Heartless Act MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 2 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Instant |
Text of card
Choose one — • Destroy target creature with no counters on it. • Remove up to three counters from target creature.
"It's them or us." —General Kudro
Cards like Heartless Act
Heartless Act is a powerhouse of efficient creature removal within the Magic: The Gathering arena. It draws comparisons to other removal spells like Doom Blade, where both offer the elimination of a creature for a meager two mana. Nonetheless, Heartless Act offers greater versatility, allowing you to choose between outright destroying a creature without counters or removing up to three counters from a target creature, a utility that Doom Blade lacks.
In the realm of two-mana removals, Go for the Throat is another card that often comes to mind. It can dispatch nearly any creature except those made of metal (artifact creatures), while Heartless Act doesn’t have this restriction but cannot affect creatures bolstered by counters. Then there’s Ultimate Price, which restricts its removal prowess to monocolored creatures, making Heartless Act a more flexible option in diverse game settings.
When evaluating options for creature control, Heartless Act prominently stands out. Its adaptability to neutralize a broad range of threats and efficiency in cost keeps it a favored choice amongst players looking to maintain a tactical edge in their Magic: The Gathering matches.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Heartless Act. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rakdos Vampires | Pioneer | Rakdos Vampires | Pioneer League 2024-05-05 | |
Golgari Midrange | Pioneer | Golgari Midrange | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-09 | |
Rakdos Midrange | Pioneer | Rakdos Midrange | Pioneer Preliminary 2024-05-08 (1) | |
Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer | Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-05 | |
Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer | Rakdos Transmogrify | Pioneer League 2024-05-06 | |
Rogues | Pioneer | Rogues | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-05 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: In the dynamic world of MTG, keeping a full hand can be the difference between victory and defeat. Heartless Act, while not directly offering card draw, efficiently removes your opponent’s threats. This removal ensures you maintain card quality and presence on the battlefield without sacrificing your own resources.
Resource Acceleration: Heartless Act doesn’t directly contribute to resource acceleration in terms of mana or additional cards. However, by eliminating a key creature for a low mana cost, it allows you to allocate resources elsewhere, be it advancing your board position or keeping mana open for other crucial spells, thereby indirectly accelerating your game plan.
Instant Speed: The true power of Heartless Act is in its instant speed. This allows for reactive play during your opponent’s turn, providing the flexibility to disrupt their strategy at a crucial moment. Whether it’s stopping a combo in its tracks or clearing a path for your attack, the surprise factor and timing of Heartless Act give you a tactical edge.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Heartless Act doesn’t directly make you discard a card, using it at the wrong time or without proper planning could lead to a less effective hand, forcing you to get rid of other valuable cards later.
Specific Mana Cost: Heartless Act’s casting cost includes black mana, which restricts its inclusion to decks that can generate that type of mana consistently, potentially limiting its compatibility with multicolored or non-black decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating removal options, Heartless Act’s mana cost is efficient; however, in faster-paced games or formats with an abundance of low-cost removal spells, it may not always be the premier choice despite its powerful effect.
Reasons to Include Heartless Act in Your Collection
Versatility: Heartless Act is an instant-speed removal spell that can be easily slotted into any black deck. Its ability to remove up to three counters or destroy a creature with no counters makes it useful in a variety of situations, ensuring your gameplay remains adaptive.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a key interaction piece in combo decks, clearing the way for your winning conditions. It excels in removing potential blockers or threats that could disrupt your delicate combo plays.
Meta-Relevance: With creatures being central to most strategies in the current MTG metagame, having a cost-effective and instant response like Heartless Act can give you the upper hand, making it a staple for competitive play.
How to beat
Heartless Act has become a staple in decks revolving around control strategies within Magic: The Gathering. This potent removal offers players the ability to eliminate creatures from the board at a low cost, making it a favorite. The key to overcoming a Heartless Act lies in understanding its limits. It excels at dealing with unenhanced creatures but falters when they possess counters. Therefore, investing in creatures that come with or accrue counters can provide a layer of protection.
Equipping your creatures with Hexproof is another viable strategy to bypass the hurdle posed by Heartless Act. For example, a card like Lazotep Plating can grant Hexproof for a turn, shielding your key creatures from such targeted removal. Creatures with Indestructible or those that regenerate, such as Darksteel Myr or Strangleroot Geist, also stand strong against this otherwise formidable spell. Thus, while Heartless Act is undeniably efficient in clearing out unprotected creatures, adept deck builders can fortify their forces to blunt its impact.
Ultimately, whether you’re side-stepping its restrictions through creature abilities or by using counter-spells when it’s cast, beating Heartless Act requires foresight and a well-prepared deck. Smart construction and anticipating the removal tactics of your opponent are crucial to maintaining dominance on the battlefield.
BurnMana Recommendations
Optimizing your MTG strategy is like assembling a complex puzzle, and Heartless Act is a key piece for any player looking to maintain control on the battlefield. Embracing the versatility of this efficient removal can pivot the tide of any match in your favor. Understanding its synergies, meta relevance, and potential drawbacks is crucial. We encourage you to keep refining your deck and considering how Heartless Act can contribute to your winning strategy. For more insights on deck-building and card analysis, connect with us. Deepen your understanding and be prepared for any challenge that comes your way.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Heartless Act MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Heartless Act 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
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Printings
The Heartless Act Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Ryan Pancoast.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 366 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast | |
2 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 91 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast | |
3 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 166 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Heartless Act 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 Heartless Act card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2020-04-17 | If you choose the first mode and the creature gains a counter in response, you can’t remove counters from it instead; the spell just doesn’t resolve. Similarly, if you choose the second mode and the creature loses its counters in response, you can’t destroy it instead. |
2020-04-17 | If you choose the second mode for Heartless Act, you choose which counters to remove from the creature, no matter who controls the creature. You may choose counters of different kinds. |