Boon of Emrakul MTG Card
2016-07-22 - Number 81
2019-11-07 - Number 584
2020-09-26 - Number EMN-81
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +3/-3.
All around Emrakul, life re-formed in her image.
Cards like Boon of Emrakul
Boon of Emrakul is an intriguing enchantment in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, offering a twist on the usual aura buffs given its detrimental effect to the opponent’s creatures. It can be closely compared to Dead Weight, another enchantment that simply reduces a creature’s power and toughness. Boon of Emrakul edges out with its higher reduction metrics and ability to often outright kill a creature due to toughness reaching zero. Both serve as effective means to neutralize threats on the battlefield.
When we consider other cards like Spontaneous Mutation, we find a different flavor of debuff. This card scales its power-reducing effect based on the number of cards in your graveyard, potentially surpassing Boon of Emrakul in certain deck builds. Lastly, there’s Weight of Conscience, which permanently taps a creature and offers an exile effect with its additional requirement. These enchantments provide a versatile toolkit for controlling opponents’ creatures in various MTG formats.
While all these cards share the theme of weakening creatures, Boon of Emrakul’s immediate and significant impact on the board gives it a distinctive status, capable of turning the tides of a game by transforming creatures from threatening to harmless.
Cards similar to Boon of Emrakul by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Enchanting an opponent’s creature with Boon of Emrakul can effectively neutralize a threat and potentially lead to advantageous two-for-one scenarios. When their creature is destroyed, you’ve effectively removed a threat while retaining your enchantment card’s value.
Resource Acceleration: Although Boon of Emrakul doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, tactically it can be seen as a form of acceleration by efficiently dealing with a threat for less mana than it might cost to handle it with a creature or more expensive removal.
Instant Speed: The aura operates at sorcery speed; however, its low mana cost allows players to keep mana available for other instant speed interactions within the same turn, maintaining a flexible and reactive playstyle.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Boon of Emrakul necessitates discarding a card from your hand, potentially putting you at a disadvantage if your hand is already diminished or if you’re holding onto key cards for your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires both colorless and black mana, which may not easily align with decks that are not tailored around a black mana base, possibly restricting its utility in a wider range of deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While providing a noteworthy enchanting effect, Boon of Emrakul has a mana cost that some players might find too steep compared to other removal or aura options available, potentially limiting its inclusion in various competitive formats.
Reasons to Include Boon of Emrakul in Your Collection
Versatility: Boon of Emrakul is a flexible card that can be slotted into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to enchant a creature gives it defensive and offensive capabilities, making it suitable for aggressive and control strategies alike.
Combo Potential: With its enchant creature ability, Boon of Emrakul synergizes with decks focused on aura and enchantment bonuses. It can be part of intricate combos, boosting the power of creatures or triggering enchantment-related abilities.
Meta-Relevance: If the current meta leans towards creature-heavy tactics, Boon of Emrakul’s ability to swing the balance by providing an advantage through its enchantment effects could be pivotal. Its contribution to board control is particularly relevant in such a meta.
How to beat
Boon of Emrakul is a card that can catch players off guard with its enchantment aura, capable of attaching to creatures and providing a sizable boost in power. Navigating around this card involves a mix of strategic planning and timely responses. Understanding when to remove the creature before the aura hits or having enchantment removal spells ready is a fundamental counter strategy.
Considering its three mana cost, cards like Naturalize or Disenchant that can destroy enchantments are efficient answers. Waiting for your opponent to attempt to attach Boon of Emrakul, then using instant-speed removal spells can leave them at a disadvantage, as they lose both the aura and the creature in one swoop. Keeping up mana for these responses while being cautious about extending your creatures on the board can significantly diminish the impact of Boon of Emrakul.
Preemptive plays such as Duress allow you to peek at your opponent’s hand and potentially remove threats before they materialize. Flexibility in your gameplay, along with a reserve of answer cards, often is the key to outstripping the boon that this card could potentially bestow upon your adversary.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Boon of Emrakul MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon and Mystery Booster, 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 Boon of Emrakul 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
Printings
The Boon of Emrakul Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-07-22 | Eldritch Moon | EMN | 81 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 584 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | EMN-81 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Boon of Emrakul has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |