Death Pulse MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Cycling |
| Released | 2002-10-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Onslaught |
| Set code | ONS |
| Number | 137 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Tony Szczudlo |
Text of card
Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn. Cycling o1o Bo B (o1o Bo B, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.) When you cycle Death Pulse, you may have target creature get -1/-1 until end of turn.
Cards like Death Pulse
Death Pulse is an intriguing card in the pantheon of removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, offering both a creature weakening effect and potential card advantage. When assessing its counterparts, it draws a parallel to cards like Grasp of Darkness, which also serves as a potent tool for reducing a creature’s power and toughness. However, Death Pulse offers an edge with its ability to draw a card if a creature is sent to the graveyard on the same turn it’s played.
Moving to another comparable card, Victim of Night, we see a direct removal spell without the conditional card draw but with a broader scope of targets. Death Pulse’s niche lies in straddling the line between weakening a multitude of creatures and setting up for potential card draw. Lastly, considering something like Drown in Sorrow, which acts as a sweep for multiple creatures and scrys, Death Pulse allows for more tactical play by targeting key threats and benefiting off creature deaths across multiple turns.
In sum, Death Pulse finds its unique position within MTG removal spells, providing a strategic blend of creature debuffing and card draw potential, marking its utility in decks geared towards control and attrition battles.
Cards similar to Death Pulse by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When playing Death Pulse, you have the potential to eliminate an opponent’s creature while also drawing a card, providing a two-for-one value that keeps your hand full and responsive.
Resource Acceleration: Though Death Pulse doesn’t directly generate mana or treasures, its capacity to stabilize the board by removing smaller threats can indirectly accelerate your resources by preserving your life total and reducing the need for further defensive plays.
Instant Speed: The versatility of Death Pulse at instant speed makes it a formidable tool. It allows for strategic plays during your opponent’s turn, timing removal for maximum impact, or simply reacting to threats as they arise without having to commit resources during your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One potential downside of the Death Pulse card is the necessity to discard another card to utilize its full potential. This can put you at a disadvantage, particularly when your hand is already running low on cards and each one holds significant value to your game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Death Pulse comes with a mana requirement that includes black mana. This demand for a specific mana type can be restrictive, as it may not seamlessly fit into decks that aren’t built around black mana or multicolor decks that may struggle to generate the right mana at the necessary time.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost involved with Death Pulse is sizeable when paralleled with other options available in the game. Many players might find that there are alternative cards that could provide similar or better effects for less mana, making Death Pulse a less cost-effective choice in some scenarios.
Reasons to Include Death Pulse in Your Collection
Versatility: Death Pulse offers utility across various deck archetypes due to its ability to both control the battlefield and provide card advantage. Its capacity to target creatures or players makes it a flexible option for many strategies.
Combo Potential: With its ability to potentially remove multiple threats at once, Death Pulse can be combined with cards that capitalize on creature deaths or life loss. It thus opens the door for intriguing synergies within the black color framework.
Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-heavy decks are often prevalent in the competitive scene, Death Pulse’s role as a mass removal option adjusts well to meta shifts. It can function as a powerful tool for controlling the tempo against an assortment of decks.
How to beat
Death Pulse is an intriguing card that can certainly disrupt your game plan by dealing damage and causing life loss in a single sweep. When evaluating strategies against this card, it’s essential to consider alternative play styles and adapt your tactics accordingly. One potential approach is to focus on proactive life gain, utilizing cards that can offset the life loss inflicted by Death Pulse. Creatures with lifelink are particularly beneficial as they simultaneously strengthen your board presence while counteracting the damage dealt by your opponent’s Death Pulse.
Additionally, delve into spells that can protect your creatures or negate the effects of Death Pulse. Cards with hexproof or indestructible features come in handy, as they remain unaffected by the life-draining force of Death Pulse. Moreover, implementing counterspells into your deck is a solid maneuver to prevent Death Pulse from ever resolving, hence thwarting your opponent’s plans and maintaining the integrity of your life total.
In essence, outmaneuvering Death Pulse requires a combination of life gain, creature protection, and disruption strategies. By carefully curating your deck with these tactics in mind, you can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Death Pulse and secure your path to victory on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Death Pulse MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Death Pulse and other MTG cards:
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- 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 Death Pulse has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Death Pulse card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |
| 2008-10-01 | The cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. If the triggered ability doesn't resolve (due to being countered with Stifle, for example, or if all its targets have become illegal), the cycling ability will still resolve and you'll draw a card. |
| 2008-10-01 | When you cycle this card, first the cycling ability goes on the stack, then the triggered ability goes on the stack on top of it. The triggered ability will resolve before you draw a card from the cycling ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You can cycle this card even if there are no targets for the triggered ability. That's because the cycling ability itself has no targets. |