It That Betrays MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost12
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Eldrazi
Abilities Annihilator
Power 11
Toughness 11

Key Takeaways

  1. It That Betrays provides immense card advantage and resource acceleration through forced sacrifices.
  2. Despite its power, the card’s high mana cost and specific requirements can limit playability.
  3. Strategic play counters, like exile or bounce spells, are key to overcoming its dominance.

Text of card

Annihilator 2 (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices two permanents.) Whenever an opponent sacrifices a nontoken permanent, put that card onto the battlefield under your control.

Your pleas for death shall go unheard.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: It That Betrays grants an overwhelming advantage by forcing opponents to sacrifice permanents and then putting those cards directly under your control. This interaction not only depletes opponents’ resources but also enhances your board presence significantly.

Resource Acceleration: With each opponent’s sacrifice triggered by the annihilator mechanic, you gain access to more resources. This acceleration can quickly tip the scales in your favor, as you’re utilizing your opponent’s resources to build your own strength.

Instant Speed: Although It That Betrays doesn’t operate at instant speed, the enduring impact it has on the game from the moment it hits the battlefield can be just as disruptive. The threat of looming sacrifices can alter opponents’ strategies and force them to play on your terms.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: It That Betrays demands a dedicated mana base to meet its colorless mana requirements which can be a challenge in multi-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an overwhelming mana cost of 12, It That Betrays requires a significant ramp-up strategy or an alternative cost-reduction mechanism to be played effectively.

Discard Requirement: While not directly demanding a discard, It That Betrays can strain your hand by necessitating the holding of certain types of cards that enable you to cheat it onto the battlefield ahead of schedule.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: It That Betrays offers flexibility in deck construction, sliding seamlessly into ramp or control strategies that prioritize high impact creatures.

Combo Potential: With its annihilator ability, It That Betrays works well with sac outlets and persist mechanics to dominate the battlefield and turn the tides in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where controlling the board can mean the difference between victory and defeat, It That Betrays can critically disrupt opponent strategies and maintain a presence in various MTG metas.


How to beat It That Betrays

It That Betrays is a formidable force on the battlefield, known for its daunting power and Annihilator ability, which can swiftly decimate an opponent’s board state. Breaking through this Eldrazi’s defenses demands strategic planning. Cards that exile can be particularly effective – think Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, which neatly sidestep its massive 11/11 bulk. If those are out of reach, sacrificing smaller or less vital permanents to its Annihilator while preparing a board wipe like Wrath of God can reset the playing field.

Tapping into blue’s control assets also offers a line of defense. A well-timed Counterspell can prevent It That Betrays from ever entering the fray. If already in play, bouncing it back to the owner’s hand with spells like Cyclonic Rift provides a temporary yet impactful reprieve. The creature’s intimidating triggered ability, reanimating any card sacrificed by an opponent, further amplifies the necessity for pre-emptive measures, such as graveyard disruption with cards like Rest in Peace, to mitigate the consequences of annihilation.

To successfully navigate a match against It That Betrays, consider not only direct answers to the creature itself but also maintaining control over the game state, minimizing the impact of its abilities on your strategy.


BurnMana Recommendations

The landscape of MTG is ever-changing, and savvy players know that understanding each card’s intricacies can lead to unmatched board dominance. Cards like It That Betrays demand not just a place in your deck, but a tailored strategy that maximizes its annihilating potential. The key is in finding the perfect balance between resource acceleration and mitigating its high mana cost. We recommend diving deeper into deck-building strategies that exploit this Eldrazi’s power. Whether you’re a ramp enthusiast or control aficionado, there’s always more to learn. Immerse yourself in our comprehensive guides and make the next match your ultimate conquest with It That Betrays.


Cards like It That Betrays

In the landscape of powerful Magic: The Gathering creatures, It That Betrays stands tall with intimidating presence. This Eldrazi giant boasts an impactful Annihilator ability, reminiscent of other fearsome entities like Ulamog’s Crusher. Both creatures impose a heavy toll with their Annihilator triggers, forcing opponents to sacrifice assets. Yet, It That Betrays takes advantage, reanimating the sacrificed permanents to your side of the battlefield.

Comparable in sheer force is Pathrazer of Ulamog. At a glance, they share the dreaded Annihilator mechanic, though Pathrazer lacks the reanimation ability. However, it compensates with the difficulty to block it, requiring three creatures to intercept. Then we find Void Winnower, banning an opponent from casting even-cost spells and blocking with even-cost creatures, a significantly disruptive game play angle. But it doesn’t directly feed into your board state like It That Betrays does with its treacherous theft.

When levels and interactions are weighed, It That Betrays is a unique and formidable card. It changes the board dynamics drastically, often swinging the game in favor of the one who commands this mighty Eldrazi, embodying the very essence of power and betrayal in Magic: The Gathering.

Ulamog's Crusher - MTG Card versions
Pathrazer of Ulamog - MTG Card versions
Void Winnower - MTG Card versions
Ulamog's Crusher - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Pathrazer of Ulamog - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)
Void Winnower - Battle for Zendikar Promos (PBFZ)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase It That Betrays MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi, 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 It That Betrays and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The It That Betrays Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 72003normalblackTomasz Jedruszek
22015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 432015normalblackTomasz Jedruszek
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11762015normalblackKev Walker
42023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 742015art_seriesborderlessAlexander Mokhov
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8052015normalblackAlexander Mokhov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where It That Betrays has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2010-06-15 Annihilator abilities trigger and resolve during the declare attackers step. The defending player chooses and sacrifices the required number of permanents before they declare blockers. Any creatures sacrificed this way won’t be able to block.
2010-06-15 If a creature with annihilator is attacking a planeswalker, and the defending player chooses to sacrifice that planeswalker, the attacking creature continues to attack. It may be blocked. If it isn’t blocked, it simply won’t deal combat damage to anything.
2010-06-15 If an opponent sacrifices a nontoken permanent as part of paying the cost of a spell or ability, the second ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of it. This ability will resolve, causing you to return the card to the battlefield before the other spell or ability resolves.
2010-06-15 If an opponent sacrifices an Aura, you’ll choose what it enchants as you return it to the battlefield. No player can respond to the choice. Since an Aura doesn’t target anything if it isn’t cast as a spell, you can enchant a permanent with shroud this way.
2010-06-15 If the sacrificed permanent that caused the second ability to trigger somehow leaves the graveyard before the ability resolves (possibly because it was returned to the battlefield by the ability of another It That Betrays), the ability simply won’t do anything when it resolves.
2010-06-15 It doesn’t matter whose graveyard the permanent is put into, only that it was last controlled by, and sacrificed by, an opponent.
2010-06-15 The second ability triggers whenever an opponent sacrifices a nontoken permanent for any reason, not just due to the annihilator ability.
2010-06-15 When the second ability resolves, you must return the card to the battlefield, even if you don’t want to.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks