Deathknell Kami MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Flying,Soulshift |
| Released | 2005-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Saviors of Kamigawa |
| Set code | SOK |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 65 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Puddnhead |
Text of card
Flying : Deathknell Kami gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Sacrifice it at end of turn. Soulshift 1 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 1 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)
Cards like Deathknell Kami
Deathknell Kami occupies a unique place in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. This spirit bears resemblance to the likes of Returned Phalanx, sharing the common trait of a cost-effective defensive body that can also turn aggressive for an additional mana investment. Where Deathknell Kami distinguishes itself is through its soulshift mechanic, allowing for a valuable aspect of recursion not seen in Returned Phalanx.
Being in the vein of small-cost creatures with impactful late-game capabilities, Deathknell Kami can also be compared to Doomed Traveler. The latter provides less immediate board presence, but generates a flying token upon death. While Doomed Traveler does not offer the recursive utility of soulshift, its afterlife ability grants a consistent secondary resource, cementing its role in strategies revolving around creature sacrifice.
Death’s Duet is another card that operates in the concoction of retrieval and efficiency. Although not a creature, as an economical sorcery it brings back two target creature cards from the graveyard to its owner’s hand. This represents a direct but more versatile form of recursion compared to Deathknell Kami’s soulshift. Selecting the optimal option can often define the game, making Deathknell Kami a notable contender for deck slots requiring both early intervention and late-game persistence.
Cards similar to Deathknell Kami by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Deathknell Kami offers a built-in mechanism for card economy. When it dies, you have the option to sift through your graveyard, retrieve a spirit card, and enhance your hand, ensuring continuous flow of options on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: This spirit’s synergy with other cards can lead to a potent resource acceleration. Every time you cast a spirit or arcane spell, you can untap Deathknell Kami, making it a formidable tool for repeatedly fueling your plays and outpacing your opponents.
Instant Speed: Its ability to be sacrificed at instant speed provides tactical flexibility. You can adapt to the current game state, deciding when it’s the right moment to trigger its search ability for maximum impact, making it a versatile card in any MTG deck involving spirits.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: To harness the full potential of Deathknell Kami, players must often discard a card, which can deplete an already limited hand. This effect may force tough decisions, especially in the late game when every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Deathknell Kami demands a specific color alignment in its mana cost, which restricts deck-building flexibility. Players need to have black mana sources readily available to cast it, potentially affecting the deck’s color balance.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating its overall impact on the game, Deathknell Kami’s mana cost is on the higher end for its abilities. There are alternative creatures and cards available that might provide similar or better effects at a lower mana cost, making it less appealing in a highly cost-efficient deck.
Reasons to Include Deathknell Kami in Your Collection
Versatility: Deathknell Kami offers a flexible role in a variety of deck builds. Its ability to fly makes it a competent blocker or a sneaky attacker, and its spirit-craft ability allows it to serve as a recur-able threat in the late game. This cadaverous kami is a solid pick for decks that capitalize on creature synergies and graveyard mechanics.
Combo Potential: When paired with cards that benefit from or enable sacrificing creatures, Deathknell Kami becomes more than a simple spirit. It can act as an engine in a combo setup, especially in decks designed around spirit and arcane spells, turning each spell cast into a potential onslaught of spirits from the grave.
Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s low cost and flexible sacrifice mechanic, it could gain traction in metas that favor incremental advantages and creature-based strategies. Whether fostering a defensive front or providing recurring offense, its place in the current metagame can be pivotal, especially in matches that drag into the late game with battlefields densely populated by creatures.
How to beat
Deathknell Kami poses an intriguing challenge on the battleground. The creature’s spirit synergies and ability to return to hand from the graveyard when a spirit or arcane spell is cast make it a resilient adversary in MTG. To counter this card effectively, players need to employ exile removal spells or effects that prevent cards from returning from the graveyard. Cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can do wonders by making sure Deathknell Kami doesn’t get a chance to haunt the battlefield once again.
Moreover, utilizing countermagic when your opponent attempts to cast Deathknell Kami prevents it from entering the battlefield in the first place. Cards like Counterspell or Cancel are handy tools in such situations. A well-timed removal of the creature before the end step also ensures it can’t exploit its own ability, particularly when your opponent is out of spirit or arcane spells to trigger its return from the graveyard.
Combining strategic removal with disruption can effectively neutralize Deathknell Kami’s threat, maintaining control over the game. This ensures the spectral being cannot recur endlessly and tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Deathknell Kami MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Deathknell Kami 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Deathknell Kami has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |