Cloudkill MTG Card


Cloudkill delivers card advantage by eradicating multiple creatures at once, shifting board control. Its instant speed casting allows for responsive tactics during crucial moments of play. Despite its power, the discard condition and mana restrictions require thoughtful deck integration.
Cloudkill - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2022-06-10
Set symbol
Set nameCommander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
Set codeCLB
Number121
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDavid Szabo

Text of card

All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the greatest mana value of a commander you own on the battlefield or in the command zone.

As the acrid fumes drifted through the Lower City, even the vermin ceased to stir.


Cards like Cloudkill

Cloudkill breathes a deadly air into Magic: The Gathering’s pool of mass removal spells. It stands alongside others such as Infest, which similarly sweeps away creatures with a limited toughness threshold. Cloudkill, however, uniquely targets creatures without flying, leaving aerial threats unscathed. Infest doesn’t discriminate – all creatures of a certain toughness are eradicated, regardless of their airborne abilities.

Conversely, Languish is another comparable card, all creatures get -4/-4, affecting the entire battlefield without prejudice. This broader scope can be either an advantage or a hindrance, depending on your strategy. Unlike the surgical precision of Cloudkill, Languish’s indiscriminate nature doesn’t spare your own non-flyers from its wrath.

Therefore, in an evaluation of MTG board-clearing options, Cloudkill sits as a strategic pick for decks looking to preserve their own fleet while crippling grounded opponents. Its ability to selectively cleanse the board gives players an interesting tactical lever, particularly effective against creature-heavy decks that rely on non-flying entities.

Infest - MTG Card versions
Languish - MTG Card versions
Infest - MTG Card versions
Languish - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Cloudkill by color, type and mana cost

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Kiss of Death - MTG Card versions
Dark Offering - MTG Card versions
Rain of Daggers - MTG Card versions
Corrupt - MTG Card versions
Poison Arrow - MTG Card versions
Morbid Hunger - MTG Card versions
Haunting Voyage - MTG Card versions
Zombie Apocalypse - MTG Card versions
Blood on the Snow - MTG Card versions
Choice of Damnations - MTG Card versions
Beseech the Queen - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Incursion - MTG Card versions
Stolen Grain - MTG Card versions
Blood Tribute - MTG Card versions
Essence Feed - MTG Card versions
Life's Finale - MTG Card versions
Hex - MTG Card versions
Grave Exchange - MTG Card versions
Twilight's Call - MTG Card versions
Assassin's Strike - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cloudkill provides a powerful sweeping effect that can potentially clear out multiple creatures from the board, leading to a significant advantage in the number of cards in play.

Resource Acceleration: Although Cloudkill itself doesn’t produce mana or treasure tokens, eliminating opponent creatures can accelerate your effective resources by decreasing the opposition’s defenses and allowing your attacks to go through more easily.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Cloudkill at instant speed offers strategic flexibility, enabling you to respond to your opponent’s moves during their turn, potentially disrupting their plans or making your own maneuvers more effective post-clearance.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One drawback of Cloudkill is its discard condition that activates upon not meeting a certain play requirement. This could deplete a player’s hand, especially detrimental in tight game situations where card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Cloudkill demands a distinct mana combination to cast. This specificity can make it less flexible for players who run multi-color decks and need to carefully manage their mana pool.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a substantial mana requirement, utilizing Cloudkill comes at a premium. Players must consider whether the cost aligns with their strategy, especially when there are alternative spells that could achieve similar board impact at a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Cloudkill in Your Collection

Versatility: Cloudkill can be a boon for any deck that thrives on controlling the board. Its ability to wipe out creatures with a specific toughness provides a targeted approach to disrupting your opponent’s strategy.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with decks that manipulate toughness stats or benefit from sending creatures to the graveyard. It can be the key piece in a combo that tilts the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where small to medium creatures dominate, Cloudkill becomes a game-changer. It offers a cost-efficient solution to clear multiple threats at once, preserving your hold on the game.


How to beat

Cloudkill is a powerful card that can shape the battlefield by slowly corroding the defenses of creatures caught in its grasp. When facing Cloudkill, timing and creature selection are critical. Prioritize fielding creatures with high toughness to withstand the depletion effect, or use instant-speed removal spells to clear away the card before it can fully impact your forces. Cards with regeneration or indestructible abilities also become invaluable, as they can survive the debilitating effects of Cloudkill.

Consider employing counterspell strategies to prevent Cloudkill from hitting the board in the first place. Similarly, having enchantment removal in your deck can be a lifesaver, and cards like Disenchant serve this very purpose efficiently. Strategic playing and deck tuning to include these resilient or reactive elements will give you a strong advantage against the creeping death that is Cloudkill.

Understanding and anticipating the long-term attrition Cloudkill imposes allows you to set up your gameplan accordingly. Adapt your strategy to ensure your creatures can survive the encounter or avoid the threat altogether through smart deck construction and keen timing, turning the tide of the game in your favour despite facing this formidable foe.


Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cloudkill has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cloudkill card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-06-10 If your commander is under the control of another player as Cloudkill resolves, it is still on the battlefield and will still be used to determine the value of X.