Bloodsoaked Altar MTG Card
2019-07-12 - Number 90
2022-10-14 - Number 43
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Text of card
, Pay 2 life, Discard a card, Sacrifice a creature: Create a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Blood seeps into the stone, and darkness emerges.
Cards like Bloodsoaked Altar
Bloodsoaked Altar stands out in the Magic: The Gathering realm with its unique blend of sacrifice and power. At a glance, it might remind players of the infamous Altar of Dementia, which also hinges on the concept of sacrifice, but instead of gaining a creature, it mills the opponent’s deck. Bloodsoaked Altar, however, brings a different reward by allowing the creation of a formidable Demon creature token, a considerable threat on the board.
Altering with the likes of Ashnod’s Altar and Phyrexian Altar, it shares the theme of converting creatures into other resources. Ashnod’s Altar and Phyrexian Altar are more flexible in their resource output, exchanging creatures for generic or colored mana, respectively. Bloodsoaked Altar, in contrast, demands a specific toll – life and cards – for its singular reward. This makes for a narrower but potentially more impactful play if the Demon token can be fully leveraged.
Comparatively, when strategizing for high-stakes scenarios, Bloodsoaked Altar opens up plays where life totals and hand size are resources you can exploit to summon a game-ending threat, illustrating its unique position in MTG as a risk-reward engine that can change the tide of battle.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sporting a unique ability to sacrifice a creature and pay 2 life to create a black Demon creature token, Bloodsoaked Altar creates opportunities to transform smaller creatures into a significant threat. This ability allows for sustained offensive pressure and an ongoing presence on the battlefield that can overwhelm opponents over time.
Resource Acceleration: Although it doesn’t directly produce mana or treasure tokens, Bloodsoaked Altar’s mechanic promotes a different kind of resource acceleration. By converting expendable or temporary creatures into a powerful Demon token, players can effectively accelerate their board presence and utilize their resources with greater efficiency.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate the Altar at instant speed provides players with considerable flexibility. Whether it’s in response to an opponent’s actions or at the end of their turn, the Altar’s instant-speed interaction enables strategic depth, allowing players to adapt swiftly to the evolving state of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the key drawbacks of Bloodsoaked Altar is its demand for a card sacrifice whenever you activate its ability. This can rapidly deplete your hand, leaving you with fewer options and potentially putting you at a strategic disadvantage if you’re unable to maintain a sufficient card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Another limitation of this card is its need for black mana. Requiring two black mana in its activation cost, it can be challenging to integrate into multicolored decks that might not consistently have the necessary mana resources available, especially in the early game where mana efficiency is critical.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Moreover, with an activation cost of two black mana and one of any color, plus the added cost of sacrificing a creature and discarding a card, Bloodsoaked Altar demands a significant investment for its effect. This can be especially taxing in decks that aim for speed or those that operate on a tight mana curve, as there may be more mana-efficient ways to get creatures onto the battlefield or to advance your board state.
Reasons to Include Bloodsoaked Altar in Your Collection
Versatility: Bloodsoaked Altar adds value to decks that capitalize on sacrificing creatures. Its ability to generate a Demon creature token while also giving you a chance to cycle through your deck by drawing a card makes it a suitable addition to various black-themed or graveyard-focused strategies.
Combo Potential: The altar works well in combos, particularly where sacrificing a creature is beneficial. Pair it with cards that have death triggers or benefit from creatures entering the graveyard to create powerful synergies within your deck.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where building a board presence is crucial, Bloodsoaked Altar provides a repeatable source of creature tokens. It’s especially relevant in metas where counters or removal are prevalent, as it can continuously offer you value even in the face of disruption.
How to beat
Bloodsoaked Altar presents a unique challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This formidable artifact demands tactical play to overcome its ability to churn out Demon tokens. To successfully navigate against this card, you need to limit your opponent’s creature supply, which is essential for their sacrificial engine. Removal spells that target specific creatures or board wipes that clear multiple threats simultaneously can dampen the effectiveness of Bloodsoaked Altar.
Additionally, keeping pressure on the opponent’s life total is crucial since activating Bloodsoaked Altar comes with the steep price of two life. A strategy that continually pressures an opponent’s life can make the cost of generating Demon tokens prohibitive. Moreover, including graveyard hate in your deck, which can interfere with any attempts to recur creatures from the graveyard for sacrificing, can also be a smart move. Lastly, enchantment removal spells that specifically target artifacts can directly deal with Bloodsoaked Altar, cutting off the flow of tokens and preserving your chances of victory.
Emphasizing disruption and pressure gives players a solid plan in dismantling the presence of a Bloodsoaked Altar on the battlefield and swinging the momentum in their favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bloodsoaked Altar MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2020 and Game Night: Free-for-All, 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 Bloodsoaked Altar 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 Bloodsoaked Altar Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-07-12 and 2022-10-14. Illustrated by Sidharth Chaturvedi.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-07-12 | Core Set 2020 | M20 | 90 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi | |
| 2 | 2022-10-14 | Game Night: Free-for-All | GN3 | 43 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodsoaked Altar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |