Emrakul, the Promised End MTG Card
2016-07-22 - Number 6s
2016-07-22 - Number 6
2023-03-21 - Number 6
2019-12-02 - Number 1160
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 13 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Eldrazi |
| Abilities | Flying,Protection,Trample |
| Power | 13 |
| Toughness | 13 |
Text of card
This spell costs less to cast for each card type among cards in your graveyard. When you cast this spell, you gain control of target opponent during that player's next turn. After that turn, that player takes an extra turn. Flying, trample, protection from instants
An enigma as vexing as life itself.
Cards like Emrakul, the Promised End
Emrakul, the Promised End commands a prominent position in the landscape of formidable creatures within MTG. A parallel can be drawn with Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, another titan from the Eldrazi lineage. Both bring game-ending potential, yet Emrakul’s mind-slaving cast trigger may edge out Ulamog’s ability to exile two permanents when cast. Still, Ulamog’s indestructible nature can sometimes prove more resilient.
Another comparable behemoth is Kozilek, the Great Distortion. Like Emrakul, Kozilek offers an impressive cast trigger, giving you the chance to refill your hand fully. Although lacking Emrakul’s mind control effect, Kozilek compensates with a counter spell mechanic through discarding cards with the same mana value as the spell being cast. This can potentially be more interactive and disruptive against opponents’ strategies.
Emrakul, while often costlier, allows skilled players to harness not just a game-ending attack but strategic advantage by controlling their opponent’s next turn. This unique trait can dismantle an opponent’s defense in ways that Ulamog and Kozilek cannot, demonstrating why Emrakul is a singular threat in MTG.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Emrakul, the Promised End. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Blue Tron | Modern | Mono-Blue Tron | $10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Sunday - 9:00 am (Gold) |
 | Niv to Light | Pioneer | Niv to Light | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-06 |
 | Mono-Black Coffers | Modern | Mono-Black Coffers | $10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Sunday - 9:00 am (Gold) |
 | Eldrazi Tron | Modern | Eldrazi Tron | Modern Challenge 32 2024-04-15 |
 | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer | Mono-White Midrange | Pioneer League 2024-04-28 |
 | Nykthos Ramp | Pioneer | Nykthos Ramp | Pioneer League 2024-04-24 |
 | G | Pioneer | Pioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-04-14 | |
| Gruul Ramp | Pioneer | Gruul Ramp | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-04-15 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Emrakul ensures a significant uptrend in card advantage by granting you control of your opponent’s next turn, allowing deep insight into their strategy and the ability to disrupt their game plan effectively.
Resource Acceleration: With Emrakul’s casting cost reduced for each card type in your graveyard, this colossal creature facilitates a quicker deployment than its nominal 13 mana cost might suggest, enabling a form of resource acceleration as you convert graveyard contents into a discount on one of the most powerful beings in the game.
Instant Speed: Despite being a spell that you cast during your own main phase, the overwhelming impact of controlling an opponent’s turn mimics the disruptive potential of an instant, as it allows you to meddle with their moves during what would normally be their own decision-making process.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Emrakul, the Promised End doesn’t directly require you to discard cards, its ability is affected by the number of card types in your graveyard. This means that its power is somewhat dependent on your ability to fill the graveyard with a diverse array of card types, which can sometimes lead to unfavorable discards to optimize its cost reduction effect.
Specific Mana Cost: Emrakul, the Promised End demands a precise mana cost that includes two colorless mana. This can be a challenge in decks that aren’t geared toward producing colorless mana efficiently. Even with the cost reduction ability tied to the number of different card types in your graveyard, setting up the right mana base to cast Emrakul can be complex, limiting its inclusion in variety of decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its mana cost can be reduced, Emrakul, the Promised End initially requires thirteen mana to cast, which is still incredibly high compared to most other cards. This makes it a late-game play, potentially too slow in fast-paced, aggressively oriented metagames where early game advantages are crucial.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Emrakul, the Promised End could be a game-changer in a myriad of decks. Its ability to fit into several strategies makes it a compelling choice for many players. With its sheer power and game-ending potential, it’s versatile enough for both competitive and casual play.
Combo Potential: This Eldrazi titan can serve as a linchpin in combo-centric decks, capable of creating game-winning scenarios. The card synergizes well with effects that manipulate the graveyard, reducing its casting cost and setting the stage for a devastating entrance.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to take control of an opponent’s turn, Emrakul, the Promised End retains relevance in numerous metagames, disrupting opponent strategies and providing you with a significant advantage whether you’re facing control, aggro, or combo decks.
How to beat
Emrakul, the Promised End commands attention in Magic: The Gathering as a formidable force, marked by its game-ending abilities and status as a highlight in any enthusiast’s collection. Players facing this behemoth often find themselves at a crucial juncture, needing to devise a robust strategy to overcome its might. One reliable approach is to employ instant-speed removal spells or cards that can exile it before it can take over the game. Edict effects, which force a player to sacrifice a creature, are less effective due to Emrakul’s evasive abilities.
Countermagic also serves as an essential tool in this duel of wits. Players can hold back mana during critical turns to disrupt its casting, or use spells that can return it to the owner’s hand, bypassing its protection from instants. Another strategy lies in preparation, adjusting your deck to include cards that can disrupt graveyard mechanics, as Emrakul’s cost reduction depends on the number of card types in your graveyard. Tackling Emrakul, the Promised End requires foresight, precise timing, and a deck crafted to counteract its game-altering capabilities.
All things considered, Emrakul may look invincible, but savvy players can find a pathway to victory through strategic planning and the inclusion of countermeasures specifically tailored to nullify its overwhelming presence on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Emrakul, the Promised End MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon Promos and Eldritch Moon, 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 Emrakul, the Promised End and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Emrakul, the Promised End Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-07-22 | Eldritch Moon Promos | PEMN | 6s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jaime Jones | |
| 2 | 2016-07-22 | Eldritch Moon | EMN | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jaime Jones | |
| 3 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 1160 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | ||
| 4 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jaime Jones |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Emrakul, the Promised End has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Emrakul, the Promised End card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-07-13 | A “when you cast” triggered ability resolves before the original spell resolves. It resolves even if the original spell is countered, and the original spell resolves even if the triggered ability is countered. |
| 2016-07-13 | Controlling a player doesn’t allow you to look at that player’s sideboard. If an effect instructs that player to choose a card from outside the game, you can’t have that player choose any card. |
| 2016-07-13 | If the targeted player loses the game while you control their turn during a multiplayer game, no extra turn is created. |
| 2016-07-13 | If the targeted player skips their next turn, you’ll control the next turn the affected player actually takes, and the extra turn the player takes will be after that turn. |
| 2016-07-13 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, gaining control of a player causes you to gain control of each player on that team. |
| 2016-07-13 | Multiple player-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last one to be created is the one that works. If multiple players have cast Emrakul and targeted the same player, each ability’s effect will create an extra turn. |
| 2016-07-13 | Protection abilities only apply while the object with the ability is on the battlefield. Notably, Emrakul may be the target of a spell that targets it while on the stack, such as Convolute. |
| 2016-07-13 | Protection from instants means that Emrakul can’t be the target of instant spells or activated or triggered abilities from instant cards, and damage that would be dealt to it by instant spells or cards is prevented. Instant spells may still affect it in other ways; for example, it would still receive the bonus from Borrowed Grace. |
| 2016-07-13 | The card types that could appear in your graveyard are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal (a card type that appears on some older cards). Supertypes (such as legendary and basic) and subtypes (such as Human and Equipment) are not counted. The maximum discount that Emrakul’s own ability can provide is . |
| 2016-07-13 | The player you’re controlling is still the active player during that turn. |
| 2016-07-13 | While controlling another player, you also continue to make your own choices and decisions. |
| 2016-07-13 | While controlling another player, you can see all cards in the game that player can see. This includes cards in that player’s hand, face-down cards that player controls, and any cards in that player’s library the player may look at. |
| 2016-07-13 | While controlling another player, you make all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make or is told to make during that turn. This includes choices about what spells to cast or what abilities to activate, as well as any decisions called for by triggered abilities or for any other reason. |
| 2016-07-13 | You also can’t make any choices or decisions for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules (such as whether to take an intentional draw or whether to call a judge). |
| 2016-07-13 | You can use only the affected player’s resources (cards, mana, and so on) to pay costs for that player; you can’t use your own. Similarly, you can use the affected player’s resources only to pay that player’s costs; you can’t spend them on your costs. |
| 2016-07-13 | You can’t make any illegal decisions or illegal choices—you can’t do anything that player couldn’t do. You can’t make choices or decisions for that player that aren’t called for by the game rules or by any cards, permanents, spells, abilities, and so on. If an effect causes another player to make decisions that the affected player would normally make (such as Master Warcraft does), that effect takes precedence. In other words, if the affected player wouldn’t make a decision, you wouldn’t make that decision on that player’s behalf. |
| 2016-07-13 | You can’t make the affected player concede. That player may choose to concede at any time, even while you’re controlling that player. |
| 2016-07-13 | You only control the player. You don’t control any of that player’s permanents, spells, or abilities. |