Heartless Act MTG Card


Heartless Act efficiently handles threats, balancing resource use and battlefield presence. Its restricted mana base and specific uses might limit versatility in certain decks. Adapting decks to leverage or counter Heartless Act can sharpen competitive edges.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

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.

Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Ultimate Price - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Ultimate Price - MTG Card versions

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.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos VampiresRakdos Vampires PioneerRakdos VampiresPioneer League 2024-05-05
Golgari MidrangeGolgari Midrange PioneerGolgari MidrangePioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-09
Rakdos MidrangeRakdos Midrange PioneerRakdos MidrangePioneer Preliminary 2024-05-08 (1)
Mono-Black DiscardMono-Black Discard PioneerMono-Black DiscardPioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-05
Rakdos TransmogrifyRakdos Transmogrify PioneerRakdos TransmogrifyPioneer League 2024-05-06
RoguesRogues PioneerRoguesPioneer 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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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.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 3662015NormalBlackRyan Pancoast
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 912015NormalBlackRyan Pancoast
32023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1662015NormalBlackRyan Pancoast

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Heartless Act has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

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.