Deathrender MTG Card

Deathrender gains card advantage by putting creatures onto the battlefield, bypassing mana costs. It enables resource acceleration and surprises opponents with instant-speed plays. Despite advantages, its requirement for specific mana types and high cost are notable drawbacks.

Lorwyn (LRW)
2007-10-12 - Number 255

Conspiracy (CNS)
2014-06-06 - Number 197

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +2/+2. Whenever equipped creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a creature card from your hand into play and attach Deathrender to it. Equip

Cards like Deathrender

Deathrender presents a unique role within the equipment card type in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with other cards like Skullclamp, in that they both manipulate creatures and have ways to generate card advantage. However, Deathrender excels by allowing its controller to cheat creatures onto the battlefield when the equipped creature dies. Skullclamp, by contrast, focuses on card draw by making creature death beneficial with its +1/-1 stats.

Another card that Deathrender might be compared to is Heirloom Blade, which also has an affinity for creatures of a specific type and provides a boost in power. Like Deathrender, Heirloom Blade gives the opportunity for card advantage upon the death of the equipped creature. Yet, it lacks the immediacy of Deathrender’s ability to put creatures directly into play, which can be a game-changer in the right deck.

Considering its ability to transform the battlefield on the fly, Deathrender stands out among MTG equipment cards. Its potential to surprise opponents with powerful creatures and influence combat outcomes makes it a formidable tool for players who want to combine the elements of creature control and deck manipulation.

Cards similar to Deathrender by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Equipping Deathrender to a creature sets you up for a continuous chain of value, as creatures’ death allows you to put creature cards from your hand onto the battlefield, potentially bypassing high mana costs and leading to significant card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Deathrender itself doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, it does facilitate resource acceleration by enabling you to cheat high-cost creatures onto the battlefield far earlier than you normally could, which can be a game-changing tempo swing.

Instant Speed: Though Deathrender is an artifact equipment and not an instant, its triggered ability can create unexpected board states at instant speed. When the equipped creature dies on your turn or during your opponent’s, Deathrender’s ability triggers and you’re immediately allowed to put a creature from your hand onto the battlefield, potentially during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn for surprise blocks or attacks on your next turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deathrender necessitates that a creature you control must be sent to the graveyard to harness its ability, which could put you at a disadvantage, especially when facing exile effects or graveyard disruption strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: This equipment card demands a blend of both colorless and specific black mana, potentially constraining its integration into multi-color decks that may not always have the required mana types readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of four mana and an equip cost, Deathrender can be considered mana-intensive. Decks that aim for a low curve might find the investment into this card reduces their speed and efficiency compared to other equipment options.

Reasons to Include Deathrender in Your Collection

Versatility: Deathrender offers a unique capability by ensuring a consistent creature presence on the battlefield. It can be incorporated into a variety of creature-based decks, serving as a contingency plan to keep your board state threatening even after a creature’s demise.

Combo Potential: This artifact excels in combinations with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield or leave-the-battlefield effects, magnifying their impact and potentially turning every creature death into an opportunity for advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In games where creature strategies prevail, Deathrender’s ability to keep your creature threats in play can shift the tide significantly, making it a potent inclusion against several popular deck archetypes.

How to Beat

Confronting Deathrender on the battlefield can be a challenging ordeal in MTG. This unique equipment card presents an intricate problem due to its ability to cheat out creatures straight onto the battlefield after the equipped creature dies. In essence, this card offers a powerful form of recursion that can quickly tilt the game in your opponent’s favor, making it crucial to devise a strategy to neutralize its effect.

Addressing Deathrender requires a proactive approach. Effective strategies involve the use of direct artifact removal spells or abilities such as Disenchant, Naturalize, or more universal solutions like Krosan Grip, which also prevents the use of spells or abilities in response. You can disrupt Deathrender’s synergy by forcing your opponent to sacrifice it or bypass the equipped creature’s death through exile removal spells like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, thereby preventing the trigger from occurring.

Another tactic is to limit the opponent’s creature base, cutting down on potential targets for Deathrender’s ability. Board wipes, selective creature counterspells, and continuous creature removal maintain a grip on the board state, hindering your opponent’s capability to exploit Deathrender effectively. By staying one step ahead, utilizing versatility in your removal suite, and managing your opponent’s threats, you can mitigate the impact of Deathrender and keep the scales balanced in your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deathrender MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Conspiracy, 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 Deathrender and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deathrender Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2014-06-06. Illustrated by Martina Pilcerova.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2007-10-12	Lorwyn	LRW		255	2003	Normal	Black	Martina Pilcerova
2	2014-06-06	Conspiracy	CNS		197	2003	Normal	Black	Martina Pilcerova

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deathrender has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-10-01	If the creature you put onto the battlefield can’t be equipped by Deathrender (due to protection from artifacts, for example), the creature enters the battlefield but Deathrender remains unattached.