Ruthless Deathfang MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Ruthless Deathfang can be a game-changer, offering notable card advantage and board control.
  2. This card requires careful deck construction due to its specific mana and higher cost.
  3. Despite its power, strategic plays and deck choices can counter Ruthless Deathfang effectively.

Text of card

Flying Whenever you sacrifice a creature, target opponent sacrifices a creature.

"Bring forth the dead, their skull-grins and rattle-bones. We will feast upon their wailing ghosts." —Silumgar, translated from Draconic


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ruthless Deathfang provides a strategic edge by offering control over when and how you sacrifice creatures, often leading to an advantageous board state. Its ability to force opponents into sacrificing creatures can dismantle their game plan and leave you in a dominant position.

Resource Acceleration: With every creature you sacrifice while Ruthless Deathfang is on the field, you pressure your opponent to do the same. This not only disrupts their mana base and potential creature combos but also accelerates your own strategy by conserving resources and maintaining superior control of the board.

Instant Speed: Although Ruthless Deathfang itself does not operate at instant speed, its ability synergizes well with other instant-speed sacrifice mechanics. This allows you to optimize your plays during your opponent’s turn, maintaining pressure and dictating the pace of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ruthless Deathfang’s ability notably relies on you discarding a creature card, potentially a setback when you’re short on cards in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both black and blue mana, which necessitates a dedicated deck build around these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, including two specific types of mana, it may arrive on the battlefield later in the game than some other creatures with similar impact.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ruthless Deathfang allows for a diverse range of strategies, easily becoming a pivotal component in sacrifice decks or those that play with graveyard mechanics. Its ability to force opponents to sacrifice creatures whenever you sacrifice one can turn even the simplest of plays into powerful controlling moves.

Combo Potential: The ability to capitalize on sacrificial synergies means Ruthless Deathfang can be the linchpin in intricate combo setups. Pairing it with cards that offer you benefits when losing creatures or with token generators can create unstoppable momentum on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the persistent popularity of creatures and creature-based strategies in the game, Ruthless Deathfang has relevance in disrupting opponents’ boards. Against creature-heavy decks, it can be a formidable deterrent, making opponents think twice before deploying their own threats.


How to beat

Ruthless Deathfang is a formidable creature card in Magic: The Gathering that leverages sacrifice mechanics to control the battlefield. Dealing with this dragon can be tricky due to its ability to force opponents to sacrifice a creature whenever you sacrifice another. To effectively counter Ruthless Deathfang, it’s essential to minimize the impact of your opponent’s sacrifice triggers. Prioritize cards that provide indestructible status to your creatures, or those that can rapidly populate the board, diluting the impact of each forced sacrifice.

Another strategic approach is to utilize instant-speed removals to disrupt your adversary’s play, taking out the Deathfang before its ability can be activated. Artifact-based creature strategies can also render the sacrifice effect less detrimental since Ruthless Deathfang specifically targets creature cards, allowing artifact creatures to evade the trigger. Lastly, incorporating graveyard retrieval mechanics can help you recover key creatures lost to the Deathfang’s ability, sustaining your board presence and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

In summary, while Ruthless Deathfang has the potential to dominate the game, thoughtful deck construction and timely responses can effectively neutralize its threat and secure your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhance your MTG arsenal with Ruthless Deathfang’s tactical prowess. Mastering this card’s unique sacrifice mechanism adds depth to your gameplay, forcing opponents into unfavorable trades and tipping the scales to your advantage. By integrating Ruthless Deathfang into your strategy, you’ll harness the power to shape each match’s outcome. Keen to advance your control over the battlefield while savoring the intricate dynamics of MTG? Delve further into our comprehensive insights on effective deck-building techniques, expert analyses, and up-to-date meta trends. Elevate your experience and outsmart your opponents—join us to refine your skills and champion the game.


Cards like Ruthless Deathfang

Ruthless Deathfang offers a unique angle in the Magic: The Gathering gameplay with its formidable flying presence and the tantalizing ability to force opponents to sacrifice creatures upon exploiting another creature. This particular dynamic casts it in the same niche as Butcher of Malakir, which shares the theme of mandating sacrifices from opponents. Yet, Ruthless Deathfang brings this effect to the skies, offering a flying threat that Butcher of Malakir lacks.

Comparisons may also be drawn to cards like Slum Reaper, which demands a universal sacrifice when it enters the battlefield. While Slum Reaper’s effect is immediate, Ruthless Deathfang requires the ongoing exploitation of other creatures, enabling a more controlled and repeatable sequence of sacrifices, setting up potential for strategic plays over multiple turns.

Moving through an intriguing lattice of similar options, another card that emerges is Dictate of Erebos. Although it doesn’t bring a creature to the board, it enforces the same punishing rule that whenever one of your creatures dies, your opponent is forced to sacrifice one as well. Unlike Ruthless Deathfang, Dictate of Erebos offers more continuous coverage of the battlefield, but lacks the aggressive prowess of the flying dragon.

In encapsulating the strengths of these alternatives, Ruthless Deathfang stands out for its recurring sacrifice-triggered synergy, bolstered by aviation, which can pressure opponents both in presence and in ongoing strategic sacrifice demands.

Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Slum Reaper - MTG Card versions
Dictate of Erebos - MTG Card versions
Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Slum Reaper - MTG Card versions
Dictate of Erebos - MTG Card versions

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Jhessian Zombies - MTG Card versions
Wrexial, the Risen Deep - MTG Card versions
Vela the Night-Clad - MTG Card versions
Dinrova Horror - MTG Card versions
Silumgar, the Drifting Death - MTG Card versions
Dragonlord Silumgar - MTG Card versions
Sire of Stagnation - MTG Card versions
Psychic Symbiont - MTG Card versions
Lochmere Serpent - MTG Card versions
Callidus Assassin - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ruthless Deathfang MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Midnight Hunt Commander, 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 Ruthless Deathfang and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ruthless Deathfang Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2021-09-24. Illustrated by Filip Burburan.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-03-27Dragons of TarkirDTK 2292015NormalBlackFilip Burburan
22021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1542015NormalBlackFilip Burburan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ruthless Deathfang has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-02-25 Notably, the “legend rule” does not cause any permanents to be sacrificed. They are simply put into their owners' graveyards.
2015-02-25 Ruthless Deathfang's triggered ability will trigger whenever you sacrifice any creature, including Ruthless Deathfang itself. It will trigger whenever you sacrifice a creature for any reason, including to pay a cost or as the result of a spell or ability (such as an opposing Ruthless Deathfang's ability).

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