Delraich MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Horror |
| Abilities | Trample |
| Released | 1999-10-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mercadian Masques |
| Set code | MMQ |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
| Number | 133 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Todd Lockwood |
Text of card
Trample You may sacrifice three black creatures instead of paying Delraich's mana cost.
It wears the souls of its victims like jewels on a chain.
Cards like Delraich
Delraich, a formidable creature card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, presents dynamics that resemble those of other high-powered creatures, yet it holds unique traits. Much like the colossal Phyrexian Dreadnought, Delraich also enters the battlefield with a stipulation – the sacrifice of three black creatures. This bypasses its hefty mana cost, resembling the efficient mana-to-power ratio of the Dreadnought.
Another card reminiscent of Delraich is Desecration Demon, which boasts a substantial power and toughness that grow with each creature your opponent sacrifices. However, Desecration Demon doesn’t offer the cost circumvention that makes Delraich so threatening early on. While both create a position of advantage through opponent’s sacrifices, Delraich offers more immediate impact without the dependence on opponent’s choices.
In evaluating these ominous creatures, it becomes clear that Delraich holds a niche of its own. With the right setup, its presence can be asserted much earlier than most due to the ability to exchange creatures for its deployment, setting it apart in MTG’s landscape of large, forceful creature cards.
Cards similar to Delraich by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When summoning Delraich, you delve into your graveyard, effectively trading unused cards for a formidable creature on the board. This strategic use of resources turns potential dead draws into a significant board presence, enhancing your overall card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Delraich comes with a built-in cost reduction mechanic. By utilizing the delve ability, you’re able to cast this substantial threat by tapping fewer lands than its high mana cost suggests. It’s a form of acceleration that can turn the tide by enabling you to deploy other spells in the same turn.
Instant Speed: Although Delraich itself doesn’t have instant speed, its synergy with cards that fill your graveyard quickly allows for a rapid and unexpected deployment. This can catch opponents off guard, giving you the upper hand as they have less time to prepare for or react to its summoning.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Delraich demands you sacrifice three black creatures just to cast it. This steep price means depleting your board presence significantly, which could leave you vulnerable to opponent strategies or unable to recover quickly without additional resources.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that hinges on three black mana, Delraich imposes deck-building restrictions, favoring mono-black or heavy-black multicolor decks. This specificity reduces the card’s flexibility, potentially excluding it from varied mana base decks where it could be beneficial.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its imposing presence, Delraich’s seven total mana cost may arrive too late in the game where earlier threats or answers could have a greater impact. Meanwhile, alternate cards could be utilized for more immediate or efficient board control and might align better with your overall game plan.
Reasons to Include Delraich in Your Collection
Versatility: Delraich provides a unique flexibility in deck building. With its ability to be a powerful late-game creature or an early-game card advantage play, it can be a valuable asset in a variety of deck archetypes, including control or reanimator strategies.
Combo Potential: This card’s capacity to sacrifice three creatures and bypass its mana cost offers combo potential with cards that benefit from creatures dying. It lends itself to powerful interactions in decks designed around graveyard synergy or sacrifice mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: As the MTG environment evolves, Delraich remains relevant due to its disruptive abilities against creature-heavy decks. It can serve as a linchpin in your deck to outmaneuver opponents in a creature-centric meta.
How to beat
Delraich is a formidable creature in MTG that can pose a significant challenge to players facing it across the battlefield. Its luring ability allows it to enter the battlefield much quicker by sacrificing three black creatures instead of paying its mana cost. This ability makes Delraich a threat that can appear quite suddenly, disrupting the typical tempo of a game.
To effectively combat this mighty behemoth, consider leveraging graveyard disruption spells that can inhibit Delraich’s recursion potential. Direct removal spells like Path to Exile or instant-speed board wipes can ensure Delraich doesn’t get a chance to dominate the game. Advanced strategies involve preemptive actions like employing creature counters or utilizing spells that restrict creature abilities to prevent it from coming into play unexpectedly. Careful management of your removal resources and timing your plays to respond to your opponent’s moves are key in maintaining control against a Delraich-centric strategy.
Ultimately, while Delraich can be a compelling game-changer with the right setup, a strategically stocked arsenal and keen awareness of the flow of the game can ensure that even the mightiest of creatures can be kept at bay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Delraich MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Delraich 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 Delraich has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |