Dark Confidant MTG Card


Dark Confidant excels at providing card advantage, a crucial component for maintaining the upper hand in matches. Lifespan and deck synergy are key when incorporating Dark Confidant, making it suited for decks with low mana curves. Its impact on multiple MTG formats showcases Dark Confidant’s flexibility and enduring relevance in the competitive scene.
Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its converted mana cost.

Greatness, at any cost.


Cards like Dark Confidant

Dark Confidant, a powerful addition to any Magic: The Gathering deck, has similarities to a few noteworthy cards. Bob Maher’s invitational card stands firm in a category of card advantage spells. For comparison, Phyrexian Arena operates similarly, providing an extra draw, with a life cost, without a bearer’s mana cost attached. But where Dark Confidant shines is in its early-game potential, a two-drop creature with substantial impact.

Another worthy comparison is Ad Nauseam, which offers a card for life tradeoff similar to Dark Confidant. But its immediate and potentially game-ending effect at a higher mana investment contrasts with Dark Confidant’s incremental value production.

Lastly, Underworld Connections presents some parallels. It gives targeted card draw and life payment flexibility. But it requires land commitment and mana per draw, unlike the constant, effortless card advantage Dark Confidant provides.

To summarize, assessing similar cards to Dark Confidant highlights its exceptional blend of early-game presence and continual value creation, making it a prominent card in Magic: The Gathering.

Phyrexian Arena - MTG Card versions
Ad Nauseam - MTG Card versions
Underworld Connections - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Arena - MTG Card versions
Ad Nauseam - MTG Card versions
Underworld Connections - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Dark Confidant by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Lurrus SagaLurrus Saga VintageLurrus SagaVintage Preliminary 2024-02-16
Sultai MidrangeSultai Midrange VintageSultai MidrangeVintage League 2024-02-22
JundJund ModernJundModern League 2024-02-24
Rakdos MidrangeRakdos Midrange ModernRakdos MidrangeModern Preliminary 2024-02-21 (1)
Turbo BloodTurbo Blood Free formCanadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed
Mono-Black LandsMono-Black Lands Legacy3 LPL OPEN - SEASON V - LIGA PAULISTA LEGACY
Jund SagavanJund Sagavan ModernJund SagaGrand Open Qualifier Prague 2024
Grixis ControlGrixis Control Legacy$5K - Legacy - SCG CON Philadelphia - Sunday - 9:30 am
Jund AggroJund Aggro ModernJund Saga$10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Philadelphia - Saturday - 9:00 am
Jund ControlJund Control ModernJund AggroThe Gathering Showdown Series
 


Pros of Using Dark Confidant

Card Advantage: Dark Confidant is an efficient tool for sustaining or even increasing your card advantage. Every upkeep, Dark Confidant allows the controller to reveal the top card from their library and put it into their hand, thus providing ongoing card flow.

Resource Acceleration: Although Dark Confidant does not add mana directly, the consistent card draw facilitates quicker access to your lands and spells. With a swift two-mana cost, Dark Confidant works as an accelerant for your game plan while potentially giving you the edge over opponents.

Instant Speed: While Dark Confidant lacks instant speed, it creates consistent pressure with its ability triggering at the beginning of your upkeep. This leads to a stream of resources that do not rely on the speed of the card, but instead its persistent ability activation every turn.


Cons of Dark Confidant

Discard Requirement: Notably, the Dark Confidant card does not require you to discard a card. Yet, its effect at the beginning of your upkeep reveals the top card of your library, and you lose life equal to its converted mana cost – essentially, you are forced to discard life points instead.

Specific Mana Cost: Dark Confidant has a restrictive mana cost, specifically two black mana. This characteristic can limit its use to specific deck types that can easily produce the necessary black mana, thereby reducing its overall versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the converted mana cost of Dark Confidant is only two, with its effect, the life you may lose can be considerably higher depending on the card revealed, which increases the “mana cost” risk to use this card in your deck.


Reasons to Include Dark Confidant in Your Collection

Versatility: Dark Confidant is a staple in many types of decks, especially those that favor aggressive strategies and continuous card draw. This card’s value hinges on its low casting cost, combined with the constant refilling of your hand – making it useful across a broad spectrum in MTG.

