Diamond Valley MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Diamond Valley is a highly sought-after land card, providing unique sacrifice and life-gain utility in gameplay.
  2. Its scarcity and power in Commander format elevate its status, making it a valuable asset for collectors and players.
  3. Understanding Diamond Valley’s strategic applications can give players an upper hand in managing creatures and life totals.

Text of card

Tap to sacrifice one of your creatures in exchange for a number of life points equal to its toughness. Note that this ability may be used after blocking has been declared.


Here we have an overview of Diamond Valley, an iconic and valuable land card from MTG’s earliest set, Arabian Nights. Its function might seem simple, but it provides a strategic advantage that can potentially turn the tide of a game. By sacrificing a creature, you are gifted with an amount of life equal to the toughness of the sacrificed character. Though it does not produce any mana, its specific use case can become a valuable tool for preserving life in games where attrition and survival are paramount. Brian Snõddy’s striking hand-painted artwork of a bleak, diamond-encrusted landscape captures the sense of sacrifice and gain the card encapsulates, adding artistic richness to your MTG experience. Overall, the Diamond Valley card has carved its spot in MTG history and has become a sought after piece for dedicated players and collectors alike. Utilize Diamond Valley to outlast your opponents and turn their assaults into opportunities.


Diamond Valley’s Advantages

Card Advantage: Diamond Valley’s unique ability to sacrifice a creature gives an edge in card gameplay. It presents more opportunities to cycle through your deck faster and gain control over your gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: Though Diamond Valley doesn’t tap for mana, it becomes an invaluable resource in decks where high creature turnover is a strategy, offering health gain as an additional benefit.

Instant Speed: Using Diamond Valley doesn’t require tapping which means it functions at instant speed. This flexibility allows players to strategically use it whenever optimal, even during an opponent’s turn.


Diamond Valley Drawbacks

Discard Requirement: Diamond Valley Mtg doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, but its effect of sacrificing a creature might leave you with fewer resources on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has no mana cost. However, it can be a limitation because it doesn’t provide any mana acceleration or color specific mana, which restricts its applicability in mono-color or multi-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Trading in a creature for life might seem strong, but the lack of mana generation or added value without a creature on the field can be seen as a high opportunity cost comparing to other lands that either aid in mana fixing or provide utility.


Reasons to Include Diamond Valley in Your Collection

Versatility: Diamond Valley is a valuable card offering a wide scope of usage. It can effortlessly adapt to various deck configurations, particularly those that make good use of sacrificing creatures for a gain in life points.

Combo Potential: The land card showcases enormous promise for synergies, particularly with cards that stimulate effects when a creature is sacrificed or when you gain life, multiplying the strategic dimensions of your gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: Engaging in a meta dominated by aggro or mid-range strategies requires effective life-gain tools. Thus, the provision of life advantage by Diamond Valley potentially increases its relevance, making it an asset in your deck.


Similar Cards

When evaluating Diamond Valley in the context of Magic: The Gathering, certain parallels can be drawn to cards like High Market and Phyrexian Tower. Like Diamond Valley, High Market also allows you to sacrifice a creature but only gives you 1 life in return, a reduction in value compared to Diamond Valley’s potential life gain. In the same vein, Phyrexian Tower generates additional mana instead of life when you sacrifice a creature, a useful resource but less beneficial when life points are in critical need.

Miren, the Moaning Well, another noteworthy card, allows you to sacrifice a creature providing life gain equal to its power as well. But with its higher activation cost, grabbing life-saving points may prove more tricky. Similarly, Diamond Valley’s no mana cost for activation sets it aside in fast-paced gameplay situations.

To sum it up, Diamond Valley with its unique blend of life gain and creature sacrifice mechanic holds its ground amidst its counterparts in the grand Magic: The Gathering spectrum. While each card discussed has its pros and cons, deciding which one to utilize ultimately ties back to the strategy and play style of the player.


How to Beat Diamond Valley

Diamond Valley is a potentially intimidating card due to its gain life ability. However, knowing the scope of your deck, understanding game mechanics, and keen anticipation can help in effectively countering the card. Reducing your opponent’s possibility to use the sacrifice tactic that Diamond Valley adopts becomes crucial, and cards such as Take Possession can help in making this possible. This alluring card allows you to take control of a target permanent, paving the way for you to either use or sit on the potential of your opponent’s Diamond Valley.

Moreover, strongly focusing on creature removal spells or cards with abilities to exile creatures can undermine Diamond Valley’s advantage. Spells like Path to Exile come in handy here, removing targeted creatures from the game while also allowing your opponent to place a basic land card. This pits your opponent’s earning of life points against the growing threat of fewer creatures on their end.

Finally, with an understanding of the game dynamics and strategic use of the cards, overcoming the power of Diamond Valley can become achievable. Keep your gameplay versatile and adaptive, ensuring the right cards take the field at the right time.


Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating the rich landscapes of Magic the Gathering requires strategy, insight, and a bit of adventure. Whether you’re planning your next big win or fine-tuning your deck for maximum impact, there’s always room to elevate your game. As you continue to delve into the MTG universe, remember that it’s not just about the single triumphs but the continuous journey towards mastery. We invite you to keep exploring this fascinating world, discovering new techniques, and unearthing valuable cards to ensure your next match is more than just a game, but a Big Score. Ready to level up your play? Join us to learn more and become the ultimate MTG champion.


Cards like Diamond Valley

When evaluating Diamond Valley in the context of Magic: The Gathering, certain parallels can be drawn to cards like High Market and Phyrexian Tower. Like Diamond Valley, High Market also allows you to sacrifice a creature but only gives you 1 life in return, a reduction in value compared to Diamond Valley’s potential life gain. In the same vein, Phyrexian Tower generates additional mana instead of life when you sacrifice a creature, a useful resource but less beneficial when life points are in critical need.

Miren, the Moaning Well, another noteworthy card, allows you to sacrifice a creature providing life gain equal to its power as well. But with its higher activation cost, grabbing life-saving points may prove more tricky. Similarly, Diamond Valley’s no mana cost for activation sets it aside in fast-paced gameplay situations.

To sum it up, Diamond Valley with its unique blend of life gain and creature sacrifice mechanic holds its ground amidst its counterparts in the grand Magic: The Gathering spectrum. While each card discussed has its pros and cons, deciding which one to utilize ultimately ties back to the strategy and play style of the player.

High Market - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Tower - MTG Card versions
Miren, the Moaning Well - MTG Card versions
High Market - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Phyrexian Tower - Urza's Saga (USG)
Miren, the Moaning Well - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Cards similar to Diamond Valley by color, type and mana cost

Cathedral of Serra - MTG Card versions
Mishra's Factory - MTG Card versions
Bad River - MTG Card versions
Griffin Canyon - MTG Card versions
Ice Floe - MTG Card versions
Ghost Town - MTG Card versions
Urza's Mine - MTG Card versions
Hall of Tagsin - MTG Card versions
City of Brass - MTG Card versions
Bloodstained Mire - MTG Card versions
Zoetic Cavern - MTG Card versions
Grixis Panorama - MTG Card versions
Rupture Spire - MTG Card versions
Krosan Verge - MTG Card versions
Terramorphic Expanse - MTG Card versions
Tectonic Edge - MTG Card versions
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - MTG Card versions
Springjack Pasture - MTG Card versions
Buried Ruin - MTG Card versions
Wasteland - MTG Card versions
Cathedral of Serra - Legends (LEG)
Mishra's Factory - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Bad River - Mirage (MIR)
Griffin Canyon - Visions (VIS)
Ice Floe - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Ghost Town - Tempest (TMP)
Urza's Mine - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Hall of Tagsin - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
City of Brass - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Bloodstained Mire - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Zoetic Cavern - Future Sight (FUT)
Grixis Panorama - Commander 2013 (C13)
Rupture Spire - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Krosan Verge - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
Terramorphic Expanse - Commander 2018 (C18)
Tectonic Edge - Zendikar Expeditions (EXP)
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - Theros (THS)
Springjack Pasture - Commander 2013 (C13)
Buried Ruin - Commander 2014 (C14)
Wasteland - Zendikar Rising Expeditions (ZNE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Diamond Valley MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Masters Edition, 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 Diamond Valley and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Diamond Valley Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by Brian Snõddy.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-12-17Arabian NightsARN 731993normalblackBrian Snõddy
22007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1751997normalblackBrian Snõddy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Diamond Valley has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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