Dreadhorde Invasion MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 2 |
Rarity | Rare |
Type | Enchantment |
Abilities | Amass |
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life and amass Zombies 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also a Zombie. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token first.) Whenever a Zombie token you control with power 6 or greater attacks, it gains lifelink until end of turn.
Cards like Dreadhorde Invasion
Dreadhorde Invasion emerges as a dynamic force in the pantheon of repetitive army-building cards in Magic: The Gathering. It bears a resemblance to the infamous Bitterblossom for its ability to consistently churn out creature tokens. Where Bitterblossom generates 1/1 flying Faerie tokens at each upkeep, Dreadhorde Invasion focuses on creating and strengthening a singular Zombie Army token. One key difference is the life loss; Bitterblossom nibbles away one life each turn, while Dreadhorde Invasion’s life impact scales with the Zombie Army’s growth.
Exploring further, Ophiomancer delivers creatures in a similar vein, doling out 1/1 black Snake tokens with deathtouch as long as you don’t have one. Although it operates on a different axis by providing deathtouch blockers, it lacks the aggressive scaling potential that Dreadhorde Invasion brings to the table. Another cousin in this category is Outpost Siege. While not token-centric, it extends the card advantage strategic line each upkeep, potentially leading to critical mass accumulation akin to the token benefit of Dreadhorde Invasion.
To encapsulate, Dreadhorde Invasion is a potent strategy for players seeking to cultivate a formidable presence on the battlefield over time. With its unique scalable token-generation, it offers a distinct and impactful playstyle among Magic: The Gathering’s enchantments that deliver consistent board presence.
Cards similar to Dreadhorde Invasion by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Dreadhorde Invasion. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer | Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer League 2023-11-20 | |
B/W Mid | Free form | Canadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed | ||
Orzhov Death & Taxes | Gladiator | Gladiator Games: We're Back | ||
Mono-Black Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dreadhorde Invasion aids in maintaining card advantage by frequently generating token creatures, ensuring you always have board presence and fodder for various in-game strategies.
Resource Acceleration: By providing a consistent stream of creatures, this card synergizes well with sacrifice mechanics, effectively transforming your tokens into resources for drawing cards, generating mana, or powering up other creatures.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Amass ability it grants triggers at the beginning of your upkeep, enabling your strategy to adapt swiftly to the evolving game state as you prepare for your turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Dreadhorde Invasion doesn’t involve a discard as part of casting, it demands a continuous sacrifice of life points, which can be detrimental if you’re unable to offset the life loss with additional means.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires one black mana, this card is tailored for black or multicolor decks, potentially limiting its versatility in decks that don’t run black mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana isn’t high on the surface, the incremental gain from the Amass mechanic coupled with the life loss could hinder its efficiency in fast-paced games where immediate board presence is crucial.
Reasons to Include Dreadhorde Invasion in Your Collection
Versatility: Dreadhorde Invasion offers consistent board presence as it creates a token every turn, making it a formidable addition to various decks, particularly ones that thrive on token generation and life point manipulation.
Combo Potential: The card pairs beautifully with sacrifice and amass strategies, enabling highly synergistic plays. Its ability to grow your army every turn can be the cornerstone of combos that capitalize on creature strength or number.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment flush with control decks or where a consistent threat is elementary to success, Dreadhorde Invasion stands out. As it assures a creature on board each turn, it helps maintain pressure on your opponents, keeping them on the defensive.
How to beat
Overcoming Dreadhorde Invasion can be a strategic milestone in MTG play. This enchantment quietly builds up an army of zombies, potentially overwhelming an unprepared opponent. One effective method to disrupt this invasion is via enchantment removal spells. Spells such as Disenchant, Naturalize, or Mortify can directly target and eliminate Dreadhorde Invasion from the battlefield, halting the zombie tide.
Another approach is to manage the life loss Dreadhorde Invasion causes its controller. With cards like Teyo, the Shieldmage or The Wanderer, players can prevent the damage that Dreadhorde Invasion inflicts each upkeep. Additionally, since the card revolves around amassing an army, bouncing the amassed zombie token back to hand with something like Unsummon resets their progress, making it more manageable to keep Dreadhorde Invasion in check.
Lastly, Dreadhorde Invasion relies on life total for its final punch—the bigger zombie when life is low. Strategies to maintain a higher life total, or even cards like Sorin’s Thirst, which can kill a smaller token and gain you life, can be crucial. Keeping these tactics in mind can ensure that Dreadhorde Invasion doesn’t take over the game.
BurnMana Recommendations
Mastering the nuances of Dreadhorde Invasion in MTG can truly enhance your gameplay, whether you enjoy building around token strategies or find joy in complex combo plays. This enchantment’s steady creature production and synergy with sacrifice mechanics make it a valuable asset in many decks. Acknowledging its strengths and weaknesses is pivotal for any player aiming to make an impact on the battlefield. We invite you to further explore the strategic depths of Dreadhorde Invasion and integrate it into your repertoire. Join us at BurnMana to delve deeper, enhance your deck-building skills, and become an adept in the ever-evolving game of MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dreadhorde Invasion MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and War of the Spark Promos, 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 Dreadhorde Invasion 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
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Printings
The Dreadhorde Invasion Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Stanton Feng.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2019-05-03 | War of the Spark | WAR | 86 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Stanton Feng | |
2 | 2019-05-04 | War of the Spark Promos | PWAR | 86p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Stanton Feng | |
3 | 2019-05-04 | War of the Spark Promos | PWAR | 86s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Stanton Feng | |
4 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 114 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Stanton Feng | |
5 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 866 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Stanton Feng |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dreadhorde Invasion has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dreadhorde Invasion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2019-05-03 | Army is a new creature type. It's possible to control a nontoken Army (perhaps a creature with the changeling ability) and, through combinations of other cards, it's possible to control multiple Army tokens. When instructed to amass, you may put +1/+1 counters on any of your Army creatures, and you may choose a different one each time. |
2019-05-03 | If the token's power changes later in the turn after it has attacked, including while Dreadhorde Invasion's second ability is on the stack, it won't cause the token to gain or lose lifelink. |
2019-05-03 | If you don't control an Army, the Zombie Army token that you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters. |
2019-05-03 | Some cards that cause you to amass also provide bonuses to “Zombie tokens.” These affect any token that happens to be a Zombie, not just a Zombie Army you've amassed. |
2019-05-03 | The power of the Zombie token is checked only immediately after it attacks. Any other abilities that trigger when creatures you control attack won't have resolved yet. |