Combo Potential: With Dark Confidant on the field, your deck’s draw potential skyrockets. It synergizes with cards that interact with your hand size, your discard pile, and even damage mitigation strategies – turning each revelation of a new card into a tactical advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s often dominated by faster tempo decks, Dark Confidant has the potential to contribute significantly. By providing constant card draw, it ensures you never run out of responses, making it a highly valued component in today’s meta-game.


Similar Cards

Dark Confidant, a powerful addition to any Magic: The Gathering deck, has similarities to a few noteworthy cards. Bob Maher’s invitational card stands firm in a category of card advantage spells. For comparison, Phyrexian Arena operates similarly, providing an extra draw, with a life cost, without a bearer’s mana cost attached. But where Dark Confidant shines is in its early-game potential, a two-drop creature with substantial impact.

Another worthy comparison is Ad Nauseam, which offers a card for life tradeoff similar to Dark Confidant. But its immediate and potentially game-ending effect at a higher mana investment contrasts with Dark Confidant’s incremental value production.

Lastly, Underworld Connections presents some parallels. It gives targeted card draw and life payment flexibility. But it requires land commitment and mana per draw, unlike the constant, effortless card advantage Dark Confidant provides.

To summarize, assessing similar cards to Dark Confidant highlights its exceptional blend of early-game presence and continual value creation, making it a prominent card in Magic: The Gathering.


How to Beat Dark Confidant

The Dark Confidant is a powerful ally in any MTG deck. This opponent’s strength lies in their ability to draw extra cards each turn, providing a steady stream of resources to the player. But don’t worry, countering Dark Confidant isn’t rocket science. The key is to exploit the damage that Dark Confidant could cause to its controller.

One counter strategy includes direct damage cards or burn spells, such as Lightning Bolt and Flame Javelin. These spells can directly hit Dark Confidant, turning their advantage into a severe disadvantage by eliminating the card early. Also, since Dark Confidant’s functionality involves revealing and drawing cards, there’s the potential to cause damage to its controller with each drawn card. This makes life-targeting or life-draining cards like Sign in Blood and Alms of the Vein a powerful tool in your strategy.

Additionally, cards with instant removal properties like Terminate and Doom Blade can act as a powerful deterrent. Thus, keeping such cards in your sideboard might prove effective in handling dark confidant decks. So, the next time you face Dark Confidant decks, remember this: focus on exploiting its potential to cause self-inflicted damage and use instant removals wisely to maintain the upper hand.


Dark Confidant: Unlocking the Mysteries of a MTG Powerhouse

Amassing a deck that can outmaneuver the competition is key in Magic the Gathering. It’s not only about the spells you cast but also about the resources at your disposal. In this intricate dance of strategy and foresight, certain cards emerge as game-changers. One such card that has been making waves is Dark Confidant. Renowned for its ability to provide a critical advantage, Dark Confidant has become a sought-after card for players aiming to augment their decks with both reliability and power.

Understanding Dark Confidant’s Role in Gameplay

In the world of MTG, card advantage is the ultimate edge. Dark Confidant offers this by allowing you to draw an additional card at the beginning of your upkeep, with the minor trade-off of losing life equal to the drawn card’s mana cost. This ability, known as the “Dark Confidant effect,” promises an influx of options and increased maneuverability throughout the match. It’s an investment in your tactical arsenal that can pay off exponentially, provided you strike the right balance between risk and reward.

The Strategic Significance of Card Advantage

Why is drawing more cards so significant? In MTG, having a plethora of choices allows for more reactive and proactive play, ensuring you’re never at a loss. Each additional card drawn is an opportunity, another piece to the increasingly complex puzzle that is your winning strategy. When Dark Confidant functions as your personal library aide, it constantly supplies you with the means to adapt, counter, and ultimately dominate the battlefield.

Deck Synergy: Making Dark Confidant Work for You

To extract maximum value from Dark Confidant, understanding your deck’s synergy is critical. Cards with low mana costs compliment its ability, minimizing life loss while maximizing your resource pool. Including spells with alternative casting costs can also ensure you get the most out of each turn, even if life points are sacrificed in the process. The key is crafting a repertoire that harnesses the card’s strengths while fortifying against its inherent risks.

