Devour Flesh MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Number	63
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Key Takeaways

Devour Flesh offers card advantage through strategic opponent creature sacrifice, tipping the game’s balance.
Functioning at instant speed provides flexibility to disrupt plays and decisively influence combat outcomes.
Although mana-efficient, its black mana requirement may limit deck integration for some players.

Text of card

Target player sacrifices a creature, then gains life equal to that creature's toughness.

His twisted mind concluded that if he was what he ate, and he wanted to stay human, . . .

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Devour Flesh can potentially provide card advantage by targeting a creature your opponent controls, forcing them to sacrifice it. If the sacrificed creature is worth more than one card or has valuable abilities, this can shift the balance in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or acceleration, Devour Flesh can indirectly affect resource acceleration by clearing the way for your attacks or removing a key piece of your opponent’s strategy, allowing you to progress your game plan more effectively.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Devour Flesh offers flexibility, enabling you to wait for the optimal moment to disrupt your opponent’s plays. You can cast it at the end of your opponent’s turn to handle unexpected threats or during combat to alter the outcome of a battle decisively.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other removal options, Devour Flesh forces the player to select an opponent which can backfire if the opponent benefits from sacrificing a creature. Additionally, the life gain afforded to the opponent might negate the removal’s advantage, especially if they can leverage the extra health for cards with life-dependent effects.

Specific Mana Cost: Devour Flesh’s cost includes black mana, necessitating a splash or commitment to black within a player’s deck. Players exclusively using other colors will need to adapt their mana base or look for alternative removal spells that fit their deck’s color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana might not seem steep, in fast-paced games or formats, efficiency is key. Devour Flesh may compete with other low-cost removal spells that don’t provide the opponent with a potential upside. In scenarios where board control and tempo are critical, options that don’t run the risk of bolstering the opponent’s position are generally preferred.

Reasons to Include Devour Flesh in Your Collection

Versatility: Devour Flesh is a flexible piece in any deck that needs targeted creature removal, fitting well in control and midrange decks. Its usage varies from disrupting opponent’s boards to sacrificing your own creature for life gain in a pinch.

Combo Potential: Pairing Devour Flesh with cards that benefit from self-sacrifice or graveyard synergies amplifies its value. This can feed into strategies using recursion or morbid triggers, leveraging expended creatures for a greater purpose.

Meta-Relevance: Within environments dominated by creature-based strategies, Devour Flesh offers a cost-effective removal option. It is particularly potent against hexproof creatures, bypassing their protections and making it a timely inclusion against certain deck archetypes.

How to beat

Devour Flesh poses a unique challenge in control matchups in MTG. This card allows a player to target an opponent who then must sacrifice a creature. In games where maintaining creature control is key, the trick to overcoming Devour Flesh lies in strategic creature management. It is essential to gauge when to extend creatures onto the battlefield, especially if you suspect your opponent holds this removal spell in their hand.

One technique to counteract Devour Flesh’s effect is to have multiple creatures in play. This dilutes the impact, giving you the power to choose a less essential creature as the sacrifice. Additionally, when facing Devour Flesh, instant-speed creature spells can be invaluable. Casting these spells in response to Devour Flesh can save a more important creature from being sacrificed, by offering a less significant one in its stead.

Moreover, an awareness of the meta and understanding common decklists that feature Devour Flesh can ensure you are always one step ahead, preparing your plays and creature deployment to minimize its potential disruption to your game plan.

Cards like Devour Flesh

Devour Flesh holds a unique position among removal spells in Magic The Gathering, evocative of cards like Diabolic Edict. Both serve as early-game removal tools forcing a player to sacrifice a creature. Yet Devour Flesh has a quirk – the creature’s controller gains life equal to the sacrificed creature’s toughness. Diabolic Edict does not offer this compensatory life gain.

Tribute to Hunger is another similar card that mirrors the functionality of Devour Flesh while offering an upside for the casting player in the form of life gain. This could be quite beneficial, turning a simple removal into a lifesaver in tight situations. Unlike Devour Flesh, Tribute to Hunger might swing the life totals in your favor.

Considering the trade-offs between these spells, Devour Flesh finds its niche. While it may fortify an opponent with additional life, it is mana-efficient, sitting at a cozy two mana for an instant speed interaction. This efficiency may outshine the life gained by the opponent, especially if the aim is to quickly topple a formidable threat on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Devour Flesh by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Devour Flesh MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Devour Flesh and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Devour Flesh has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-01-24	Devour Flesh targets only a player. It doesn’t target any creatures. The target player chooses which creature to sacrifice when the spell resolves. That player can sacrifice only a creature they control.
2013-01-24	The amount of life gained is equal to the creature’s toughness as it last existed on the battlefield.