Dark Temper MTG Card

Dark Temper’s instant speed and dual function make it a strategic resource in maintaining card advantage. Requires precise mana and a discard, which can impede multicolor deck fluency and hand economy. Its versatile removal and combo potential make it a valuable inclusion for black and red strategies.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2009-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conflux
Set code	CON
Number	61
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jaime Jones

Text of card

Dark Temper deals 2 damage to target creature. If you control a black permanent, destroy the creature instead.

When you've got the temperament of a dragon, every argument is one you'll win.

Cards like Dark Temper

Dark Temper is an intriguing card in the landscape of MTG’s removal options. It shares functional similarities with the notorious Terminate, which also offers a definitive answer to creatures, albeit without the conditional damage bonus that Dark Temper provides. What sets Dark Temper apart is its ability to deal 3 damage to target creature and—with the added benefit of the ability—destroy it if you control a black permanent.

Compared to other removal spells like Lightning Bolt or Doom Blade, Dark Temper falls in the middle-ground. While Lightning Bolt excels at instant speed for a lower cost, it doesn’t guarantee the creature’s destruction if its toughness exceeds 3. Doom Blade has the upside of destroying any nonblack creature with no questions asked, but it lacks the potential to deal direct damage, which could be crucial in some scenarios. Dark Temper offers both destruction and damage, conditionally.

In sum, each removal card in MTG has its strengths and trade-offs. For the right deck, particularly one that consistently controls black permanents, Dark Temper can be an efficient and versatile tool, particularly well-suited for dealing with indestructible threats.

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

Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions

Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions

Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dark Temper offers a dual functionality that can potentially remove an opponent’s creature while also drawing you a card when you meet its bloodthirst requirement. This helps you keep up in the race for resources and put you ahead in card economy.

Resource Acceleration: While Dark Temper doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration in terms of mana, it does help clear the field of potential threats, allowing your own resources to be spent more efficiently on future turns. This indirect acceleration can be just as impactful as generating additional mana.

Instant Speed: The power of instant speed cannot be underestimated. Dark Temper can be cast during an opponent’s turn, keeping you flexible and responsive. It enables strategic plays where you can wait for the optimal moment to remove a creature, after an opponent has committed to a certain line of play, potentially leading to favorable two-for-one scenarios.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Encountering Dark Temper in your hand comes with the obligation to discard another card. This can unexpectedly thrust players into a less desirable position, especially when their hand is already dwindling and critical decisions about resource allocation must be made.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Dark Temper requires a precise blend of mana, including both black and red. This necessity can encumber players who operate multicolor decks, particularly when they find themselves strapped for the right mana at a pivotal moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing three mana, including one of each specified color, to activate Dark Temper’s abilities may not always align with a player’s strategy, especially considering there are alternative cards that could potentially deliver greater impact or versatility for a similar, if not lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dark Temper is a card that offers both removal and a color-shift mechanic, allowing it to adapt to various scenarios in-game. Its ability to deal damage or possibly destroy a target creature depending on a color condition means it fits in a multitude of black and red deck strategies.

Combo Potential: Given its flexibility, Dark Temper can be a key piece in decks that aim to control the board while setting up for powerful plays. It works particularly well with strategies that manipulate the colors of permanents, amplifying its potential to take out key threats on your opponent’s side.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame with creatures that can quickly become problematic, having access to Dark Temper means you’re prepared with an answer that’s both efficient and effective. It’s especially useful in environments where the color conditions can be consistently met, ensuring maximum impact every time it’s played.

How to beat

Dark Temper is a unique card in the MTG arsenal, known for its blend of removal capabilities with a conditional upside. It shines in situations where it can destroy a target creature while enhancing its impact when you control a black permanent, dishing out 3 damage to that creature’s controller. This card naturally fits into decks with a solid black presence, turning it into a potent tool for board control and chip damage.

To effectively counteract Dark Temper, consider strategies that limit your reliance on creatures, such as utilizing enchantment or artifact-based decks. Alternatively, play creatures with indestructibility or protection from red to negate its removal effect. Moreover, running counter spells, or cards that can swiftly remove or grant hexproof to your own creatures, could safeguard against Dark Temper’s potential to hinder your board state or diminish your life total. Understanding the timing and maintaining a diverse range of permanents beyond just creatures also reduces the impact of Dark Temper’s burn capability and keeps your gameplay agile against this particular threat.

Navigating around Dark Temper requires astute deck-building and in-game decisions. By employing these measures, MTG enthusiasts can mitigate its influence and continue to command the battlefield with confidence.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dark Temper has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-02-01	Dark Temper has a self-replacement effect, which applies before other prevention or replacement effects would. If you control a black permanent as Dark Temper resolves, it doesn’t deal damage at all (so damage prevention or redirection effects would have no effect); it simply destroys the targeted creature.
2009-02-01	This checks the colors of permanents you control as it resolves.