Curse of the Pierced Heart MTG Card


Provides steady damage over time, subtly shifting the game’s balance in your favor. Its red mana requirement limits deck versatility, favoring mono-red strategies. Can trigger abilities, enhancing decks with direct damage or spell-slinging synergies.
Curse of the Pierced Heart - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura Curse
Abilities Enchant
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Number138
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byE. M. Gist

Text of card

Enchant player At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, Curse of the Pierced Heart deals 1 damage to that player.

"May your veins weep, and may every vampire take notice." —Stensian curse


Cards like Curse of the Pierced Heart

Curse of the Pierced Heart stands out within the realm of red enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. This particular curse attaches to an opponent and reliably chips away at their life total every turn. It draws a parallel to Curse of the Nightly Hunt, which forces creatures to attack each turn. Both curses manipulate the opponent’s strategy, but Curse of the Pierced Heart does so passively with damage over time.

Examining a more direct comparison, we can look at cards like Sulfuric Vortex. This enchantment deals damage to each player during their upkeep, offering a double-edged sword compared to the one-sided effect of Curse of the Pierced Heart. Furthermore, the Vortex prevents any life gain, imposing a severe constraint that the narrower Curse of the Pierced Heart does not.

Lastly, there’s the persistent damage dealer, Immolation Shaman. While not an enchantment, this creature punishes the opponent for activating abilities of artifacts, creatures, and lands. Unlike our thematic card which guarantees damage outright, Immolation Shaman requires your opponent to trigger its effect. In evaluating these choices, Curse of the Pierced Heart secures its position as a consistent, low-cost damage dealer in a player’s arsenal.

Curse of the Nightly Hunt - MTG Card versions
Sulfuric Vortex - MTG Card versions
Immolation Shaman - MTG Card versions
Curse of the Nightly Hunt - MTG Card versions
Sulfuric Vortex - MTG Card versions
Immolation Shaman - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Curse of the Pierced Heart by color, type and mana cost

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Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions
Power Surge - MTG Card versions
Raging River - MTG Card versions
Smoke - MTG Card versions
Goblin Kites - MTG Card versions
The Brute - MTG Card versions
Giant Strength - MTG Card versions
Lightning Reflexes - MTG Card versions
Errantry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Festival - MTG Card versions
Scald - MTG Card versions
Cave Sense - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Surge - MTG Card versions
Maniacal Rage - MTG Card versions
Battle Strain - MTG Card versions
Goblin Bombardment - MTG Card versions
Underworld Breach - MTG Card versions
Lightning Rift - MTG Card versions
Fractured Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Fire Whip - MTG Card versions
Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Curse of the Pierced Heart. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
BurnBurn PauperBurnPauper League 2024-04-30
Rakdos BurnRakdos Burn PauperBlack BurnPauper League 2024-04-23
Mono Red 2020Mono Red 2020 PauperBurnPauperissima christmas 62 Players- Lega Pauper Comense x Magic Akiba

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Curse of the Pierced Heart doesn’t explicitly let you draw cards, it chips away at your opponent’s life total each turn. Over several turns, it can equate to gaining card advantage as it demands an answer or threatens to incur consistent damage without further investment.

Resource Acceleration: This enchantment may not directly accelerate your resources. However, by applying continuous pressure, it forces your opponent to deal with it, potentially diverting resources they could use elsewhere, indirectly benefiting your position.

Instant Speed: Although Curse of the Pierced Heart is cast at sorcery speed, its effect is akin to a repeated instant, dealing damage every upkeep. This allows you to focus your mana on other spells during your turn while the enchantment works in the background.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Curse of the Pierced Heart doesn’t directly ask for you to discard cards, it’s a non-interactive piece. This could lead to a passive position where more active cards could be discarded in its place, reducing immediate board impact.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a red mana to cast. This specificity can restrict deck inclusion to those that are mono-red or have a strong red component, limiting versatility amongst a broader range of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being an enchantment that can deal consistent damage over time, its initial investment of two mana can be a bit steep. Players might find that there are other cards at similar or lower mana cost that can provide immediate and potentially more impactful effects on the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Curse of the Pierced Heart offers a consistent damage output that can enhance a wide variety of red-based decks. Its ability to steadily chip away at an opponent’s life total makes it a solid pick for both aggressive and control strategies, maintaining pressure throughout the game.

Combo Potential: This enchantment plays well with cards that capitalize on direct damage or spell-slinging synergies. In decks designed around instants and sorceries, it can be the catalyst to trigger prowess or other abilities each turn, adding to its utility.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where longer games are common, Curse of the Pierced Heart shines by providing a reliable source of incremental advantage. Its presence on the board can tilt the scales in your favor quite subtly yet effectively over time, making it quite a smart addition in specific competitive environments.


How to beat

Curse of the Pierced Heart is an intriguing enchantment in the world of MTG that presents a persistent threat to opponents with its direct damage each turn. To effectively counter this card, one strategy is to employ enchantment removal spells that can directly target and dispose of it. Cards like Disenchant or Return to Nature are staple choices in dealing with troublesome enchantments. These provide a simple yet effective means to remove Curse of the Pierced Heart from the game, halting its damage over time.

Another tactic is to utilize life gain effects that can offset the damage dealt by Curse of the Pierced Heart. This approach can help to maintain your life total and buy you additional time to find a more permanent solution. Cards with incremental life gain abilities like Soul Warden or kitchen finks can mitigate the consistent loss, potentially negating the curse’s impact.

It’s also worth noting that Curse of the Pierced Heart demands a specific response depending on the format and the deck you are playing. Ensuring that your deck has the means to deal with enchantments or adopting a strategy that can circumvent or outpace the damage will keep you ahead of the curse and contribute to a more fortified game plan. Identifying and adapting to this enchantment’s presence is key to mastering your MTG gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

The journey into MTG’s strategic depth never ceases to amaze, and Curse of the Pierced Heart serves as a fine example of how even a simple enchantment can shape game outcomes. Its consistent damage output can turn the tide in prolonged matches, proving to be a valuable asset in certain metas and deck builds. Balancing your spells and resources against this perpetual threat requires insight and finesse. For enthusiasts looking to refine their understanding or for competitive spirits aiming to optimize their decks, learning more about such synergistic pieces is critical. Dive deeper with us for tactics, card analysis, and to ensure your collection is battle-ready.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Curse of the Pierced Heart 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 the Pierced Heart and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Curse of the Pierced Heart has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal