Demon's Jester MTG Card

Dissension (DIS)
2006-05-05 - Number 42

Demon's Jester - Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic (DDC)

Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic (DDC)
2009-04-10 - Number 38

Demon's Jester - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)

Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
2014-12-05 - Number 38

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Imp
Abilities	Flying,Hellbent
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Demon’s Jester thrives in decks geared towards creature control and hand-size manipulation.
Its requirement for specific mana types can limit deck-building versatility in broader archetypes.
Despite its power potential, Demon’s Jester competes with other cards at its mana cost.

Text of card

Flying Hellbent Demon's Jester gets +2/+1 as long as you have no cards in hand.

They knock 'em dead, with or without the punch line.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Demon’s Jester thrives in a deck designed around creature control. With its unique abilities, it can be a persistent threat that rewards you for having fewer cards in hand. This strategic nuance may create indirect card advantage by necessitating multiple resources from the opponent to handle it.

Resource Acceleration: Although Demon’s Jester itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, it can seamlessly fit into a Rakdos deck that uses efficient mana curves. Its casting cost is low enough to ensure a swift play, allowing for a rapid board presence and pressuring the opponent early in the game.

Instant Speed: While Demon’s Jester does not have flash or other instant-speed capabilities, it synergizes well with instant speed spells that manipulate hand size. This creates advantageous board states and can disrupt opponent strategies at crucial moments, allowing Demon’s Jester to become a formidable flyer capable of dealing significant damage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To cast Demon’s Jester, you’ll need to part with another card from your hand, which could deplete your options and force tough decisions if your hand size is already diminished.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black and red mana, this card demands a dedicated Rakdos deck or a well-tuned mana base, potentially restricting its versatility across different deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of four mana with three of it being colored can be a significant investment, especially when other creatures at a similar cost could represent more immediate and impactful board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Demon’s Jester offers a dynamic play for any black-centered deck, efficiently fitting into strategies focusing on sacrificing creatures or dealing with graveyard dynamics.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy in decks that manipulate the number of cards in hand, such as using discard mechanics to reduce hand size and enhance its power.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of MTG’s competitive scene, a creature like Demon’s Jester that can potentially grow stronger as the game progresses can be a valuable asset against slower, control-based decks.

How to beat

Demon’s Jester is a unique creature card that can make an impact in Magic: The Gathering given the right conditions. Its prowess is notably amplified during a game where the opponent has a life total less than half their starting life, where it gains flying. This can be a pivotal moment where the Jester turns into a powerful attacker from the skies.

Countering this card effectively requires managing your life total and employing removal strategies. Cards like Murder or Doom Blade can handle the Jester before it becomes a larger threat. Additionally, maintaining a life total above the halfway mark prevents Demon’s Jester from activating its flying ability, reducing its offensive capabilities. Be mindful of your defense, prioritize life gain, and be ready with instant-speed removal to keep this demon at bay.

Ultimately, understanding the conditions that power up the Jester allows a strategic MTG player to nullify its advantages. With the right blend of life management and removal, you can ensure that Demon’s Jester remains a minor nuisance rather than a game-ending menace.

Cards like Demon's Jester

Demon’s Jester from Magic: The Gathering carves out a niche for itself within the realm of aggressive flying creatures. Its similarity to cards like Skymarch Bloodletter is striking as both offer flying capabilities. However, Demon’s Jester possesses the added punch of potentially entering the battlefield with a +2/+1 boost, assuming you’ve cast another black spell, a condition not present in Skymarch Bloodletter’s design.

In the same breath as these airborne threats, Liliana’s Specter enters the conversation. While also a creature with flying, its effect upon entering the battlefield forces the opponent to discard, differing from Demon’s Jester’s focus on building its own stats. Duskhunter Bat poses another comparison, bearing the baton of flying and the ability to grow stronger via the bloodthirst mechanic, closely aligning with Demon’s Jester’s trigger of increased power.

To wrap up, Demon’s Jester garners a noteworthy position among its flying fiends in Magic: The Gathering. It presents a conditional advantage for those adept at orchestrating the black spell prerequisite, marking its unique foothold within this evasive creature category.

Skymarch Bloodletter - MTG Card versions

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

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Demon's Jester MTG card by a specific set like Dissension and Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic, 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 Jester and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Demon's Jester Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-05-05 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-05-05	Dissension	DIS	42	2003	Normal	Black	Pete Venters
2	2009-04-10	Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic	DDC	38	2003	Normal	Black	Pete Venters
3	2014-12-05	Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic	DVD	38	2015	Normal	Black	Pete Venters