Dreadhound MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Demon Dog
Abilities Mill
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. The card leverages opponent mill and creature deaths to gain advantage and pressure gameplay.
  2. Requires strategic card sacrifices and precise black mana, potentially limiting its flexibility.
  3. Embraces versatility and combo potential, making it a formidable presence in player collections.

Text of card

When Dreadhound enters the battlefield, mill three cards. (Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard.) Whenever a creature dies or a creature card is put into a graveyard from a library, each opponent loses 1 life.

It herds souls toward eternal torment.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Dreadhound comes into play with a powerful ability that can mill three cards from an opponent’s library to their graveyard, a potent form of card advantage. This effect can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and provides fuel for your own graveyard-based synergies, keeping you ahead in resources.

Resource Acceleration: Every time another creature dies or a creature card is put into a graveyard from a library, Dreadhound grants you a form of indirect resource acceleration by draining life from your opponent. This ability stacks with multiple creatures dying, making it a formidable tool in creature-heavy matchups.

Instant Speed: While Dreadhound itself does not operate at instant speed, it capitalizes on instant speed interactions by reacting to creature deaths and mill effects that can be triggered during either player’s turn. This ongoing threat complements instant-speed spells in your deck, maintaining pressure on your opponent across all phases of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Dreadhound necessitates the strategic sacrifice of other cards, specifically requiring you to discard, which could deplete your hand earlier than anticipated. This can pose a significant setback when trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that includes double black mana, Dreadhound is somewhat inflexible, making it a less desirable choice for decks that are not heavily black or have limited mana fixing capabilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at six mana, three of which must be black, Dreadhound occupies a higher rung on the mana curve. There are lower-cost creatures that can be played earlier in the game, potentially providing you with a faster and more aggressive board presence.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dreadhound can seamlessly integrate into various black-centered decks, particularly those championing graveyard synergies or looking to manage board states with creature removal.

Combo Potential: Its ability to inflict damage when other creatures die makes it a natural combo piece in strategies aiming to cycle creatures through the graveyard, elevating the power of sacrificial plays.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment dominated by creature-based decks, Dreadhound offers a robust answer to swarming tactics and can act as both a deterrent and a game-closer with its passive damage ability.


How to beat

Dreadhound is a compelling creature that confronts players with a considerable challenge in MTG. Its power lies in creating a detrimental effect for your opponent whenever a creature dies, causing them to lose life and piling up the pressure. To overcome this fearsome canine, it’s essential to limit creature deaths on your side and prevent those incremental life losses from adding up.

Control strategies become your best friend here. Utilizing spells that can exile Dreadhound sidesteps its ability entirely, as it does not trigger on creatures being exiled. Board wipes can also be a double-edged sword but are effective if you can manage to clear the board before Dreadhound’s ability puts you at a significant disadvantage. Direct removal spells are key, ensuring the Dreadhound leaves the battlefield before it can become an insurmountable threat.

Remember, planning ahead and keeping removal or exile spells at the ready is paramount when facing such a potent adversary. By carefully navigating around it, you can neutralize the looming peril of Dreadhound and maintain your stronghold in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dreadhound emerges as a formidable force in MTG, offering more than brute strength; it’s a strategic asset for those looking to harness graveyard power. Combining disruption with lifedrain, this canine terror excels in black-centric decks packed with creature removal or those exploiting graveyard mechanics for an edge. Embrace its potential and adapt your playstyle to leverage each creature’s demise and accelerate towards victory. Keen to deepen your strategic repository and refine your deck-building prowess around such versatile cards? Step into our hub for insights and tips designed to help you dominate the battlefield and become a true connoisseur of the game’s intricate tactics.


Cards like Dreadhound

Dreadhound commands attention in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. This imposing creature shares similarities with other high-power creatures that impact the board upon entering, similar to the likes of Massacre Wurm. Both creatures exert a significant presence, and Massacre Wurm also imposes a penalty to opponents when their creatures die. However, Dreadhound’s ability focuses on when opponents’ cards go to their graveyard from anywhere, giving it a unique angle in graveyard-centered strategies.

Another card warranting comparison is Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Both cards are adept at draining life from opponents, with the Merchant dealing with the total number of devotion to black. Dreadhound, in contrast, doesn’t rely on devotion but still offers a substantial life loss effect linked to the graveyard. It’s worth noting the life-draining effects of Dreadhound can be triggered multiple times across the game, versus the Merchant’s one-time effect upon entering the battlefield.

When evaluating Dreadhound against its counterparts, it impressively carves out its niche within MTG’s cadre of black creatures. Its unique ability to punish opponents for discarding or losing cards gives it a strategic advantage in various gameplay scenarios, especially in graveyard manipulation decks.

Massacre Wurm - MTG Card versions
Gray Merchant of Asphodel - MTG Card versions
Massacre Wurm - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Gray Merchant of Asphodel - Theros (THS)

Cards similar to Dreadhound by color, type and mana cost

Nightmare - MTG Card versions
Demonic Hordes - MTG Card versions
Ihsan's Shade - MTG Card versions
Necrosavant - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Lancer - MTG Card versions
Face of Fear - MTG Card versions
Wire Surgeons - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Chittering Harvester - MTG Card versions
Crossway Troublemakers - MTG Card versions
Anurid Murkdiver - MTG Card versions
Gempalm Polluter - MTG Card versions
Nefashu - MTG Card versions
Twisted Abomination - MTG Card versions
Iname, Death Aspect - MTG Card versions
Deathcurse Ogre - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth Demon - MTG Card versions
Ascendant Evincar - MTG Card versions
Bog Hoodlums - MTG Card versions
Helldozer - MTG Card versions
Nightmare - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Demonic Hordes - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Ihsan's Shade - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Necrosavant - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Dakmor Lancer - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Face of Fear - Odyssey (ODY)
Wire Surgeons - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Grave Titan - Fallout (PIP)
Chittering Harvester - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Crossway Troublemakers - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)
Anurid Murkdiver - Onslaught (ONS)
Gempalm Polluter - Legions (LGN)
Nefashu - Scourge (SCG)
Twisted Abomination - Scourge (SCG)
Iname, Death Aspect - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Deathcurse Ogre - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Yawgmoth Demon - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ascendant Evincar - Tenth Edition (10E)
Bog Hoodlums - Lorwyn (LRW)
Helldozer - Planechase (HOP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dreadhound MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Dreadhound and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dreadhound Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Joe Slucher.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 972015normalblackJoe Slucher
22022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 972015normalblackJoe Slucher
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4062015normalblackJoe Slucher

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dreadhound has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

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