Death Wind MTG Card
2012-05-04 - Number 93
2015-03-27 - Number 95
2016-08-26 - Number 131
2021-08-26 - Number 314
2022-12-02 - Number 394
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn.
Leukin stared at the smoldering angel feathers. "Run!" he screamed to his patrol. "We don't stand a chance!"
Cards like Death Wind
Death Wind is a unique card in the arsenal of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. It performs a simple yet tactical function – reducing a creature’s power and toughness for a potential knockout. In this context, it draws parallels with cards like Doom Blade, which straightforwardly destroys target nonblack creature at a lesser mana cost. However, Death Wind’s scalability and the absence of color restrictions make it versatile for a wider range of situations.
Cards such as Murder also come to mind, offering an unconditional creature removal at three mana. Although Murder doesn’t offer the flexibility of scaling with mana like Death Wind, it compensates with guaranteed removal. Finally, consider Go for the Throat, efficient against nonartifact creatures, but it’s this specificity that can sometimes limit its utility unlike the broad applicability of Death Wind.
When players weigh removal options, Death Wind is a robust choice for its ability to adjust to in-game economies of mana and its potency in taking down creatures regardless of color or type. This positions it as a strong, adaptable pick for any player looking to control the battlefield.
Cards similar to Death Wind by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Death Wind doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it effectively works as a one-for-one trade, removing an opponent’s creature while maintaining your hand size. In some cases, if your opponent has invested resources like auras or equipment on their creature, Death Wind can result in a card advantage by undoing multiple of their cards with just one of yours.
Resource Acceleration: Death Wind itself doesn’t provide resource acceleration; however, it helps preserve your life total by removing threats, which indirectly saves resources that could be used for stabilization later on. This efficient removal ensures you’re able to play your game plan without having to dedicate extra resources to deal with large threats.
Instant Speed: As an instant, Death Wind gives you the flexibility to remove creatures on your terms. You can strategically wait for your opponent to commit more mana or resources to their creature before you cast Death Wind, maximizing its efficiency and tempo, and potentially leaving your opponent’s turn wasted.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Death Wind does not directly compel a discard from your hand, it’s important to consider that cards with a similar effect might necessitate such a trade-off, reducing your hand advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Death Wind’s mana cost requires at least one black mana, making it exclusively viable within black or multicolored decks, therefore reducing its flexibility in a format that prizes adaptability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s scaling effect is based on the amount of mana invested. While this offers flexibility, it means you’re often committing a large amount of mana to eliminate a single threat, which can be inefficient compared to other removal spells in MTG that can do the job for less.
Reasons to Include Death Wind in Your Collection
Versatility: Death Wind is a flexible removal spell that can target any creature, scaling with your available mana. This flexibility allows it to be slotted easily into a variety of black decks that require spot creature removal.
Combo Potential: This card becomes even more potent when combined with effects that benefit from creatures dying or when used in conjunction with graveyard-retrieval mechanics, strengthening your battlefield position while disrupting your opponent.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta with sturdy creatures or indestructible threats, Death Wind excels by adjusting its strength to surpass any creature’s toughness, providing a reliable answer to otherwise difficult-to-handle creatures. It’s a useful tool for maintaining balance against aggressive and creature-heavy decks.
How to beat
Confronting the potency of Death Wind in a Magic: The Gathering matchup requires strategic maneuvering. This versatile black spell has the ability to scale its power by investing more mana, enabling players to shrink or outright eliminate virtually any threat on the board. Successful tactics against Death Wind include deploying creatures with indestructible or having +1/+1 counters in excess, as the spell’s effectiveness decreases against such resilient targets.
Cards with hexproof or shroud can also nullify Death Wind’s impact since they can’t be targeted by such spells. Moreover, staying aware of your opponent’s open mana and potential for surprise buff spells can be crucial. This will help time your plays to minimize the potential value of Death Wind. Utilizing instant-speed protection spells, like ‘Gods Willing’ or ‘Eerie Interlude’, can save your key creatures from being swept away by this formidable force.
Ultimately, while Death Wind’s flexible removal capabilities can be daunting, smart deck-building and sharp in-game decision-making provide effective countermeasures to mitigate its influence on the game’s outcome.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Death Wind MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Wind 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
Printings
The Death Wind Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-05-04 | Avacyn Restored | AVR | 93 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 2 | 2015-03-27 | Dragons of Tarkir | DTK | 95 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm | |
| 3 | 2016-08-26 | Conspiracy: Take the Crown | CN2 | 131 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 4 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 314 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 5 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 394 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Death Wind has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |