Indulgent Tormentor MTG Card


It provides regular card advantage by offering opponents hard choices at the beginning of your upkeep. The demon helps slightly with resource acceleration by increasing chances of drawing into more lands or spells. Despite its high mana cost, Indulgent Tormentor remains a versatile and imposing threat in various deck types.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Demon
Abilities Flying
Power 5
Toughness 3

Text of card

Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, draw a card unless target opponent sacrifices a creature or pays 3 life.

The promise of anguish is payment enough for services rendered.


Cards like Indulgent Tormentor

The Indulgent Tormentor is a fantastic option for players looking to add a compelling flying creature to their MTG arsenal. It parallels other cards like Harvester of Souls, wherein both creatures offer card-based advantages upon certain conditions. While the Indulgent Tormentor gives its controller the advantage to either draw a card or inflict damage to an opponent every upkeep, Harvester of Souls leverages the death of other non-token creatures to draw cards, providing a bleaker yet potentially more frequent benefit.

Another similar card to consider is Bloodgift Demon. Much like our Tormentor, it boasts impressive flying stats and the ability to draw additional cards. It differs, however, in that the card draw is guaranteed at the expense of one life point, without offering extra options or decisions to an opponent. Lastly, Abyssal Persecutor stands out with its dominant board presence and lower cost. Though it shares the powerful flying trait, it comes with the drawback of prohibiting its controller from winning the game until it’s removed from the board — a high-risk/high-reward tactic different from the steady value the Indulgent Tormentor provides.

Assessing the comparative utility and flexibility, the Indulgent Tormentor holds its ground among other demon cards, providing a unique mix of aerial threat and strategic card advantage.

Harvester of Souls - MTG Card versions
Bloodgift Demon - MTG Card versions
Abyssal Persecutor - MTG Card versions
Harvester of Souls - MTG Card versions
Bloodgift Demon - MTG Card versions
Abyssal Persecutor - MTG Card versions

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Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Zombie Goliath - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: As a flying demon of power and persuasion, Indulgent Tormentor gives you the edge by forcing your opponent to choose between giving you extra cards or sacrificing their own life or resources every turn. This pressure often leads to significant card advantage as you continually replenish your hand while depleting your opponent’s options.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Indulgent Tormentor itself doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, its ability to draw extra cards increases the likelihood of hitting land drops or finding other resource acceleration spells in your deck. Coupled with the fact that opponents may offer you cards to avoid damage, it indirectly contributes to resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: While the Indulgent Tormentor doesn’t operate at instant speed, the dilemma it presents to an opponent at the beginning of your upkeep is akin to the tension usually experienced at instant speed moments during the game. It keeps opponents on their toes, unsure of whether to cede control of the game by giving you cards or chipping away at their own life total.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must navigate around the potential downside of granting an opponent the choice to lose life, draw a card, or sacrifice a creature, which can occasionally turn the table in their favor instead of yours.

Specific Mana Cost: The Indulgent Tormentor requires a dedicated mana base with both black and generic mana, meaning it fits primarily in mono-black or black-heavy decks, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-colored deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With five mana to cast, including two black mana, the Indulgent Tormentor competes with other high-impact cards in the slot. Efficient MTG gameplay often revolves around optimizing mana usage, and there may be alternative creatures or spells that provide similar or better effects for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Indulgent Tormentor in Your Collection

Versatility: This intriguing demon adds value across various playing styles, fitting comfortably within control and midrange decks or acting as a formidable top-end threat in aggressive builds that capitalize on flying creatures.

Combo Potential: Indulgent Tormentor’s ability to pressure opponents on upkeep can synergize with discard mechanics or sacrifice-driven decks, making it a powerful tool to disrupt your adversary while strengthening your board position.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where longer games are common, the recurring choice Indulgent Tormentor forces upon an opponent can yield significant advantage, tipping the scales with either card loss, life loss, or generating a creature sacrifice scenario—all beneficial aspects in a grindy match-up.


How to beat

Indulgent Tormentor presents an interesting challenge for players in Magic: The Gathering; it forces a potent decision each upkeep. Each time the trigger occurs, opponents must decide whether to lose life, sacrifice a creature, or allow a card draw. This seemingly daunting creature can be countered through strategic play. Removal spells are highly effective against it. Since it has flying, it is essential to have spells or creatures that can either deal damage or destroy creatures with flying.

Another tactic is to undermine its trigger by using cards that limit choices, such as taxing effects that make the life loss and sacrifice options more painful. Alternatively, employing instant-speed creature removal or bounce spells in response to the upkeep trigger can nullify the dilemma it presents. Utilizing cards with hexproof or indestructible properties can also prevent the sacrifice from significantly impacting your board presence while still forcing other detrimental choices on your opponent.

Overall, while Indulgent Tormentor can be a troublesome card to face, it is not invincible. With proper removal, taxes, and protective measures, you can nullify its effectiveness and maintain the upper hand in your match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is like fine-tuning a complex machine—every card and strategy must work together seamlessly. The Indulgent Tormentor exemplifies this synergy with its ability to create advantageous dilemmas for your opponents. It’s a demon that demands thoughtful inclusion in decks that thrive on card advantage and strategic pressure. Discover new possibilities in your gameplay as you harness the Tormentor’s power to enhance your deck’s dynamic. Are you ready to take control of the game and make every turn an ordeal for your opponents? Dive deeper with us and add the cunning Indulgent Tormentor to your collection, shoring up your arsenal for your next engaging duel.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Indulgent Tormentor MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2015 Promos, 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 Indulgent Tormentor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Indulgent Tormentor Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2014-07-17 and 2017-11-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 538222015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
22014-07-17Magic 2015 PromosPM15 1012015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
32014-07-18Magic 2015M15 1012015NormalBlackWesley Burt
42016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 532015NormalBlackWesley Burt
52017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 942015NormalBlackWesley Burt

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Indulgent Tormentor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-11-17 If there are no legal targets to choose, perhaps because all your opponents have hexproof, the ability is removed from the stack with no effect. You won’t draw a card. This is also true if the target opponent becomes an illegal target in response to the ability.
2017-11-17 The opponent chooses whether they sacrifice a creature, pays 3 life, or allows you to draw a card. That player can’t make an impossible choice, such as sacrificing a creature while they control no creatures.