Curse of Death's Hold MTG Card
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 5 |
Rarity | Rare |
Type | Enchantment — Aura Curse |
Abilities | Enchant |
Released | 2011-09-30 |
Set symbol | |
Set name | Innistrad |
Set code | ISD |
Number | 94 |
Frame | 2003 |
Layout | Normal |
Border | Black |
Illustred by | Clint Cearley |
Text of card
Enchant player Creatures enchanted player controls get -1/-1.
"May you and all your kin waste and wither until your clan is no more!"
Cards like Curse of Death's Hold
Curse of Death’s Hold offers a unique position in the realm of enchantment cards that weaken creatures. Like its MTG brethren, Shrivel, it affects the power of creatures across the board. Shrivel decreases each creature’s toughness by 1 until the end of the turn. While Shrivel is a one-time event, Curse of Death’s Hold has a prolonged presence, constantly diminishing the opponents’ creatures’ power and toughness.
Another card, Night of Souls’ Betrayal, echoes a similar persistent effect, imposing a -1/-1 on all creatures just as Curse of Death’s Hold does. However, Night of Souls’ Betrayal lacks the targeted curse mechanic, applying its effect universally instead. Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, also offers a similar perpetual debuff to your opponents’ creatures, but goes a step further by boosting your own creatures’ power and toughness. Unlike the specificity of Curse of Death’s Hold, Elesh Norn’s influence is far wider in scope.
To conclude, while there are a variety of cards that can debilitate your opponent’s forces, Curse of Death’s Hold stands out due to its continual target-specific curse, a strategic tool for controlling the battlefield over time in the ever-evolving landscape of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Curse of Death's Hold by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Curse of Death's Hold. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mono-Black Combo | Legacy | 96 / The 96th Legacy at Home | ||
4-color Loam | Legacy | Curses | 2023 NA Legacy Champs | |
Mono-Black Helm | Legacy | 2023 Asia Legacy Championship |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Curse of Death’s Hold can create persistent card advantage by weakening opponent’s creatures, potentially rendering their board ineffective and reducing the value of their future creature plays.
Resource Acceleration: Though not directly involved in mana acceleration, it allows for resource advantage by diminishing the need for further removal spells, thereby saving cards in hand for other strategic plays.
Instant Speed: While Curse of Death’s Hold is not an instant itself, its enduring effect on the battlefield can be comparable to having a constant, invisible force at instant speed, continuously hampering your opponent’s creatures without needing to spend additional resources on spot removal every turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Curse of Death’s Hold doesn’t force a discard, it’s important to note that playing such enchantments could potentially leave fewer cards in your hand, making you vulnerable to opposing strategies that target your hand size.
Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment demands a specific blend of mana, requiring two black and three other mana to cast. This dedicated color commitment can make it challenging to include in multicolored decks that might struggle with consistently attaining the necessary mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana, Curse of Death’s Hold is a relatively expensive enchantment. There are alternative cards that might provide similar creature weakening effects at a lower mana investment, offering potentially quicker, more flexible responses in a game where timing can be everything.
Reasons to Include Curse of Death’s Hold in Your Collection
Versatility: Curse of Death’s Hold offers broad utility across various deck archetypes. Its ability to give all your opponent’s creatures -1/-1 can disrupt token strategies, weaken combat capabilities, and even nullify the effects of utility creatures, making it a valuable card for control decks or any strategy that needs to manage the board.
Combo Potential: This enchantment can become part of powerful combinations, particularly with cards that thrive on opponent’s creatures dying. Pair it with cards that benefit from or cause additional -1/-1 counters, and you’ll amplify both the curse’s impact and your synergistic potential. This can lead to wipeouts of entire creature boards, shifting the game heavily in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creature-based strategies prevail, Curse of Death’s Hold carries significant relevance. It can act as a continuous hurdle for aggro decks that rely on a fast build-up of creatures, making it a strategic card to keep in any collection for its potential to tilt matches against creature-heavy opponents and maintain control of the game.
How to beat
Curse of Death’s Hold is a unique enchantment card that brings a persistent obstacle to the battlefield by giving opposing creatures a notable disadvantage. It’s akin to other detrimental auras in Magic: The Gathering, such as Night of Souls’ Betrayal, although the latter affects all creatures on the field, not just an opponent’s.
Dealing with Curse of Death’s Hold requires a strategic approach, focusing on removal spells like Disenchant, which can directly target and eliminate enchantments. Another tactic is employing hexproof or indestructible creatures that can shrug off the curse’s effect or cards like Sterling Grove, which can shield your other permanents from such detrimental enchantments. Additionally, playing a creature-light deck or a deck with powerful, high-toughness creatures can mitigate the impact of the curse’s ability.
Effectively countering Curse of Death’s Hold necessitates a flexible build and an awareness of enchantment removal options, ensuring that the curse doesn’t stifle the development of your board. Mastering these strategies will secure your creatures from such oppressive enchantments and maintain your advantage during the game.
BurnMana Recommendations
MTG players often face the challenge of enhancing their gameplay and strategically upgrading their decks. Curse of Death’s Hold is a card that boasts the potential to significantly alter the battlefield, proving especially effective against creature-heavy strategies. Understanding its strengths and how it interacts with the current metagame can be the key to dominating your next MTG match. If you’re keen to discover the intricate synergies and tactical plays this card can offer, delve deeper into our wealth of resources. Enhance your MTG knowledge and fortify your deck with Curse of Death’s Hold by learning more with us.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Curse of Death's Hold MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Curse of Death's Hold and other MTG cards:
BUY NOWBurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Curse of Death's Hold has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Penny | Legal |