Dark Confidant in Various Formats

Whether navigating the eternal formats or delving into the competitive world of Modern, Dark Confidant holds a place among the elite. Its influence spreads across deck archetypes, from aggressive builds to control configurations. Its utility transcends the barriers of playstyle, shining in strategies that require consistent pressure and those that play the long game alike.

Balancing the Risks and Rewards

Mastering Dark Confidant’s potential involves a dance with danger, as each draw nudges you closer to both victory and defeat. Skilled players weigh their life total carefully, using it as another resource to be managed. The card pushes you to make calculated decisions, nudging the balance of power in your favor by leveraging the very essence of risk for a greater advantage.

Meta Considerations and Counterplay

The landscape of MTG is ever-shifting. As metagames evolve, so must your deck. Assessing the prevalence of removal spells or the speed of opposing decks can inform whether Dark Confidant will be a star player or a liability. Anticipating the tactics others may employ against you is part of the challenge, ensuring that Dark Confidant doesn’t become a double-edged sword wielded by your opponent.

Navigating Matchups with Dark Confidant

Each game is a battleground, rife with context that dictates how a card like Dark Confidant will perform. Gauging your opponent’s pace and strategy is essential, as is timing its deployment. Strategic deployment can upset an adversary’s rhythm, creating openings where Dark Confidant can generate value, uninterrupted by countermeasures.

The Legacy of Dark Confidant

Since its inception, Dark Confidant has earned its place in MTG’s pantheon of iconic cards. Its design, echoing MTG’s core philosophy, blurs the lines between cost and benefit, creating dynamic gameplay moments that resonate with players. This card’s legacy serves as a testament to the depth of strategy inherent in Magic the Gathering, inviting players to explore the nuances of risk and reward.

Advanced Techniques with Dark Confidant

The true potential of Dark Confidant is often unlocked by veteran players who have honed their ability to manipulate the course of the game. Advanced techniques involve crafting scenarios where its ability slots seamlessly into a larger game plan, where each card drawn propels you closer to an endgame that your opponent cannot prevent. It’s about foresight, planning, and executing with precision, all the while embracing the exhilaration of pressing your advantage to the utmost limit.

Optimizing Your Play with Dark Confidant

Optimization is the difference between a good player and a great one, and Dark Confidant demands this of anyone who wields it. Your understanding of sequencing, resource management, and the ever-important life total will be put to the test. Integrating this card into your strategy not only challenges you to think ahead but also to adapt on the fly, ensuring your game is as sharp as it can possibly be.

Final Thoughts on the Master of the Unseen

Dark Confidant, often affectionately called “Bob,” after the invitational tournament winner Bob Maher whose likeness adorns the card, is more than just a spell; it’s a commitment to a style of play that embraces subtlety and sophistication. It’s about allowing the unseen to become your greatest asset, and every draw to become a step towards victory. In a game where knowledge is power, Dark Confidant ensures that you are never without it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating the rich landscapes of Magic the Gathering requires strategy, insight, and a bit of adventure. Whether you’re planning your next big win or fine-tuning your deck for maximum impact, there’s always room to elevate your game. As you continue to delve into the MTG universe, remember that it’s not just about the single triumphs but the continuous journey towards mastery. We invite you to keep exploring this fascinating world, discovering new techniques, and unearthing valuable cards to ensure your next match is more than just a game, but a Big Score. Ready to level up your play? Join us to learn more and become the ultimate MTG champion.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dark Confidant MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Dark Confidant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dark Confidant Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 828622015NormalBlackMark Zug
22005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 812003NormalBlackRon Spears
32011-01-01Judge Gift Cards 2011G11 61997NormalBlackRon Spears
42013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 752003NormalBlackScott M. Fischer
52015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 752015NormalBlackScott M. Fischer
62020-08-07Double Masters2XM 812015NormalBlackScott M. Fischer
72020-08-07Double Masters2XM 3422015NormalBorderlessMark Zug
82024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 323z2015NormalBlackAlex Brock
92024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 712015NormalBlackAlex Brock
102024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3231997NormalBlackAlex Brock

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dark Confidant has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-08-07 If a card in a player's library has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.