Bane, Lord of Darkness MTG Card


Bane, Lord of Darkness, offers card draw, board acceleration, and flexible instant-speed disruption to players. Its discard requirement and specific mana needs present strategic challenges and deck-building considerations. The card’s versatile application ensures relevance in various decks, countering strategies, and meta shifts.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — God
Power 5
Toughness 2

Text of card

As long as your life total is less than or equal to half your starting life total, Bane, Lord of Darkness has indestructible. Whenever another nontoken creature you control dies, target opponent may have you draw a card. If they don't, you may put a creature card with equal or lesser toughness from your hand onto the battlefield.


Cards like Bane, Lord of Darkness

Delving into the depths of darkness in Magic: The Gathering, the Bane Lord of Darkness presents a formidable presence on the battlefield. It evokes certain aspects of Demonic Tutor, a classic card that also dives into the black mana pool to fetch any card from a player’s library. However, Bane Lord of Darkness transcends Demonic Tutor’s capability by presenting itself as a creature, adding a layer of strategy with combat potential.

Similarly, Rune-Scarred Demon stands in this echelon of power. While both cards allow you to search your library for a card, Rune-Scarred Demon offers this ability upon entry onto the field, without the nuances of specific triggers or conditions. Nevertheless, the Bane Lord of Darkness carries the advantage of potentially recurring its effect, showcasing the depth of its in-game influence.

In considering these powerhouse cards, it’s clear that Bane Lord of Darkness holds its own, particularly for players seeking continual value beyond an initial tutor effect. Its strength lies in its repeatable utility in black-centered decks, aiming to leverage both its search ability and its menacing presence in combat.

Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Rune-Scarred Demon - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Rune-Scarred Demon - MTG Card versions

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

Halfdane - MTG Card versions
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Inquisitor Greyfax - MTG Card versions
Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir - MTG Card versions
Halfdane - MTG Card versions
Zur the Enchanter - MTG Card versions
Stormscape Master - MTG Card versions
Varina, Lich Queen - MTG Card versions
Alela, Artful Provocateur - MTG Card versions
Queza, Augur of Agonies - MTG Card versions
Obscura Interceptor - MTG Card versions
Kamiz, Obscura Oculus - MTG Card versions
A-Queza, Augur of Agonies - MTG Card versions
Inquisitor Greyfax - MTG Card versions
Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bane, Lord of Darkness, empowers players with valuable draw engine potential. By synergizing with discard strategies, it repeatedly gives opportunities to draw more cards, maintaining robust hand size for strategic plays.

Resource Acceleration: This card’s ability to cheat creatures onto the battlefield can significantly accelerate your board state without the usual mana costs. This can be a game-changer, providing a substantial advantage over opponents by deploying threats faster.

Instant Speed: Its activated ability can be used at instant speed, offering the strategic flexibility to disrupt opponents during their turn. Whether it’s dodging sorcery-speed removal or maximizing end-of-turn efficiency, the element of surprise enhances its tactical utility.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bane Lord of Darkness requires a card to be discarded as part of its casting process. This can pose a challenge when your hand is already depleted, forcing you to choose between maintaining card advantage and deploying this powerful creature.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Bane Lord of Darkness demands a particular combination of mana types, which can be a hurdle in multicolored decks. Ensuring you have the right mana can sometimes delay playing this card at the optimal moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a demanding mana cost to bring Bane Lord of Darkness into play, it competes with other high-impact cards in your deck. Determining whether its benefits outweigh its cost is crucial, especially in faster-paced games where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bane Lord of Darkness brings a flexible edge to various deck builds, courtesy of its ability to manipulate the battlefield and graveyard. It’s a valuable addition whether you’re aiming to overpower opponents with sheer force or outmaneuver them through strategic plays.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes smoothly with other cards that feed on creature control and graveyard interaction, allowing for devastating combinations that can swing the game in your favor. Its unique abilities can become the linchpin for several powerful combos.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the constant evolution of the playing field, Bane Lord of Darkness holds its ground as a robust contender. It’s designed to face a broad spectrum of contemporary strategies, ensuring your deck stays competitive in various meta scenarios.


How to beat

The Bane Lord of Darkness is a daunting presence in any MTG game. It’s a card that demands swift and strategic countering to prevent your opponent from dominating the battlefield. Overcoming this card involves precision and careful choice of tactics. One effective approach is to leverage removal spells that can bypass its formidable defenses. Spells like Path to Exile or a timely Cast Down can swiftly remove this threat from the board. It’s essential to keep such answers in hand, anticipating the rise of powerful adversaries like the Bane Lord of Darkness.

Additionally, negating its casting can be crucial. Counterspells are your safeguards against letting such a high-impact card resolve and take effect. Playing blue spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak at the right moment can be game-changing. Moreover, exiling cards from graveyards can be instrumental to curb its recurring potential since some versions might leverage graveyard strategies. Board wipes are also a sound strategy to clear the path and reset the state of play. Whether direct removal or broad strategies, countering this menace requires careful deck construction and keen situational awareness.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the potential of Bane, Lord of Darkness in MTG can provide thrilling advantages and substantial power boosts during play. Its ability to enhance card draw and accelerate resource deployment makes it a strategic asset in various deck builds. While understanding its drawbacks, such as demand for specific mana types and higher casting costs, is crucial, these are often eclipsed by the sheer versatility and combo potential it offers. For those looking to stay ahead in ever-changing metas and seeking to maximize their combat strategies, incorporating Bane, Lord of Darkness into your collection could be a game-changer. Continue to advance your MTG knowledge and deck-building skills with us, and unlock the true power of your game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bane, Lord of Darkness MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Baldur's Gate Promos and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, 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 Bane, Lord of Darkness and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bane, Lord of Darkness Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Battle for Baldur's Gate PromosPCLB 267s2015NormalBlackBilly Christian
22022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 5262015NormalBlackBilly Christian
32022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 2672015NormalBlackBilly Christian
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4152015NormalBlackJustine Mara Andersen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bane, Lord of Darkness has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-06-10 Bane's last ability looks at the toughness of the creature that died, not Bane's toughness.
2022-06-10 If Bane, Lord of Darkness is dealt lethal damage at the same time that its controller's life total is reduced to less than or equal to half their starting life total, Bane will have indestructible at the time state-based actions are performed and survive.