Spiteful Shadows MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2012-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Dark Ascension
Set code	DKA
Number	75
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	John Stanko

Key Takeaways

It leverages strategic play over direct resource generation, subtly tipping combat in your favor.
The aura demands careful inclusion, given its mana specificity and potential self-damage risk.
Despite its cons, it shines in metas dominated by creature-focused strategies, impacting opponent tactics.

Text of card

Enchant creature Whenever enchanted creature is dealt damage, it deals that much damage to its controller.

"Let us remind these human cattle why they fear the shadows of this world." —Aldreg, Skirsdag cultist

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spiteful Shadows might not draw you cards directly, but it significantly deters your opponents from targeting the enchanted creature, leaving your other valuable creatures safe. This strategic advantage can indirectly contribute to card conservation, which is just as vital as drawing new cards in many gaming scenarios.

Resource Acceleration: Though Spiteful Shadows doesn’t ramp you up in the traditional sense with extra mana, it can accelerate your board state by turning any creature into a threatening blocker. Your opponents will have to think twice before attacking, potentially giving you the time needed to deploy more resources or threats on board.

Instant Speed: While Spiteful Shadows is an aura with enchant creature at sorcery speed, its impact is instantaneous and lasting. Once attached to a creature, it acts as a deterrent, shaping the pace of the game. With this card in play, your opponents must instantly calculate the risk of dealing damage, changing the dynamics of combat in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spiteful Shadows forces the enchanted creature’s controller to lose life when it’s dealt damage, which can backfire if your opponent finds a way to redirect that damage back to your other creatures or even your own life total.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires black mana, which confines it to certain deck archetypes and can restrict deck-building flexibility, especially in formats that favor multicolor combinations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of two and one black mana, Spiteful Shadows can feel costly for an aura that does not inherently protect the enchanted creature or provide immediate board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spiteful Shadows offers a unique enchantment option that easily fits into decks designed to punish opponents for attacking or using their creatures. It’s a great addition to any collection for its ability to turn the tide in creature-heavy matchups.

Combo Potential: This enchantment pairs well with cards that force opponents to tap or use their creatures, leading to significant damage. With the right board state, it can be a game-changer when combined with damage amplifiers or strategies that incentivize or force creatures to engage in combat.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Spiteful Shadows excels by making opponents second-guess their attacks. It acts as a deterrent, potentially slowing down aggressive plays and giving you the upper hand in maintaining board control.

How to beat

Spiteful Shadows is a unique aura in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that can turn any creature into a double-edged sword. This card attaches to a creature and promises heavy damage to that creature’s controller every time it’s dealt damage. Its strength lies in its ability to dissuade opponents from using their own creatures for fear of inflicting self-damage, effectively transforming one of their assets into a liability.

To overcome this devious enchantment, one effective strategy is to remove it with enchantment destruction spells or abilities. Cards like Nature’s Claim or Disenchant can unshackle a creature from the baleful grip of Spiteful Shadows, preventing any further self-harm. Another tactic can be to avoid damaging the enchanted creature altogether, thus rendering the Shadows’ effect moot. Players should also consider using hexproof or indestructible abilities to shield their creatures from being valid targets of such threatening auras in the first place.

Ultimately, while Spiteful Shadows can shape the battlefield by imposing a painful cost on combat decisions, it can be deftly handled with careful play and the right countermeasures, keeping the shadows at bay and ensuring your creatures remain effective tools in your strategy.

Cards like Spiteful Shadows

Spiteful Shadows is an intriguing Aura in MTG that brings a unique twist to punishing blocking or damaged creatures. It bears some resemblance to cards such as Stab Wound, which similarly sticks to a creature and has a detrimental effect. Stab Wound not only decreases a creature’s power but also saps the opponent’s life each turn, serving a dual purpose. Spiteful Shadows, while lacking the passive damage, it can dish out more significant punishment when the enchanted creature takes damage, potentially turning any hit into a lethal blow to the opponent’s life total.

In comparison, Curse of the Pierced Heart offers a steady trickle of damage but only to the opponent rather than the creature itself. Conversely, Spiteful Shadows can lead to a dramatic loss of life in a single instance if the creature is dealt a lot of damage at once. Then there’s the similar, yet distinct, card Illness in the Ranks. This enchantment reduces the power of all token creatures opponents control, affecting the board state rather than targeting a single creature. Nonetheless, it lacks the explosive retaliation capability of Spiteful Shadows.

Therefore, when considering enchantments that impact creatures and the game at various levels, Spiteful Shadows holds its own for its potential to turn any damage event into a game-ending scenario for an opponent.

Curse of the Pierced Heart - MTG Card versions

Illness in the Ranks - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Spiteful Shadows by color, type and mana cost

Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions

Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions

Aphemia, the Cacophony - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spiteful Shadows MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension, 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 Spiteful Shadows and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spiteful Shadows has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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