Blightcaster MTG Card

Blightcaster excels in decks emphasizing enchantments, providing creature control with each cast. Mana requirements and later game entrance may deter from inclusion in faster, lighter decks. Effective removal spells and minimizing enchantments can counteract Blightcaster’s control ability.

Magic 2014 (M14)
2013-07-19 - Number 86

Magic Origins (ORI)
2015-07-17 - Number 85

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Wizard
Power	2
Toughness	3

Text of card

Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may have target creature get -2/-2 until end of turn.

"Your flesh is unprepared for my gifts."

Cards like Blightcaster

Blightcaster offers a unique tactical edge in Magic: The Gathering, specifically in decks that are enchantment-heavy. Its ability to give you -2/-2 to a target creature an opponent controls each time you cast an enchantment spell is somewhat reminiscent of cards like Ajani’s Chosen. Though Ajani’s Chosen doesn’t reduce opponent creature stats, it also rewards you for playing enchantments by creating 2/2 Cat creature tokens. Both cards harness the synergy of enchantments, redirecting the focus from sheer power to nuanced game strategies.

Comparably, Blood-Cursed Knight presents a different yet relatable gameplay angle. With an enchantment in play, it becomes a more formidable combatant, turning into a 4/3 with lifelink. This underscores the Knight’s ability to impact the life totals directly, contrasting with Blightcaster’s control-style advantage of weakening opposing forces. One leans towards aggressive lifegain maneuvers, while Blightcaster leans into controlling the battlefield by removing threats.

To summarize, in the realm of enchantment-centric strategies in Magic: The Gathering, Blightcaster holds a special place for its unique creature control capabilities. Its presence demands a carefully crafted deck to fully utilize its potential, setting it apart from other enchantment-focused cards and illustrating its worth in specialized deck builds.

Cards similar to Blightcaster by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Blightcaster offers an inherent card advantage mechanism for players who favor enchantment-based strategies. Each time an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, you encounter an opportunity to potentially remove an opponent’s creature. This synergy not only draws more value from your enchantments but can also tip the scales in your board presence significantly.

Resource Acceleration: Although Blightcaster itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its ability to control the board can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. Removing key enemy creatures can free up the board, allowing your assaults to go unanswered and preserving your resources for other strategic plays.

Instant Speed: While Blightcaster’s ability is not at instant speed, it complements cards with instant-speed enchantments. This means you can craft plays during your opponent’s turn to disrupt their strategy, eliminate threats on the fly, or simply create surprise blockers, maximizing both the impact and efficiency of your enchantments and instants.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the context of Blightcaster, while there’s no direct discard requirement, building a deck around it may force you into choices that deplete your hand quicker, much like a discard cost would. This could lead to a tactical disadvantage if you’re unable to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Blightcaster’s specific mana cost requires one black mana and three others. This cost confines its use to decks with a sufficient black mana base, possibly restricting its inclusion in multicolored decks or those focusing on lighter mana curves.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Blightcaster enters the battlefield later than many other impactful creatures and enchantments. Considering this, players may opt for alternatives that have an immediate effect on the game or offer more aggressive stats for the same mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Blightcaster offers adaptive gameplay as it can seamlessly integrate into enchantment-focused decks. Its ability to weaken an opponent’s creatures ensures it remains functional across various matchups and strategies.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in synergy with other enchantments, as each one played provides the potential to control the board by destroying opponent’s key creatures, thus amplifying the impact of each enchantment cast.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Blightcaster becomes a valuable asset. Its ongoing threat to opponent’s creatures makes it a solid choice for players looking to maintain board superiority in such an environment.

How to beat

Blightcaster introduces an intriguing dynamic to deck strategies in Magic: The Gathering, standing out with its ability to weaken opponents’ creatures. Employing enchantments can typically enhance your gameplay, but when facing Blightcaster, this tactic can backfire, giving your adversary an advantage. One effective approach to counteract this card’s effect is by using removal spells that can directly target and eliminate this threat from the battlefield before it can capitalize on its ability.

Removal options like Murder or Doom Blade are potent choices since they can dispatch Blightcaster regardless of the number or types of enchantments you play. Additionally, utilizing creature spells that have ‘hexproof’ or ‘indestructible’ abilities can prevent Blightcaster from leveraging its effect, keeping your creatures safe from being weakened or destroyed. It’s also advisable to limit the number of enchantments in your deck if possible or opt for strategies that don’t rely heavily on them to mitigate Blightcaster’s impact on your game plan.

Navigating around such specialized cards requires a thoughtful approach, and by prioritizing the removal of key threats like Blightcaster swiftly, you maintain a solid battlefield presence and avoid falling victim to an enchantment-focused demise.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blightcaster MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Magic Origins, 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 Blightcaster and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blightcaster Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2015-07-17. Illustrated by Winona Nelson.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2013-07-19	Magic 2014	M14		86	2003	Normal	Black	Winona Nelson
2	2015-07-17	Magic Origins	ORI		85	2015	Normal	Black	Winona Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blightcaster has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Blightcaster’s ability will resolve before the enchantment spell that caused it to trigger.
2013-07-01	If you are the only player who controls a creature when Blightcaster’s ability triggers, you must choose one as the target, although you can choose not to give it -2/-2.
2015-06-22	If you are the only player who controls a creature when Blightcaster’s ability triggers, you must choose one of those creatures as the target, although you can choose to not give it -2/-2.