Damnable Pact MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Scalable card draw with Damnable Pact adjusts to your hand-size needs at critical game junctures.
  2. While not a direct mana source, it can ramp up your in-game tempo by drawing you into more resources.
  3. Strategic timing for cast is crucial, pivot your gameplay around your opponents’ vulnerabilities with Damnable Pact.

Text of card

Target player draws X cards and loses X life.

"Silumgar's mind is a dark labyrinth, full of grim secrets and subtle traps." —Siara, the Dragon's Mouth


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the ability to draw X cards, Damnable Pact offers flexible scalability in card draws. This ensures that whether you need just a couple of extra options or a whole new hand, you can tap into this resource. It comes in handy to reload your hand, especially during the later stages of the game when you need to find answers or additional threats.

Resource Acceleration: Damnable Pact can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by drawing you into more lands or spells that generate additional mana. Even though it doesn’t create mana directly, the potential to access more of your deck’s resources can escalate your game’s tempo.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Damnable Pact requires strategic planning for the perfect moment. Timing your play for maximum effect when your opponent’s guard is down or when they have the least chance to disrupt your plans secures its optimal use. This can be a pivotal move, pivoting the game in your favor through a well-stocked hand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A notable downside to Damnable Pact is the lack of a discard requirement, which means that while you gain cards, you don’t have the flexibility to sculpt your hand by discarding less useful cards – something many players find valuable in controlling their gameplay strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black mana and generic mana, Damnable Pact’s mana cost can be a challenge in multi-color decks that may not have consistent access to black mana sources, potentially causing the card to sit unused in your hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a minimum of two black mana and X generic mana, Damnable Pact’s mana investment can be quite steep, especially when looking to draw a significant amount of cards. This can make it less efficient compared to alternative card draw spells in MTG, leaving players with less mana available for other actions during their turn.


Reasons to Include Damnable Pact in Your Collection

Versatility: Damnable Pact offers a dual benefit; it can serve as a potent draw engine for yourself or as a lethal tool against opponents. Its flexibility allows it to adapt to a variety of black-themed decks, from controlling archetypes that crave card advantage to aggressive strategies that aim to deplete the opponent’s life total.

Combo Potential: In decks that manipulate life totals or have synergies with pay-life mechanics, Damnable Pact can be particularly devastating. It can complement strategies focused on cards like “Vilis, Broker of Blood” or “Font of Agonies,” turning loss of life into a resource rather than a detriment.

Meta-Relevance: As meta games fluctuate, a card like Damnable Pact remains relevant due to its inherent adaptability. In slower meta environments, using the card for its card-drawing ability can keep your hand filled with answers and threats, while faster-paced games might see Damnable Pact closing out games by forcing an opponent to draw into lethal damage.


How to beat Damnable Pact

Damnable Pact stands out as a flexible card in Magic: The Gathering, allowing players to draw cards at the cost of losing life. This card can be a double-edged sword, acting both as a resource advantage for the caster and as potential damage to the opponent.

To counteract Damnable Pact, it is key to maintain a high life total, employ disruption tactics, or apply pressure that forces your opponent to use their mana elsewhere. Life-gain strategies can mitigate the life loss, making Damnable Pact less impactful. Moreover, cards that can negate spell effects or discard them from your opponent’s hand preemptively are paramount in maintaining control over the match. Disruption spells like Duress or Thoughtseize can be beneficial in removing Damnable Pact before it becomes a threat.

Strategically leveraging your own life total to survive the extra card draw is another viable technique. Wisdom in conserving life points throughout the game ensures you don’t fall victim to the potentially lethal drawback Damnable Pact can impose. Ultimately, understanding when to apply pressure and when to play defensively makes navigating around Damnable Pact’s risks manageable, maintaining the upper hand in your Magic: The Gathering bouts.


BurnMana Recommendations

Discovering the rich strategies of MTG is an ever-evolving process that demands a balance of tactics and powerful cards like Damnable Pact. With insight into its pros and cons, versatilities, and alternatives, you can craft decks that resonate with your unique playstyle. Whether you’re optimizing a control deck or seeking that game-ending twist, Damnable Pact can be a pivotal inclusion. Eager to deepen your strategic edge and make informed choices for your next match? Dive into our detailed analysis to harness the full potential of your MTG deck and secure those satisfying victories.


Cards like Damnable Pact

Damnable Pact is an intriguing entry into the catalog of black mana spells within Magic: The Gathering. It draws a parallel with cards like Sign in Blood and Night’s Whisper, which both offer the ability to draw cards at the cost of life points. Damnable Pact gives players control over the amount of life spent and cards drawn, flexibility that its counterparts lack. However, while Sign in Blood and Night’s Whisper are more mana-efficient, they do not offer the same potential card volume that Damnable Pact can achieve.

Comparatively, Read the Bones enters the fray, another black spell that allows scrying in addition to drawing cards. Though it does provide the opportunity to filter the next draw, it lacks the dynamic scale of life and card trade-off provided by Damnable Pact. Furthermore, Damnable Pact also has the potential to double as a finishing move against an opponent by forcing them to draw enough cards to deplete their life total, a strategic twist these similar spells do not have.

Each of these black spells offers card advantage with varying degrees of life investment. While Damnable Pact may come with a steeper mana cost, its versatility and potential for high impact make it a unique and powerful tool in the right deck.

Sign in Blood - MTG Card versions
Night's Whisper - MTG Card versions
Read the Bones - MTG Card versions
Sign in Blood - Magic 2010 (M10)
Night's Whisper - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Read the Bones - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Damnable Pact by color, type and mana cost

Drain Life - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Sinkhole - MTG Card versions
Word of Binding - MTG Card versions
Soul Exchange - MTG Card versions
Dry Spell - MTG Card versions
Hymn to Tourach - MTG Card versions
Mind Knives - MTG Card versions
Shattered Crypt - MTG Card versions
Disturbed Burial - MTG Card versions
Death Stroke - MTG Card versions
Exhume - MTG Card versions
Imperial Edict - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Intent - MTG Card versions
Decompose - MTG Card versions
Chainer's Edict - MTG Card versions
Walk the Plank - MTG Card versions
Predators' Hour - MTG Card versions
Nausea - MTG Card versions
Hunger of the Nim - MTG Card versions
Drain Life - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Demonic Tutor - Commander Masters (CMM)
Sinkhole - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Word of Binding - Renaissance (REN)
Soul Exchange - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Dry Spell - Portal (POR)
Hymn to Tourach - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Mind Knives - Portal (POR)
Shattered Crypt - Weatherlight (WTH)
Disturbed Burial - Tempest (TMP)
Death Stroke - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Exhume - Jumpstart (JMP)
Imperial Edict - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Diabolic Intent - Planeshift (PLS)
Decompose - Odyssey (ODY)
Chainer's Edict - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Walk the Plank - The List (PLST)
Predators' Hour - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nausea - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hunger of the Nim - Darksteel (DST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Damnable Pact MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Dragons of Tarkir Promos, 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 Damnable Pact and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Damnable Pact Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by Zack Stella.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 932015normalblackZack Stella
22015-03-28Dragons of Tarkir PromosPDTK 93s2015normalblackZack Stella
32017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1082015normalblackZack Stella
42021-04-23Commander 2021C21 1392015normalblackZack Stella
52021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1262015normalblackZack Stella
62022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 2452015normalblackZack Stella

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Damnable Pact has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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