Demon's Horn MTG Card


Demon’s Horn is a life-gaining asset for decks heavy on black spells, especially in prolonged games. It’s a two-mana artifact that’s strictly conditional on black spell casts, limiting its versatility. Strategic artifact removal or high-tempo playstyles can effectively counteract Demon’s Horn’s advantages.
Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Text of card

Whenever a player plays a black spell, you may gain 1 life.

Its curve mimics the twists of life and death.


Cards like Demon's Horn

Demon’s Horn provides a unique and consistent form of life gain for players in Magic: the Gathering. It’s often compared to other artifact cards like Dragon’s Claw or Angel’s Feather. Each of these artifacts function similarly, offering life gain whenever a spell of a certain color is cast. For example, Dragon’s Claw provides the same benefit every time a red spell is cast, which can be especially useful in red-heavy decks as opposed to Demon’s Horn, which triggers off of black spells.

Another card worth mentioning is Kraken’s Eye, which serves the same purpose for blue spell casts. While each artifact functions identically, building your deck synergy around the predominant color is critical for maximizing the potential of these life-gaining artifacts. Despite this, none of them provide an additional effect beyond life gain, which limits their utility to specific strategic builds that benefit from incremental life increases.

Looking across the board, Demon’s Horn finds its niche in decks where black spell usage is high, offering a small but reliable cushion to a player’s life total. Its role shines in prolonged matches where the accumulation of life can provide a decisive edge in a war of attrition.

Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Kraken's Eye - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Kraken's Eye - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Demon's Horn by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
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Wurm's Tooth - MTG Card versions
Liquimetal Coating - MTG Card versions
Perilous Myr - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Wurm's Tooth - MTG Card versions
Liquimetal Coating - MTG Card versions
Perilous Myr - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Demon’s Horn in play, every black spell your opponents or you cast triggers its ability, granting you a steady stream of life points. This incremental gain can add up over time, distorting the race for life total in your favor without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: While Demon’s Horn doesn’t directly accelerate mana, the life it provides can be a cushion that allows players to leverage their life total as a resource more effectively. This can lead to riskier, more aggressive plays that can accelerate your board position and potential to win.

Instant Speed: Demon’s Horn’s function is passive and always on standby. It doesn’t require timing or the use of the stack to be effective, so its life-gaining benefit works in tandem with your strategies, without requiring mana investment or specific timing like instant-speed spells would.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to Demon’s Horn is its reliance on a specific trigger to gain life. If you’re not casting black spells or if your opponent is playing a different color, the artifact remains ineffectual on the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Demon’s Horn demands an initial investment of two generic mana. While not overly expensive, this cost imposes a resource allocation that could compete with other crucial early-game plays, particularly in non-black decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: It’s essential to note that while two mana isn’t exorbitant, Demon’s Horn’s effectiveness is tied to the presence and frequency of black spells. In an environment where mana efficiency is key, other artifacts or spells that provide immediate or guaranteed benefits could be more impactful for the same cost.


Reasons to Include Demon’s Horn in Your Collection

Versatility: Demon’s Horn can be a beneficial addition to decks that anticipate a lengthy game or face opponents with heavy spellcasting tactics. Its ability to gain life with each black spell cast provides a steady stream of survivability.

Combo Potential: For decks that manipulate the number of spells cast per turn, Demon’s Horn can serve as a source of life gain. It synergizes well with strategies focusing on casting multiple black spells or artifact interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where black spells are predominant, Demon’s Horn can be an unexpectedly useful tool. Its value increases in metas saturated with black, allowing for more frequent triggers and sustained life gain.


How to Beat

Demon’s Horn, a niche artifact in Magic: The Gathering, provides consistent life gain for players casting black spells. While this incremental advantage can be key in outlasting opponents in a prolonged match, overcoming this card requires a tactical approach. Mitigate Demon’s Horn’s impact by focusing on artifact removal spells that can dismantle the artifact before your adversary can accumulate significant life. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant, which can destroy artifacts at a low cost, are effective tools in striping the opposition’s defenses. Moreover, implementing countermeasures such as graveyard disruption can also impede the Horn’s usefulness by targeting the black spells that fuel it.

Additionally, aggressive strategies may simply bypass the life gain provided by Demon’s Horn; rapid, high-damage output can outpace the life gained. Considering sideboard options that neutralize artifacts or applying pressure can turn the tides in your favor. In a game where every card choice and play matters, recognizing and neutralizing key cards like Demon’s Horn is indispensable for securing victory against decks that lean on such artifacts for sustain. By executing these strategies adeptly, you can nullify its advantage and maintain the upper hand in your matchups.


BurnMana Recommendations

Examining the multifaceted nature of MTG deck building uncovers the subtle strengths and potential limitations of cards like Demon’s Horn. Analyzing pros such as steady life gain and passive effects against cons, including mana investment and color dependency, is crucial for crafting a strategy that resonates with your playstyle. Whether to include Demon’s Horn in your collection hinges on its synergies within your deck’s framework and the broader metagame it confronts. For more insights and approach tactics for using niche artifacts like Demon’s Horn, we welcome you to broaden your MTG horizons with us. Step into our realm of knowledge and harness the power of strategic plays.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Demon's Horn MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Ninth Edition, 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 Demon's Horn and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Demon's Horn Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Alan Pollack.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-02-06DarksteelDST 1162003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
22005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 2942003NormalWhiteAlan Pollack
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 294★2003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
42007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 3202003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
52009-04-10Duel Decks: Divine vs. DemonicDDC 572003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
62009-07-17Magic 2010M10 2092003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
72010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 912003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
82010-07-16Magic 2011M11 2042003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
92011-07-15Magic 2012M12 2052003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
102014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. DemonicDVD 572015NormalBlackAlan Pollack

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Demon's Horn has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-10-01 If a player casts a black spell, Demon’s Horn’s ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Demon’s Horn’s ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does.
2009-10-01 The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a black spell.