Casting of Bones MTG Card

Offers card advantage by replacing a lost creature with new cards, maintaining hand options. Instants speed allows surprise advantages; it’s versatile in both aggro and control decks. Demands careful mana and hand resource management due to its specific costs and discard mechanics.

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 44a

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 44b

Casting of Bones - Coldsnap Theme Decks (CST)

Coldsnap Theme Decks (CST)
2006-07-21 - Number 44b

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant

Text of card

If enchanted creature is put into the graveyard, draw three cards. Choose and discard one of those cards.

"Whether whole or not, still we serve Lim-Dûl's wishes." —Chaeska, Keeper of Tresserhorn

Cards like Casting of Bones

Casting of Bones stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique aura with a card draw mechanic. It’s akin to cards like Dead Weight, which also functions as an enchantment that affects creatures. However, Casting of Bones offers a form of compensation when the enchanted creature dies, allowing the controller to draw three cards. Unlike Dead Weight, which is purely a debuff, Casting of Bones turns a potential loss into a strategic advantage.

Another related enchantment is Grim Bounty, providing both removal and a card draw effect. While Grim Bounty is a one-off effect, Casting of Bones can potentially draw more cards over time. In a similar spirit, Underworld Connections offers a repeated card draw effect but requires a mana investment and doesn’t rely on creature death. Lastly, Rancor presents an enchantment that returns to the player’s hand when the creature it’s attached to dies but doesn’t offer the card draw that Casting of Bones does.

Despite the variety of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering, Casting of Bones is distinctive for its potential to generate card advantage after a creature’s demise, situating it as a valuable combo piece in decks leveraging creature sacrifice or those that are resilient to creature loss.

Underworld Connections - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Casting of Bones by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Casting of Bones offers players the ability to draw cards after an enchanted creature dies. This ensures that even if you lose a creature in battle, you’re compensated with new opportunities in your hand, keeping your options open.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, by refilling your hand with additional cards after a creature’s demise, this enchantment can indirectly accelerate your game plan. More cards mean more resources to play and maneuver around your opponent’s strategy.

Instant Speed: This enchantment can be attached to a creature at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react to the board state during any phase of your opponent’s turn. This surprise factor can be pivotal in MTG, allowing you to set up advantageous trades or protect key creatures before a board wipe.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Casting of Bones demands that a player discard another card to activate its abilities, which can diminish hand advantage and strategic options, potentially leaving them at a deficit if already behind.

Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment requires not just one, but a blend of Black and generic mana, which can be restrictive to players not committed to a Black-centric mana base or running a multi-color deck that may struggle with color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, this card’s initial investment for an aura that offers future card draw might not be as cost-efficient compared to other cards with immediate impact or lower cost options in the current card pool, affecting its playability especially in fast-paced game environments.

Reasons to Include Casting of Bones in Your Collection

Versatility: Casting of Bones offers adaptability by enhancing creature utility, giving you an edge whether you’re playing aggro or control. Its enchant creature ability provides sustained card advantage once the creature dies.

Combo Potential: This card holds potential for synergy with decks focusing on sacrifice strategies. It transforms creature death into a resource, allowing you to draw cards and maintain momentum in the game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based strategies are common, Casting of Bones can be particularly powerful. It turns every creature into a potential card draw engine, keeping your hand filled with options and strategies.

How to Beat

Casting of Bones is a unique aura card in MTG that equips creatures with an ability to draw cards upon their death, potentially turning a loss into a strategic advantage. To counter the effects of Casting of Bones, smart removal of the enchanted creature is crucial. Invoke disruption through instant-speed removal spells such as Path to Exile or Unsummon to ensure the Casting of Bones’s controller doesn’t benefit from the card draw upon the creature’s demise.

Another tactic is to apply enchantment removal options like Disenchant or Naturalize to strip the aura before the creature has a chance to fall in battle. Playing around this card also means controlling the timing of creature removal. During your opponent’s end step, use abilities or spells that force the player to sacrifice creatures to their disadvantage, such as Liliana’s Triumph or Diabolic Edict, thereby denying them the opportunity to recover their hand with the aura’s effect.

Focusing on these strategies not only minimizes the card advantage given by Casting of Bones but also allows you to maintain the upper hand, address potential threats effectively, and navigate the match towards victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Casting of Bones MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Alliances, 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 Casting of Bones and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Casting of Bones Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2006-07-21. Illustrated by Anson Maddocks.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1996-06-10	Alliances	ALL	44a	1993	Normal	Black	Anson Maddocks
2	1996-06-10	Alliances	ALL	44b	1993	Normal	Black	Anson Maddocks
3	2006-07-21	Coldsnap Theme Decks	CST	44b	2003	Normal	Black	Anson Maddocks

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Casting of Bones has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal