Evil Presence MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 107
1993-10-04 - Number 108
1993-12-01 - Number 108
1993-12-10 - Number 108
1993-12-10 - Number 108
1994-04-01 - Number 110
1994-04-01 - Number 110
1994-06-21 - Number 110
1995-04-01 - Number 136
1995-04-01 - Number 136
1997-03-24 - Number 160
2009-09-07 - Number 64
2011-05-13 - Number 60
2022-11-28 - Number 401
2022-11-28 - Number 104
| Card sets | Released in 15 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Target land is now a swamp.
Cards like Evil Presence
Evil Presence showcases its unique identity within Magic: The Gathering’s array of enchantment spells aimed at land disruption. Comparable to cards like Contaminated Ground, it has the ability to turn a land into a liability for opponents. Both spells convert a targeted land into one that produces black mana instead of its original type. However, Evil Presence lacks the additional two damage ability that Contaminated Ground offers when the corrupted land is tapped for mana.
Icequake and Rain of Tears are also worth mentioning when discussing land disruption. Although they outright destroy a land rather than changing its mana output, the objective resonates with Evil Presence’s strategy to constrain opponents’ mana base. The dissimilarity lies in their one-time effect as opposed to the ongoing influence Evil Presence wields over a targeted land’s output.
To sum up, while other cards can provide a more immediate or damaging effect, Evil Presence secures a presence on the battlefield by consistently skewing an opponent’s mana resources. This subtle yet persistent ability to disrupt an opponent’s plan makes it a niche card worth considering for decks aiming to control the pace and color balance of the game.
Cards similar to Evil Presence by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Evil Presence. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Golgari Burn | Modern | Golgari Burn | Modern Challenge 64 2024-02-05 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Evil Presence can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by turning a key land into a basic Swamp, potentially cutting them off important colors and stifling their ability to play spells. This subtly shifts card advantage in your favor as they may find themselves with unusable cards in hand.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly serving as a resource accelerator for you, Evil Presence can act as a resource decelerator for your opponent. By converting their utility or dual lands to Swamps, you can slow down their game plan, giving you an indirect boost in the race for board dominance.
Instant Speed: Although Evil Presence is an enchantment that operates at sorcery speed, its impact can be likened to instant-speed disruption. Efficiently timed placement on a pivotal land can unexpectedly skew your opponent’s calculations, akin to instant-speed effects that tilt the momentum in a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One aspect that can be seen as a downside is its demand for a card to be sent to the graveyard as part of its cost or effect. This can put players at a disadvantage, particularly if their hand is already depleted or if they rely heavily on card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Evil Presence necessitates black mana to cast, which means it’s not universally compatible with all deck types. This restricts its utility primarily to decks that run on black mana or those that can manage a variety of mana sources efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When compared to other enchantments or control spells, Evil Presence’s mana cost might seem steep for the effect it provides. Considering its specific purpose of transforming a land into a Swamp, the cost-to-benefit ratio may not always line up, especially when alternative cards could offer broader control at a similar or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Evil Presence can adapt to a range of strategies, serving as an effective tool to disrupt your opponent’s mana base. It can turn any land into a Swamp, which can be strategic in both mono-black decks and multi-colored decks that can benefit from the increase in black mana sources.
Combo Potential: This card pairs well with land-targeting abilities and Swampwalk creatures. It shines in decks that take advantage of an opponent controlling Swamps, whether enabling unblockable attacks or triggering land-specific effects.
Meta-Relevance: Against decks that rely heavily on non-black mana, Evil Presence can serve as a powerful form of mana disruption. In metas dominated by multi-colored decks, transforming key lands can significantly hamper an opponent’s strategy and tilt the match in your favor.
How to beat
Evil Presence is a unique card in the MTG universe, known for its ability to transform any land into a Swamp. This can disrupt your opponent’s mana base and color access, potentially crippling their ability to cast spells. However, it’s not unbeatable. By responding proactively to its presence, you can mitigate the impact on your game. Running enchantment removal spells in your deck is an excellent countermeasure. Cards like Disenchant or Naturalize can be used to remove Evil Presence from the battlefield, restoring your land to its original state.
Moreover, incorporating land tutoring effects to fetch the appropriate basic lands from your deck can ensure you maintain your mana base despite the conversion to Swamps. Diversifying the types of mana resources in your deck can also make it less vulnerable to such strategies. Cards that can produce any color of mana, for example, Birds of Paradise, can bypass the restriction posed by Evil Presence.
In essence, preparation and flexibility are the keys to countering Evil Presence’s disruptive power. Understanding your meta and having the right answers in your deck will make Evil Presence a minor obstacle rather than an insurmountable one.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Evil Presence MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Evil Presence 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Evil Presence Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 107 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 108 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 108 | 1993 | Normal | White | Sandra Everingham | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 108 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 108 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 110 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 110 | 1993 | Normal | White | Sandra Everingham | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 110 | 1993 | Normal | White | Sandra Everingham | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 136 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 136 | 1993 | Normal | White | Sandra Everingham | |
| 11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 160 | 1997 | Normal | White | Bob Eggleton | |
| 12 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 64 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 13 | 2011-05-13 | New Phyrexia | NPH | 60 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Scott Chou | |
| 14 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 401 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham | |
| 15 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 104 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sandra Everingham |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Evil Presence has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Evil Presence card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | The enchanted land loses its existing land types and any abilities printed on it. It now has the land type Swamp and has the ability “: Add .” Evil Presence doesn’t change the enchanted land’s name or whether it’s legendary, basic, or snow. |