Chain Devil MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Devil
Abilities Animate Chains
Power 4
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Chain Devil offers card manipulation, giving players a definite edge during matches.
  2. Instant speed play enhances flexibility and tactical advantage on the battlefield.
  3. Despite its power, resource demands and discard requirements can be limiting.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Chain Devil MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Battle for Baldur's Gate Art Series, 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 Chain Devil and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Animate Chains — When Chain Devil enters the battlefield, each player sacrifices a nontoken creature.

To these fiends, there's no symphony more beautiful than the melodies of rattling chains and ripping flesh.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Chain Devil offers strategic depth in gameplay by allowing players to manipulate both their own and their opponent’s hands. The ability to disrupt the opponent while also refining your own hand composition can translate directly into card advantage, often turning the tides of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Chain Devil itself may not generate resources directly, it can effectively deprive opponents of their crucial spells and resources. By selectively discarding the most impactful cards from an opponent’s hand, Chain Devil indirectly accelerates your position in the game by slowing down your adversary’s strategy.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of playing Chain Devil at instant speed gives players the upper hand during crucial phases of the game. This timing advantage means you can wait until the most opportune moment to disrupt your opponent, or respond to threats on the board, maintaining pressure and tactical superiority.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Chain Devil comes with the hefty price of discarding another card. At certain points in the game, especially when your hand is dwindling, the demand to pitch a potentially valuable card to summon Chain Devil can place you at a strategic disadvantage, hindering your ability to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Chain Devil’s summoning cost requires a precise combination of mana, including both generic and black mana. This can pose a problem for multi-colored decks that may struggle to provide the necessary black mana at the critical moment, potentially delaying the deployment of this powerful creature on the battlefield.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At an initial glance, the mana investment for Chain Devil may seem fair for its abilities; however, when compared with other cards at a similar cost, Chain Devil could be seen as less efficient. Players may find other cards that provide immediate impact or more substantial long-term benefits for the same or lower mana cost, which may lead to Chain Devil being overlooked in deckbuilding.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Chain Devil card offers a dynamic edge in gameplay, easily sliding into control or aggressive strategies. Its capability to disrupt opponent plays makes it a valuable addition to several deck archetypes, especially those leveraging the power of devils or demons.

Combo Potential: This card excels when coupled with abilities that benefit from sacrifice or deal damage upon creature death. The Chain Devil’s synergistic potential in decks built around those themes can lead to powerful and game-winning combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta heavy with creature-based strategies, Chain Devil may serve as an efficient tool to maintain board superiority. Its impact on play and board presence can make it a relevant choice against a variety of popular decks, ensuring your collection is ready to tackle the shifting sands of competitive play.


How to beat

The Chain Devil card poses an intriguing challenge on the battlefield, with its unique mechanics that can ensnare opponents in a web of deadly tactics. To effectively navigate the complexities of this card and come out on top, players must be well-acquainted with its strengths and potential counters. Understanding the rules that govern its binding chains ability, alongside utilizing removal spells strategically, can tilt the scales in your favor.

Initiating board control measures before the Chain Devil enters the scene is an excellent preventative strategy. This could involve setting up defenses that undermine its ability to disrupt your game plan. Besides, implementing efficient removal spells is crucial. Options include Murder to directly eliminate the threat or enchantment-based solutions like Pacifism that nullify its abilities without triggering any lurking dangers. The key lies in timing these interventions accurately to make the most impact.

In summary, dealing with the Chain Devil requires a blend of anticipation, preemptive board control, and the judicious use of removal techniques. Keep these strategies in mind and the fiendish Chain Devil will no longer stand as an insurmountable opponent, allowing players to maintain the upper hand throughout their Magic: The Gathering engagements.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricate playstyle around Chain Devil can unleash its full potential in your MTG deck. This card’s unique handling of hand manipulation and tactical advantage makes it a formidable piece in mentally outmaneuvering your opponents. Deck builders should especially take note of its power in control strategies and the clever use of its instant speed. As you expand your MTG knowledge and collections, consider how Chain Devil could add substantial depth and provoke strategic gameplay in your matches. Embrace the challenge and find out more about incorporating such nuanced cards into your victorious deck strategies.


Cards like Chain Devil

Chain Devil is an interesting entry into Magic: The Gathering’s echelon of devilish creatures. When compared to its fiendish kin, Chain Devil’s distinctive abilities and flavor indeed set it apart. It shares common ground with other red devils like Pitchburn Devils or Rakdos Shred-Freak in that they’re all red, but Chain Devil might offer a more nuanced strategy. For instance, Pitchburn Devils brings a straightforward last-gasp damage ability upon death, while Chain Devil could provide sustained board presence and control with its unique abilities.

Looking to Sin Prodder, another devil of note, the card presents a blend of damage and card advantage, resonating with the disruptive energy devils are known for. However, Chain Devil may shine brighter in decks that capitalize on creature synergy and control. Furthermore, if we consider Vexing Devil, we notice a potential for immediate impact, offering a dangerous choice to opponents. Chain Devil, by contrast, might reward a long-term approach, a slow burn beneficial in specific deck builds where control and gradual advantage are keys to victory.

Acknowledging these comparisons, it’s clear that Chain Devil has a distinct role to play in MTG, with versatility and strategic depth that could find a home in various red deck strategies. Its place among these similar cards is marked not just by shared traits, but also by the singular tactical opportunities it provides.

Pitchburn Devils - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Shred-Freak - MTG Card versions
Sin Prodder - MTG Card versions
Vexing Devil - MTG Card versions
Pitchburn Devils - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Shred-Freak - MTG Card versions
Sin Prodder - MTG Card versions
Vexing Devil - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Chain Devil by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Cabal Surgeon - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Gixian Puppeteer - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Cabal Surgeon - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Gixian Puppeteer - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Chain Devil Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-07-07. Illustrated by Bartek Fedyczak.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 1202015NormalBlackBartek Fedyczak
22022-06-10Battle for Baldur's Gate Art SeriesACLB 82015Art seriesBorderlessBartek Fedyczak
32022-07-07Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's GateHBG 1492015NormalBlackBartek Fedyczak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Chain Devil has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal