Emissary of Grudges MTG Card

Grants card advantage by countering targeted spells or abilities at opportune moments. Can deter opponents’ actions, supporting resource acceleration and game plan execution. Operates at instant speed, adding surprise factor and strategic depth to gameplay.

Emissary of Grudges - Treasure Chest (PZ2)

Treasure Chest (PZ2)
2016-11-16 - Number 70761

Emissary of Grudges - Commander 2018 (C18)

Commander 2018 (C18)
2018-08-09 - Number 20

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Efreet
Abilities	Flying,Haste
Power	6
Toughness	5

Text of card

Flying, haste As Emissary of Grudges enters the battlefield, secretly choose an opponent. Reveal the player you chose: Choose new targets for target spell or ability if it's controlled by the chosen player and if it targets you or a permanent you control. Activate only once.

Cards like Emissary of Grudges

Emissary of Grudges stands out in the lineup of retribution effects in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to cards such as Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs, both carry distinct methods of discouraging opponents’ attacks. Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs creates a deterrent by generating a 3/3 creature token for each creature attacking you if it wasn’t declared as an attacker during the declare attackers step. Meanwhile, Emissary of Grudges holds a unique ace up its sleeve – the ability to not only foil an opponent’s choice but to do so with anonymity until the moment of impact.

Vengeful Rebirth is another card that shares the theme of revenge. It allows you to return a card from your graveyard to your hand and to hit any target with damage equal to that card’s mana cost. Unlike Emissary of Grudges, Vengeful Rebirth is a one-time use with a possibly high damage yield, whereas Emissary offers a continuous threat of interference. Last but not least, Burning Sun’s Avatar delivers an immediate impact upon entering the battlefield, causing 3 damage to an opponent and 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures. Unlike the subtler deferred threat of Emissary of Grudges, Burning Sun’s Avatar delivers a direct and immediate blow.

Assessing these cards, Emissary of Grudges provides a unique strategic advantage in MTG, combining an element of surprise with a powerful preventive effect against opponents’ plans.

Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Emissary of Grudges not only serves as a formidable creature on the battlefield, but it also offers a unique card advantage by allowing you to secretly choose an opponent and then later reveal that choice to counter a targeted spell or ability that player controls, turning a potential threat to your advantage without losing card resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Emissary of Grudges does not directly produce additional mana, its presence can deter opponents from playing resource-hindering spells or abilities against you, indirectly maintaining your resource flow and accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: The Emissary’s ability to respond at instant speed is an invaluable tool for strategic players. It can be activated when most convenient or impactful during an opponent’s turn, preserving the element of surprise and maximizing its disruptive potential.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Emissary of Grudges, you need to engage in some strategic planning. Discarding a card is a must to trigger its ability. This can deplete your hand and if you’re already running low on cards, it might set you back more than you’d like.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a relatively niche mana combination — one that requires both red and another color. This specific requirement may not be easily accommodated by all deck types, especially those that don’t typically include red mana in their strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Six mana to cast Emissary of Grudges can feel like a steep price, particularly in a game where speed can be of essence. When faced with faster-paced decks, the turn you spend casting it could potentially put you at a tempo disadvantage.

Reasons to Include Emissary of Grudges in Your Collection

Versatility: Emissary of Grudges can be a strategic addition to Commander decks, offering a unique combination of defense and retaliation. Its ability to be declared as a secret enemy adds an element of surprise and strategy, making it adaptable to various game scenarios.

Combo Potential: With the prevalence of spells and abilities that target multiple creatures or players, Emissary of Grudges can serve as a potent deterrent. Its reactionary capacity can be combined with other cards that manipulate targets or benefit from the protection of key permanents.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where players often gang up or negotiate targets in multiplayer formats, having Emissary of Grudges signals to opponents that retaliatory measures are in place, potentially influencing their decisions and maintaining the balance in your favor.

How to beat

Emissary of Grudges is a unique red creature card with a powerful ability to deter opponents from targeting you or your interests in multiplayer games. This creature’s entrance to the battlefield allows you to secretly choose an opponent, which plays an integral role in the strategies to counteract it. To efficiently navigate around Emissary of Grudges, consider using removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes like “Wrath of God” or “Damnation”, that eliminate all creatures and bypass the need to select a specific target.

Another effective tactic is to employ countermeasures that manipulate voting outcomes against the chosen opponent’s will. For instance, “Ballot Broker” can prove useful in this context. Additionally, utilizing abilities or spells that provide protection from red can safeguard your creatures from being selected by Emissary of Grudges’ retribution effect. It’s also beneficial to deploy your critical threats before Emissary of Grudges enters the playfield, minimizing the impact of its disruptive ability on your game strategy.

Understanding and predicting the meta allows you to prepare for such encounters in advance, employing these strategies effectively to mitigate the influence of Emissary of Grudges and maintain control of the game flow.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Emissary of Grudges MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2018, 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 Emissary of Grudges and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Emissary of Grudges Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2018-08-09. Illustrated by Stanton Feng.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-11-16	Treasure Chest	PZ2		70761	2015	Normal	Black	Stanton Feng
2	2018-08-09	Commander 2018	C18		20	2015	Normal	Black	Stanton Feng

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Emissary of Grudges has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Penny	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-07-13	If Emissary of Grudges leaves the battlefield and returns, it’s considered a new object. You may choose a new opponent and you may activate its last ability again.
2018-07-13	If you didn’t choose an opponent when Emissary of Grudges entered the battlefield, you can’t pay the cost to activate its last ability. This will usually happen because you gained control of another player’s Emissary of Grudges or because a creature already on the battlefield became a copy of Emissary of Grudges.
2018-07-13	If you have more than one Emissary of Grudges, you may choose a different opponent for each one. Be careful to keep track of which opponent is chosen for each Emissary of Grudges.
2018-07-13	The activated ability of Emissary of Grudges can affect a spell or ability that has multiple targets, even if some of those targets aren’t you or permanents you control. You can choose new targets as long as at least one of those targets is you or a permanent you control.
2018-07-13	There are several ways to secretly choose an opponent, including writing that player’s name on a piece of paper that’s kept with Emissary of Grudges.