Scion of Darkness MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Avatar
Abilities Cycling,Trample
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Trample allows Scion of Darkness to deal excess damage and potentially draw cards by reanimating creatures.
  2. Cycling facilitates mana acceleration and strategic draw smoothing for a more consistent gameplay experience.
  3. Despite its power, the card’s high mana cost and specific requirements may limit its deck compatibility.

Text of card

Trample Whenever Scion of Darkness deals combat damage to a player, you may put target creature card from that player's graveyard into play under your control. Cycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scion of Darkness thrives on card superiority by offering Trample to deal excess damage to opponents and potentially yielding card draw through its ability to put creatures from any graveyard onto the battlefield under your control after dealing combat damage to a player. This translates into a tremendous advantage, allowing you to effectively diminish your opponent’s resources while bolstering your own.

Resource Acceleration: While the upfront investment is steep, the cycling ability of Scion of Darkness provides a useful mechanism to smooth out your draws and expedite access to your most impactful spells. It effectively increases the chances to ramp up your mana base by finding the necessary mana-fixing or acceleration elements you need to summon it quicker.

Instant Speed: Scion of Darkness itself may not operate at instant speed, but its cycling ability certainly does. This gives you the flexibility to wait for the optimal moment before the end of your opponent’s turn to cycle it away, ensuring that you are always able to respond to the ebb and flow of the game while progressing towards your strategic goals without sacrificing tempo.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of Scion of Darkness is its need for discarding another creature card to activate its cycling ability. While cycling itself allows for more card flow, the requirement of ditching a potentially valuable creature from your hand sometimes presents a strategic setback, especially when your hand is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Scion of Darkness requires a substantial amount of mana of a particular type to cast it. With a casting cost that includes three black mana, this card may not fit seamlessly into multicolor decks that don’t prioritize heavy black mana generation. This can limit its playability outside of mono-black or heavily black-focused decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of eight mana, Scion of Darkness is on the upper end of the mana spectrum. Even in the late game, spending such a considerable chunk of your mana assets to summon just one creature can be a severe drain, leaving less room for other plays or responses during your turn. Furthermore, there are other creatures or spells with lower mana costs that may offer more immediate impact or versatility on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Scion of Darkness in Your Collection

Versatility: Scion of Darkness offers flexibility for deck construction, seamlessly integrating into reanimation strategies or serving as a finisher in control decks. Its trample ability ensures damage gets through the defensive lines.

Combo Potential: Thanks to its cycling ability, it can trigger effects from cards that activate when cycling occurs. Additionally, its ability to resurrect creatures from the opponent’s graveyard after dealing combat damage can turn the tides by harnessing your opponent’s strengths.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with a high dependency on creatures, Scion of Darkness stands out due to its capacity to continuously build your board presence while diminishing your opponents’. It’s a card worth considering for its ability to adapt and influence the battlefield dynamically.


How to Beat Scion of Darkness

The Scion of Darkness is a formidable creature that can sway the tide of battle in Magic: The Gathering. Its trample ability enables it to deal excess damage to opponents, while its potent cycling effect and creature revival capability can turn a dire match around. Understanding how to neutralize this threat is vital for any player.

To tackle this juggernaut, mana efficiency is key. Prioritize counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak when it’s being cast. If it manages to enter the battlefield, exile effects become crucial. Cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can remove it irrespective of its size. It’s also wise to manage the graveyard – employing tactics like graveyard hate via Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus. These prevent the chances of Scion of Darkness coming back into play after being cycled.

Maintaining board control and having an answer to Scion of Darkness can make all the difference. With the right tools and a strategic approach, this colossal threat can be neutralized, allowing you to secure your hold on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the potential of Scion of Darkness for your deck. This card’s abilities offer a strategic advantage, creating opportunities to reclaim creatures and shape the battlefield to your favor. Understanding its pros and cons is critical for maximizing its impact. Embrace the flexibility it provides for various deck builds and consider its place within the current meta. We provide comprehensive insights and strategies for MTG enthusiasts seeking to incorporate Scion of Darkness into their arsenal. Enhance your game, outmaneuver opponents, and turn their strengths into your own. Learn how to make Scion of Darkness a valuable asset in your MTG journey with BurnMana.


Cards like Scion of Darkness

Scion of Darkness is an intriguing creature within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It draws a unique comparison with fellow high-powered creatures like Avatar of Woe, which also presents a threat on the battlefield due to its ability to destroy any targeted creature. However, Scion of Darkness carves its niche with its Trample ability, allowing excess damage to carry over to a player, combined with the potent cycling ability which can bring it directly into play.

On the other side of the spectrum, we encounter Grave Titan, which shares the intimidating presence of spawning other creatures. While Grave Titan brings in additional 2/2 Zombie tokens with its entrance and attack, Scion of Darkness focuses on individual target control through its creature-stealing capability upon dealing combat damage. Furthermore, Massacre Wurm provides a similar board impact with its creature-punishing ability, yet it lacks the direct creature revival and recurring utility that Scion of Darkness offers upon delivering a successful attack.

Analyzing the dynamic features and board influence, Scion of Darkness certainly holds a formidable position among heavyweight creatures in Magic: The Gathering, marked by its distinct combat rewards and strategic versatility.

Avatar of Woe - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Massacre Wurm - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Woe - Prophecy (PCY)
Grave Titan - Magic 2011 (M11)
Massacre Wurm - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Scion of Darkness by color, type and mana cost

Infernal Denizen - MTG Card versions
Baron Sengir - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Woe - MTG Card versions
Devouring Strossus - MTG Card versions
Griselbrand - MTG Card versions
Void Beckoner - MTG Card versions
Reiver Demon - MTG Card versions
Myojin of Night's Reach - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Praetor - MTG Card versions
Liege of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Tombstalker - MTG Card versions
Skeletal Wurm - MTG Card versions
Pestilence Demon - MTG Card versions
Baleful Force - MTG Card versions
Shambling Attendants - MTG Card versions
Distended Mindbender - MTG Card versions
Abundant Maw - MTG Card versions
Razaketh, the Foulblooded - MTG Card versions
Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Archfiend of Despair - MTG Card versions
Infernal Denizen - Ice Age (ICE)
Baron Sengir - Masters Edition (ME1)
Avatar of Woe - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Devouring Strossus - Invasion (INV)
Griselbrand - Shadows of the Past (SIS)
Void Beckoner - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Reiver Demon - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Myojin of Night's Reach - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Sanguine Praetor - Guildpact (GPT)
Liege of the Pit - Time Spiral (TSP)
Tombstalker - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Skeletal Wurm - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Pestilence Demon - Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis (DDR)
Baleful Force - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Shambling Attendants - The List (PLST)
Distended Mindbender - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Abundant Maw - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Razaketh, the Foulblooded - Commander Masters (CMM)
Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - Game Night 2019 (GN2)
Archfiend of Despair - Commander Masters (CMM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scion of Darkness MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Archenemy, 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 Scion of Darkness and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Scion of Darkness Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Mark Zug.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-02-03LegionsLGN 791997normalblackMark Zug
22010-06-18ArchenemyARC 232003normalblackMark Zug
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 862015normalblackMark Zug

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scion of Darkness has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 If this card destroys a creature in combat and at the same time (using its Trample ability) it damages a player, you will be able to target the destroyed creature (if it was a card and not a token) to be brought back.
2008-10-01 Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks