in your graveyard. To tackle this formidable foil, adapting your play strategy is key. Start by limiting the number of cards that get into your graveyard, stifling the demon’s potential size. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can be game-changers by removing graveyard interactions entirely.
Enchantment removal spells like Naturalize also come in handy to dispose of the demon’s ability that requires sacrificing another creature. Furthermore, keeping instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push in your hand will prepare you to deal with the demon the moment it lands on the battlefield.
Control decks which excel at countering key spells with cards like Counterspell or Negate can prevent the demon from ever entering the fray. Combat tactics can contribute too; deploying creatures with deathtouch like Gifted Aetherborn means the demon’s vast power is irrelevant in a fight. An ultimately effective defense ensures that Apocalypse Demon doesn’t spell doom for your game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Apocalypse Demon MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Hour of Devastation Promos, 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 Apocalypse Demon and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Apocalypse Demon Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2017-07-15. Illustrated by Piotr Jabłoński.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-07-14 | Hour of Devastation | HOU | 58 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Jabłoński | |
| 2 | 2017-07-15 | Hour of Devastation Promos | PHOU | 58s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Piotr Jabłoński |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Apocalypse Demon has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Apocalypse Demon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-07-14 | The ability that defines Apocalypse Demon’s power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. |