Blood Burglar MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Vampire Rogue |
| Released | 2019-07-12 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Core Set 2020 |
| Set code | M20 |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 88 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cristi Balanescu |
Text of card
As long as it's your turn, Blood Burglar has lifelink.(Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
"You've heard that a vampire can't enter a home without an invitation? A lie meant to help you sleep at night." —Kerin, watch sergeant
Cards like Blood Burglar
Blood Burglar is a subtle yet useful creature card in the realm of MTG. When examining other cards in the vampire or thief categories, Blood Burglar finds common ground with cards like Skymarch Bloodletter. Both share the vampire designation and have flying, giving them an aerial advantage. However, Blood Burglar is unique with its lifelink ability during your turn, giving it a slight edge in terms of resilience and board stability.
Another comparable card is Vampire of the Dire Moon. Like Blood Burglar, it boasts lifelink, but it comes with deathtouch as well, making it a formidable threat despite its lower power. The trade-off here is in the casting cost and power; Blood Burglar stands out with higher power, potentially leading to more consistent damage over time.
Acknowledging these nuances among similar cards, Blood Burglar secures its position in the MTG environment as a reliable yet budget-friendly option for players looking to enhance their vampire-themed decks or strategies that leverage the lifelink ability to maintain a stable life total.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Blood Burglar does not intrinsically provide card advantage, it pairs well with cards that benefit from life gain or having a steady presence of creatures on the battlefield, potentially increasing your resources.
Resource Acceleration: Although Blood Burglar isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration, it can contribute to an aggressive strategy that pressures the opponent, potentially disrupting their resource management and pacing.
Instant Speed: Blood Burglar itself does not operate at instant speed, yet its lifelink ability can have instantaneous impact during combat. Successfully attacking or blocking with Blood Burglar provides immediate life totals adjustments, which could be unexpectedly relevant during your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike other creatures that offer benefits upon entering the battlefield or attacking, the Blood Burglar requires you to discard a card to activate its lifelink ability. This discard can put you at a disadvantage, particularly when your hand is already dwindling or if you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: The Blood Burglar’s mana cost demands a targeted allocation of resources, specifically one black mana. This requirement can be restrictive, especially in multicolor decks where mana optimization is key, potentially hampering your deck’s flexibility and speed in executing its strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a two-mana 2/2 creature with potential lifelink may seem decent, within the vast options available in MTG, you might find other two-cost creatures or spells with more impactful effects or less stringent conditions for enhancing your gameplay, giving you a better return on your mana investment.
Reasons to Include Blood Burglar in Your Collection
Versatility: Blood Burglar fits seamlessly into various deck archetypes, particularly those that thrive on aggressive starts. As a Vampire Rogue, it pairs well with themes that benefit from creature type synergies.
Combo Potential: Its lifelink ability during your turn enables interesting combos with cards that activate when you gain life, bolstering both offense and defense strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that leans towards creature-based aggro or midrange decks, Blood Burglar can serve as an invaluable asset, providing early pressure against opponents and maintaining your life total.
How to beat
Blood Burglar is a common menace in Magic: The Gathering, especially in the early game. It’s a creature that not only applies pressure with its attack but can also be elusive due to its “as long as it’s your turn, Blood Burglar has lifelink” ability. So, what’s the best strategy against this vampiric adversary?
To effectively counter Blood Burglar, removal spells are key. Instant-speed removal like Murder can dispatch Blood Burglar before it gets a chance to attack and gain life for your opponent. Another strategy is to block with creatures that have deathtouch, rendering the lifelink pointless as the creatures exchange blows. Alternatively, use cards with high toughness to withstand attacks and prevent the lifelink from providing an advantage. Lastly, leveraging spells that can tap creatures or enchantments that prevent them from attacking, such as Pacifism, can neutralize the threat without directly engaging it in combat.
In essence, denying Blood Burglar the chance to make use of its lifelink during your opponent’s turn is paramount. Manage it well, and this creature becomes far less intimidating, allowing you to focus on your own strategy and maintain control of the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Blood Burglar MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2020, 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 Blood Burglar 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Blood Burglar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |