Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem MTG Card


Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem - Magic Origins
TypeEmblem — Liliana
Released2015-07-17
Set symbol
Set nameMagic Origins
Set codeORI
Number13
Frame2015
Layoutemblem
Borderblack
Illustred byKarla Ortiz

Key Takeaways

  1. Enable continual creature resurrection each turn, posing a constant threat and strategic depth to gameplay.
  2. Liliana’s emblem facilitates mana-free board presence, disproportional resource allocation, and maintains high battlefield pressure.
  3. Despite its power, it demands hefty setup and mana investment, presenting balance in deck utility and strategy.

Text of card

Whenever a creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control at the beginning of the next end step.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Embracing the darkness of necromancy, Liliana’s emblem grants an incredible edge by resurrecting creatures from any graveyard each turn, weaving a growing tapestry of threat and strategy that’s tough for opponents to unravel.

Resource Acceleration: Incarnation of resourceful tactics, the emblem multiplies your battlefield presence without spending mana, allowing you to channel resources towards other game-altering spells, disrupting the equilibrium to your favor.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the emblem enhances your instant-speed removal spells or reanimation tactics by guaranteeing a relentless advance of your undead legion whenever needed, keeping pressure high and opponents on their heels.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Liliana, Defiant Necromancer requires a significant setup to obtain her emblem, often involving discarding or sacrificing your own creatures. This can be a setback as it depletes your hand or field presence, potentially leaving you vulnerable.

Specific Mana Cost: Her activation cost is locked into black mana, which can constrain deck-building options. This makes it challenging to integrate Liliana into multicolor decks that need a more flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Earning Liliana’s emblem comes at a steep cost of flipping a planeswalker and then using her minus ability. This process is mana-intensive, and often, there are alternative win conditions you could pursue with fewer resources.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem is multifaceted and can fit into various deck archetypes. Players can leverage it in control decks to maintain a board advantage or in sacrifice builds to enhance long-term board control strategies.

Combo Potential: This emblem creates synergy with cards that benefit from death triggers or graveyard play, unlocking combo possibilities that can lock opponents out of the game or create substantial advantage over time.

Meta-Relevance: Given that control and graveyard-centric strategies often surface in competitive play, having Liliana’s emblem at your disposal can significantly bolster your position within the current meta, providing critical late-game power.


How to beat

The emblem from Liliana, Defiant Necromancer is one of the more enduring challenges in Magic: The Gathering. Once in effect, it gives a player the ability to return creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield at the end of their turn. This ability creates a formidable loop that can seem insurmountable. However, there are strategies to dismantle its power.

To disrupt this emblem’s impact, targeting the graveyard is essential. Utilize cards that can exile cards from graveyards, like Relic of Progenitus or Bojuka Bog, to prevent creatures from coming back. Cards that can exile multiple graveyards symmetrically, like Leyline of the Void, can put a stop to the emblem’s advantage before it begins. Additionally, playing cards that can remove emblems directly, though rare, or using control elements to negate abilities can also be effective. Despite its strength, a combination of graveyard hate and timely control can provide a winning strategy against Liliana’s emblem.

While challenging, overcoming the continuous creature revival Liliana’s emblem brings to the battlefield is all about preparation and adaptation. With the right deck tech and a tactical approach to gameplay, the seemingly inexorable advance of her undead legions can be halted.


Cards like Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem

In the strategic world of Magic: The Gathering, the emblem from Liliana, Defiant Necromancer stands out as a unique effect granting permanent abilities to its controller. Emblems like this are rare, but we can take a look at other planeswalker emblems for comparison. For instance, the emblem from Jace, Cunning Castaway allows for the creation of multiple illusory Jace tokens, delivering a vast army to overwhelm opponents. It has a distinctly different approach to changing the tide of a game compared to Liliana’s emblem which capitalizes on consistent zombification.

Similarly, Gideon, Champion of Justice offers an emblem that ensures your planeswalkers and creatures are indestructible, a defensive capability contrasting the relentless offensive advantage provided by Liliana’s emblem. Sorin, Grim Nemesis’s emblem is another noteworthy mention. It allows for damage and life gain each turn, aligning more with a strategy of attrition and resilience compared to the death and rebirth theme Liliana embodies. While each emblem reflects the personality and specialties of its planeswalker, Liliana’s embodiment of relentless resurrection sets a high standard for impacting long-term game state.

As a result, while each emblem from various planeswalkers provides distinct advantages, Liliana, Defiant Necromancer’s emblem has carved out its niche for lovers of undead strategies within MTG, asserting its power by bringing creatures back turn after turn.

Jace, Cunning Castaway - MTG Card versions
Gideon, Champion of Justice - MTG Card versions
Sorin, Grim Nemesis - MTG Card versions
Jace, Cunning Castaway - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)
Gideon, Champion of Justice - Gatecrash (GTC)
Sorin, Grim Nemesis - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)

Cards similar to Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem by color, type and mana cost

Venser, the Sojourner Emblem - MTG Card versions
Koth of the Hammer Emblem - MTG Card versions
Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem - MTG Card versions
Domri Rade Emblem - MTG Card versions
Elspeth, Knight-Errant Emblem - MTG Card versions
Garruk, Caller of Beasts Emblem - MTG Card versions
Elspeth, Sun's Champion Emblem - MTG Card versions
Kiora, the Crashing Wave Emblem - MTG Card versions
Dack Fayden Emblem - MTG Card versions
Ajani Steadfast Emblem - MTG Card versions
Garruk, Apex Predator Emblem - MTG Card versions
Sorin, Solemn Visitor Emblem - MTG Card versions
Daretti, Scrap Savant Emblem - MTG Card versions
Teferi, Temporal Archmage Emblem - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath Emblem - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Roaring Flame Emblem - MTG Card versions
Jace, Telepath Unbound Emblem - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis Reignited Emblem - MTG Card versions
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets Emblem - MTG Card versions
Arlinn Kord Emblem - MTG Card versions
Venser, the Sojourner Emblem - Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)
Koth of the Hammer Emblem - Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)
Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem - Magic 2014 (M14)
Domri Rade Emblem - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Elspeth, Knight-Errant Emblem - Mythic Edition (MED)
Garruk, Caller of Beasts Emblem - Magic 2014 (M14)
Elspeth, Sun's Champion Emblem - Commander Masters (CMM)
Kiora, the Crashing Wave Emblem - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Dack Fayden Emblem - Conspiracy (CNS)
Ajani Steadfast Emblem - Commander Masters (CMM)
Garruk, Apex Predator Emblem - Mythic Edition (MED)
Sorin, Solemn Visitor Emblem - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Daretti, Scrap Savant Emblem - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Teferi, Temporal Archmage Emblem - Commander 2014 (C14)
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath Emblem - Commander Masters (CMM)
Chandra, Roaring Flame Emblem - Magic Origins (ORI)
Jace, Telepath Unbound Emblem - Magic Origins (ORI)
Ob Nixilis Reignited Emblem - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Jace, Unraveler of Secrets Emblem - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Arlinn Kord Emblem - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Liliana, Defiant Necromancer Emblem MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins, 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, Defiant Necromancer Emblem and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks