Liliana, Death Mage MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Planeswalker — Liliana |
| Released | 2020-07-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Core Set 2021 |
| Set code | M21 |
| Loyalty | 4 |
| Number | 328 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Kieran Yanner |
Text of card
+1: Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. −3: Destroy target creature. Its controller loses 2 life. −7: Target opponent loses 2 life for each creature card in their graveyard.
Cards like Liliana, Death Mage
Liliana, Death Mage stands out in the pantheon of planeswalker cards in Magic: The Gathering. When juxtaposed with similar dark-themed planeswalkers, Liliana, Death Mage offers unique advantages. For instance, Liliana Vess is a peer with a potent tutor ability, allowing a player to search for any card in the deck. However, Liliana, Death Mage provides a suite of abilities that pivot towards creature manipulation—resurrecting creatures from the graveyard and generating token creatures which could sway the battlefield in your favor.
Another comparable card is Liliana, the Last Hope. This particular Liliana variant leans into reducing the power of opponent creatures and graveyard retrieval, fostering a slower game control. In contrast, Liliana, Death Mage’s ability to create a swift impact—mass creature revival or immediate token generation—can turn the tide more directly. Additionally, the card’s ultimate ability is a quality finisher, setting it apart in terms of direct player damage potential.
Evaluating the diverse functionalities of similar cards reveals the distinctive edge Liliana, Death Mage offers, particularly in strategies centered around creature control and versatile game-ending threats in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Liliana, Death Mage by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Liliana, Death Mage excels in providing card advantage by returning creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield or your hand. This ability not only refills your hand but also puts pressure on the opponent by recurring threats that they have previously dealt with.
Resource Acceleration: Her -3 ability functions as a form of resource acceleration by generating a swarm of Zombie tokens. These tokens not only serve as blockers but can also be used as a resource for various sacrifice synergies or to fuel other spells and abilities, effectively ramping up your board state.
Instant Speed: While Liliana herself is a planeswalker card that is cast at sorcery speed, her ability to resurrect creatures can be leveraged at instant speed provided the revived creature has flash or an ability that can be activated at any time. This opens up tactical plays, allowing you to surprise your opponent during their turn or after they have committed resources to the board, keeping the game tempo in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Liliana, Death Mage requires you to have a creature card in your graveyard to leverage some of her abilities. This can be restrictive if your graveyard is not well-stocked, potentially limiting her effectiveness in a clutch situation.
Specific Mana Cost: One black mana is a part of the cost for activating Liliana, Death Mage’s abilities. This can pigeonhole her into only black or black-focused multicolor decks, reducing her versatility across the various decks that players might want to construct.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at a higher mana curve, Liliana, Death Mage demands six mana to play. This cost can be steep, especially when considering other cards in your deck with a similar mana range that may provide immediate impact or better board presence.
Reasons to Include Liliana, Death Mage in Your Collection
Versatility: Liliana, Death Mage serves multiple roles within various deck archetypes. As a planeswalker, she can generate creature tokens, manipulate the graveyard, and act as a removal option, making her adaptable to control and midrange strategies alike.
Combo Potential: This powerful planeswalker can synergize with decks that capitalize on the undead. Her ability to return creatures from the graveyard directly to the battlefield can be the cornerstone of powerful combos and synergies, especially in a black-centric deck build.
Meta-Relevance: Given her prowess in disrupting opponents’ strategies through targeted creature removal and bolstering your own resources by reanimating key creatures, Liliana, Death Mage holds her ground in various meta environments. She is particularly effective in games where graveyard interaction is pivotal to outmaneuvering the competition.
How to beat
Liliana, Death Mage presents a unique challenge in Magic the Gathering with abilities that lean towards controlling the battlefield and relentlessly reviving creatures from the graveyard. To effectively counter this formidable planeswalker, players should consider incorporating graveyard hate cards that exile or restrict graveyard interaction. Cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void hinder Liliana’s reanimation tactics by removing the graveyard from play entirely.
An alternative approach is direct removal. Swift responses such as Hero’s Downfall or Murderous Rider not only bypass Liliana’s creature tokens but can be used to eliminate her directly before her loyalty becomes insurmountable. Counterspells also play a critical role; by keeping mana open, spells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Liliana from ever hitting the board, preempting her potent effects.
Ultimately, to outmaneuver Liliana, Death Mage, a player must balance the pressure on the opponent with strategies that minimize the impact of her powerful abilities. Maintaining card advantage, applying pressure, and keeping removals or counterspells at the ready can ensure that Liliana’s reign is short-lived on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Liliana, Death Mage MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Liliana, Death Mage and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Liliana, Death Mage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Liliana, Death Mage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-06-23 | If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Liliana's second ability tries to resolve, the ability won't resolve. No player loses 2 life. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), its controller does lose 2 life. |