Bane of the Living MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Insect
Abilities Morph
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Bane of the Living’s morph ability provides effective board control and unexpected play dynamics.
  2. The card’s specific mana cost and discard requirement add a layer of deck-building strategy.
  3. Its versatility and combo potential make it a valuable asset against creature-heavy decks.

Text of card

Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Bane of the Living is turned face up, all creatures get -X/-X until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bane of the Living presents a unique mechanism for board control by using its morph ability. This means that even when faced with a full board, you can effectively clear your opponent’s lesser creatures, preserving your own position and potentially resulting in a significant advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While this card itself doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, its effect can save you from having to spend additional mana on separate removal spells. This allows you to allocate resources elsewhere, optimizing your gameplay and advancing your board state more efficiently.

Instant Speed: Bane of the Living can be turned face up at instant speed thanks to its morph cost. This strategic advantage means you can wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to unleash its lethal ability, catching them off guard and possibly disrupting their calculated plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of Bane of the Living, the card necessitates a discard action to unleash its full potential. This can strain your hand, especially when you’re trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Bane of the Living requires a mix of generic and black mana to cast. This specific mana cost can be restrictive, as it compels deck builders to have a substantial amount of black mana sources, potentially limiting the card’s inclusion to mono-black or black-heavy decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost of four mana, including two black mana, Bane of the Living can be seen as expensive. Particularly when considering that to get significant value from its morph mechanic, additional mana must be invested, which could be prohibitive in faster-paced games where tempo is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bane of the Living offers a unique flexibility in deck construction. Its morph cost allows for sneaky play, waiting for the perfect moment to flip and clear the board, making it a match for varied strategies—from control to midrange.

Combo Potential: As a creature with a built-in board wipe, Bane of the Living synergizes well with various graveyard recursion tactics or strategies that benefit from creature death triggers, enhancing both offensive and defensive plays.

Meta-Relevance: In metas crowded with creature-heavy decks, Bane of the Living proves its weight in cardboard gold. This card can single-handedly turn the tide of battle, effectively resetting the battlefield to the favor of the strategic player.


How to beat

Bane of the Living is a unique creature card that delivers a devastating impact on the battlefield when unleashed. Its morph ability allows for a surprise mass removal that is hard to counteract, changing the momentum of the game and obliterating the opponent’s creatures when flipped for its morph cost. This utility can turn a precarious situation into a commanding advantage.

However, the tide can be turned. Artifact-based decks or those that relish in graveyard play can often sidestep the dangers of Bane of the Living. Cards that grant indestructible to your creatures or those that benefit from having creatures in the graveyard can mitigate the impact. Another strategy involves the use of counterspells or hand disruption to prevent Bane of the Living from being played in the first place. Smart deck building and anticipating the morph mechanic are key in keeping this powerhouse in check.

Intelligence and preparation are essential. By incorporating cards that can counteract Bane of the Living’s lurk-and-destroy approach, players can maintain a strong defense and push forward to victory, demonstrating once again that knowledge is power in the world of MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the nuances of Bane of the Living offers a fresh perspective on board management in MTG. Whether maximizing its morph triggering timing or integrating it into multi-faceted strategies, Bane of the Living adds a dynamic layer to game play. Its dual identity as both a creature and a removal tool makes it a versatile addition to any collection. As you refine your decks and plan for future matches, consider how Bane of the Living can offer you a competitive edge. Curious about how to incorporate such versatile cards seamlessly into your deck? Explore with us, as we dissect advanced tactics and synergies to enhance your MTG experience.


Cards like Bane of the Living

Bane of the Living is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, with its Morph ability allowing it to be initially cast face down as a 2/2 creature for three mana. When flipped for its Morph cost, it also brings a devastating mass removal effect based on the amount of black mana spent. This is somewhat reminiscent of the card Damnation, a staple in black decks for its straightforward board wipe capabilities. However, Bane of the Living offers the added flexibility of being a creature that can participate in combat or serve as a surprise board clear.

Equally notable is Toxic Deluge, another flexible card allowing players to pay life to clear the board to varying degrees. While it doesn’t share the creature element with Bane of the Living, it provides control over the extent of destruction based on life payment. Life’s Finale is another related card that not only wipes the board but also disrupts an opponent by searching their library for three creatures and putting them into their graveyard. Unlike Bane of the Living, it doesn’t come with the surprise factor of Morph but excels in graveyard manipulation.

When evaluating mass removal options, Bane of the Living holds its own with its duality as a creature and en masse removal, which could pivot the game’s direction in the right setting within Magic: The Gathering.

Damnation - MTG Card versions
Toxic Deluge - MTG Card versions
Life's Finale - MTG Card versions
Damnation - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Toxic Deluge - Commander 2013 (C13)
Life's Finale - New Phyrexia (NPH)

Cards similar to Bane of the Living 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 - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Cabal Surgeon - Torment (TOR)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Gixian Puppeteer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bane of the Living MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Commander 2016, 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 Bane of the Living and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bane of the Living Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2019-08-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-02-03LegionsLGN 601997normalblackJustin Sweet
22016-11-11Commander 2016C16 1062015normalblackJustin Sweet
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 582015normalblackJustin Sweet
42019-08-23Commander 2019C19 1042015normalblackFilip Burburan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bane of the Living has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 The X in the ability has the same value as the X paid in the Morph ability. This is pretty easy to derive since there is no other source of X.
2004-10-04 The trigger occurs when you use the Morph ability to turn the card face up, or when an effect turns it face up. It will not trigger on being revealed or on leaving the battlefield.

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