Harsh Sustenance MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2015-01-23
Set symbol
Set name	Fate Reforged
Set code	FRF
Number	154
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Cynthia Sheppard

Key Takeaways

Offers dual benefits of direct damage and life gain, enhancing its strategic value in gameplay.
Instant speed allows for flexible play, making it a surprise element against opponents.
Constrained by creature count and specific mana requirements, which affects deck compatibility.

Text of card

Harsh Sustenance deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life, where X is the number of creatures you control.

The Shifting Wastes provide refuge to those who know where to look for it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harsh Sustenance offers the potential to inflict direct damage while providing you with life gain. This dual effect can swing the game’s momentum in your favor by targeting opponents or creatures.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana or treasure tokens, the effectiveness of Harsh Sustenance increases with the number of creatures you control. This incentivizes creature-based strategies and can accelerate your win condition by using your existing board presence.

Instant Speed: Harsh Sustenance’s instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions or end-of-turn plays. This allows for strategic planning and surprise tactics, which can be pivotal in tight game situations where timing is crucial.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Harsh Sustenance doesn’t necessitate a discard, but its power hinges on creature count, making it problematic in low-creature setups or after a board clear.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirements demand both white and black mana, thus confining it to multicolor decks, which may hurdle mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana for potentially variable damage, it could underperform in comparison with other lower-cost removal or damage spells.

Reasons to Include Harsh Sustenance in Your Collection

Versatility: Harsh Sustenance offers a unique flexibility as it can be easily incorporated into multi-colored decks, especially those capitalizing on creature swarm strategies. The ability to deal damage while gaining life makes it a great choice for both aggressive and defensive plays.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with token generators or cards that proliferate your board presence. Its power increases with each creature you control, turning a populated battlefield into a significant source of damage and life gain.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where board presence can quickly spiral out of control, Harsh Sustenance provides a swing that can tip the scales in your favor. It is a powerful tool against decks that struggle to handle multiple creatures, making it a timely inclusion in specific metas.

How to beat Harsh Sustenance

Harsh Sustenance stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a spell that can turn a well-established board into a significant amount of damage and life gain. This card shines in decks packed with creatures, using the number of allies you control as its fuel. Its blend of damage output and life gain can swing games, especially in multiplayer formats where creature numbers can escalate quickly.

To counteract Harsh Sustenance effectively, control the battlefield by limiting the number of creatures your opponent has. Removal spells that can clear multiple creatures at once, like board wipes or spot removals, can reduce the impact of Harsh Sustenance. Cards that prevent life gain, such as Tainted Remedy, can also negate the upside of Harsh Sustenance, turning its strength into a potential liability for the opponent.

Always be vigilant about your opponent’s creature count and be ready to act before they can assemble a significant force. By maintaining control and keeping the board clear, you diminish the power Harsh Sustenance can harness, keeping you safe from its potential for turning the tide of a match.

BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves not only understanding the cards but also optimizing your strategies around their strengths and weaknesses. Harsh Sustenance is a card with the potential to be a game-changer when built into the right deck, offering the exhilarating effect of dealing damage while gaining life. If your style leans towards creature-heavy tactics, this card could be a valuable addition to your arsenal. Should you wish to delve deeper into developing your craft and expanding your collection, exploring cards like Harsh Sustenance is a step in the right direction. Discover more about this card and others to construct a deck that can withstand the ebb and flow of any MTG match.

Cards like Harsh Sustenance

Harsh Sustenance serves as an intriguing instant in MTG, appealing to those who favor decks swarming with creatures. This card draws a parallel to cards like Syndicate Enforcer, which also capitalizes on the number of creatures you control. However, Harsh Sustenance offers the distinct advantage of potentially gaining life equal to the damage dealt, setting it apart from the mere damage-dealing nature of Syndicate Enforcer.

Another card to consider is Consume Spirit, sharing the flexibility to scale with your available mana, presenting a similar life-gain effect upon dealing damage. Although Consume Spirit is not limited to the number of creatures on the battlefield, its mono-black identity makes Harsh Sustenance more accessible to multicolored decks. Lastly, we look at Sword to Plowshares, a single-target removal card that also grants life to the opponent based on the creature’s power. While it excels in targeted removal, it lacks the direct player damage and potential massive life swing offered by Harsh Sustenance.

Identifying the best match for your deck depends largely on strategy and the synergy with your creature base. Harsh Sustenance not only damages but potentially pivots the game with significant life gains, making it particularly valuable in creature-heavy builds.

Cards similar to Harsh Sustenance by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harsh Sustenance MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Harsh Sustenance and other MTG cards: