Vicious Betrayal MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2004-06-04
Set symbol
Set name	Fifth Dawn
Set code	5DN
Number	60
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tomas Giorello

Key Takeaways

Vicious Betrayal turns creature quantity into massive attack power, shifting board states dramatically.
The card’s instant speed and synergy with swarming strategies make it a potent force in MTG.
Despite its strength, the card’s mana cost and color specificity may limit its inclusion in decks.

Text of card

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice any number of creatures. Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each creature sacrificed this way.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Vicious Betrayal, you gain an upper hand by potentially overwhelming your opponents with a sudden surge of creature strength. This can transform a modest board presence into a formidable threat, effectively turning each creature into an additional source of damage based on the number of creatures you control.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana or tokens, Vicious Betrayal leverages the resources on your battlefield—your creatures—to potentially close out the game. It’s a way to capitalize on a well-established board state without the need to wait for additional turns or mana sources.

Instant Speed: The flexibily to cast Vicious Betrayal at instant speed offers strategic depth. You can ambush an unwary opponent during combat, potentially turning a defensive stance into a decisive and surprising victory. The versatility of instant timing ensures you make the most tactical play in response to your opponent’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vicious Betrayal requires a significant sacrifice from your hand, as you need to discard two cards to activate its abilities. This can be particularly detrimental in decks that don’t have efficient ways to refill their hand or rely on keeping options available for strategic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: With a requirement for two black mana as part of its casting cost, this card is constrained to black-centric decks or those that can reliably produce multiple colors of mana. This can limit its versatility and make it a tough fit in many deck structures where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The five total mana needed to cast Vicious Betrayal is substantial. For many players, especially in faster-paced games, it’s a heavy investment that can put you behind. Cards with lower mana costs could provide similar or better value without such a steep investment, making them preferable in optimized deck builds.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vicious Betrayal offers a unique angle to gameplay, allowing for flexibility across multiple strategies. It fits particularly well in decks that capitalize on creature quantity, transforming board presence into a devastating finisher.

Combo Potential: At its core, Vicious Betrayal can synergize with strategies that swarm the board. Combined with token generators or cards accentuating sacrifice mechanics, it becomes a powerhouse, often leading to game-ending swings in power.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to turn the tide in a single turn, Vicious Betrayal stays relevant especially in metas where board stalls are common. As players strive to assert dominance through creatures, this card becomes a crucial play, breaking deadlocks and securing victories.

How to Beat

Vicious Betrayal in MTG can be a challenging card to contend with, especially when an opponent builds a significant creature presence. This card allows a player to trade life for power, potentially swinging the game with a sudden surge of force. However, like many powerful strategies, it has its vulnerabilities. Managing the creatures on the board is key. Removal spells can diminish the impact of Vicious Betrayal by reducing the number of creatures available for the life exchange. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, can completely reset the playing field.

Counterspells are another effective method for neutralizing this threat. Holding up mana for a well-timed Counterspell or Negate can prevent Vicious Betrayal from resolving in the first place. Additionally, life gain strategies can mitigate the life loss an opponent is willing to trade for power, making the card less attractive or even backfiring on them. Lastly, hand disruption plays a significant role by extracting Vicious Betrayal from your opponent’s hand before they ever have a chance to cast it. Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek are prime examples of this approach.

Ultimately, defeating this card requires a blend of foresight and control. Keep the board clear, disrupt your opponent’s plans, and Vicious Betrayal loses much of its bite.

Cards like Vicious Betrayal

Vicious Betrayal steps into the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering as a dark horse amongst sorcery spells focused on buffing an army. It draws a line close to Massive Raid, which tallies your creatures to deal damage directly to a player. However, Vicious Betrayal takes it up a notch by distributing that aggregated power as bonus attack strength amongst your creatures, promoting a potentially devastating combat phase. Both cards are rooted in the concept of throngs of creatures equating to power, yet they diverge in terms of battlefield impact.

Another comrade in this theme is Mob Up, though it requires a less strategic setup. Rather than tallying creatures, it simply doubles the power of one creature. It’s straightforward but lacks the potential climax that Vicious Betrayal can bring to a game with a well-stocked field of creatures. The card’s ability to tip the scales in a densely populated board state cannot be overstated. Then there’s Trumpet Blast, which offers a more generalized bonus to attacking creatures at a much lower mana value. While less potent on an individual level, it can swiftly alter combat outcomes, much like Vicious Betrayal, when timed correctly.

These comparisons highlight how Vicious Betrayal can uniquely shift the dynamics of a given match in Magic: The Gathering, especially in decks that favor a swarm strategy. It’s a card that rewards the tactical player who judiciously sets the stage for a crowd-based crescendo.

Cards similar to Vicious Betrayal by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vicious Betrayal MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Vicious Betrayal and other MTG cards: