Sudden Demise MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. A board sweep for creatures of a single color, Sudden Demise can drastically tilt the game.
  2. Though mana-demanding, its board control potential in a color-centered deck is substantial.
  3. It’s countered by deck diversity, strategic play, and instant-speed protective spells.

Text of card

Choose a color. Sudden Demise deals X damage to each creature of the chosen color.

In the Skyfang Mountains, one misstep can mean the end of an entire clan.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you cast Sudden Demise, you gain an edge by potentially removing multiple creatures of a single color from the board, setting back your opponent’s board presence and swinging the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to resource acceleration, Sudden Demise can effectively decelerate your opponent’s resources by clearing their side of the field of creatures, especially if they have committed to a single color strategy.

Instant Speed: Although Sudden Demise is a sorcery, its strategic impact during your turn can be as significant as an instant. The ability to wipe out creatures of a chosen color before attackers are declared or after blockers are decided can be as game-changing as any instant-speed interaction.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sudden Demise demands a precise investment to your mana pool, exacting red mana expenditure that could complicate your play if your deck is starving for varied mana resources or is strained under a tight mana curve.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s inclusion of an explicit red mana cost narrows its flexibility, particularly within decks that are color-diverse or that already face a heavy mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Sudden Demise can be a game-changer, its higher mana cost means that in fast-paced games, it might arrive too late. Other cards could provide similar board impact or damage output with a lower mana investment, offering more agile responses to developing threats.


Reasons to Include Sudden Demise in Your Collection

Versatility: Sudden Demise offers flexibility in its ability to sweep away creatures of the same color, making it a valuable tool in Commander where board states can become complex and varied.

Combo Potential: This card can work seamlessly with strategies that focus on color distribution or benefit from one-sided board wipes, making it a potential linchpin in cunning game plans.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting landscape of creature-heavy decks, Sudden Demise is increasingly relevant, potentially clearing the way for victory against opponents who favor swarming the board.


How to beat Sudden Demise

Sudden Demise is a card that can catch many players off guard, drastically changing the state of the battlefield by dealing X damage to each creature of a chosen color. Successfully navigating around this red sorcery requires strategic planning and a diverse palette of creatures in your deck. Maintaining a multicolored creature base can mitigate the impact of Sudden Demise, ensuring that not all your creatures share the same vulnerability. Additionally, incorporating instant-speed spells that can either give your creatures indestructibility or increase their toughness temporarily will help shield them from the devastation that this card is capable of unleashing.

One effective strategy is to hold back on deploying too many creatures of a single color until you’re certain your opponent doesn’t have Sudden Demise in hand or until you’re ready to counter its potential activation. Playing around an opponent’s mana reserve can also give clues about their capacity to cast this card effectively. Moreover, having access to cards that can counter noncreature spells is essential in blue-based control decks, not only to stop Sudden Demise but also other game-altering sorceries your foe might have. The key is to keep a watchful eye on board state and mana while wisely managing your creature assets.


Cards like Sudden Demise

Sudden Demise brings a unique element to red sweeper cards in Magic: The Gathering. It has close relations to cards like Pyroclasm and Volcanic Fallout which also deal damage across the board. However, Sudden Demise has the flexibility to be more targeted, offering the ability to choose a color and only harm creatures of that hue. This distinction provides strategic depth, allowing players to tailor the impact to the situation.

Blasphemous Act is another card that might come up in comparison. Functioning as a red board clear, Blasphemous Act has the potential for a massive damage sweep but its cost is heavily dependent on the number of creatures on the battlefield. Sudden Demise, in contrast, offers immediate and controlled damage that can be critical when facing multicolored creature decks.

Lastly, the parallel with Slagstorm is noteworthy. Slagstorm provides an option for direct damage to creatures or players, offering versatility. However, Sudden Demise’s color-focused mechanic can sometimes give it an edge by preserving your own board state.

When looking at these comparisons and weighing the utility each card provides, Sudden Demise carves a niche for itself among MTG red sweepers with its distinctive selective damage capability, making it a go-to for players needing precision board control.

Pyroclasm - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Fallout - MTG Card versions
Blasphemous Act - MTG Card versions
Slagstorm - MTG Card versions
Pyroclasm - Ice Age (ICE)
Volcanic Fallout - Conflux (CON)
Blasphemous Act - Innistrad (ISD)
Slagstorm - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Sudden Demise by color, type and mana cost

Earthquake - MTG Card versions
Fireball - MTG Card versions
Disintegrate - MTG Card versions
Goblin Grenade - MTG Card versions
Mana Clash - MTG Card versions
Winds of Change - MTG Card versions
Detonate - MTG Card versions
Meteor Shower - MTG Card versions
Tremor - MTG Card versions
Blaze - MTG Card versions
Seething Anger - MTG Card versions
Gamble - MTG Card versions
Meltdown - MTG Card versions
Landslide - MTG Card versions
Ghitu Fire - MTG Card versions
Tahngarth's Glare - MTG Card versions
Lava Burst - MTG Card versions
Overmaster - MTG Card versions
Devil's Play - MTG Card versions
Firebolt - MTG Card versions
Earthquake - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Fireball - The List (PLST)
Disintegrate - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Goblin Grenade - The List (PLST)
Mana Clash - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Winds of Change - Masters Edition (ME1)
Detonate - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Meteor Shower - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Tremor - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Blaze - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Seething Anger - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Gamble - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Meltdown - Urza's Saga (USG)
Landslide - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Ghitu Fire - Invasion (INV)
Tahngarth's Glare - Apocalypse (APC)
Lava Burst - Deckmasters (DKM)
Overmaster - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Devil's Play - Shadows of the Past (SIS)
Firebolt - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sudden Demise MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2013 and Archenemy: Nicol Bolas, 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 Sudden Demise and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sudden Demise Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-11-01 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Dan Scott.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-11-01Commander 2013C13 1242003normalblackDan Scott
22017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 592015normalblackDan Scott
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10712015normalblackDan Scott
42020-09-26The ListPLST E01-592015normalblackDan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sudden Demise has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-10-17 Sudden Demise will deal damage to a multicolored creature if one of its colors is the chosen color.
2013-10-17 You choose the value for X as you cast Sudden Demise. You don’t choose the color until it resolves.

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