Baleful Ammit MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 79
2019-11-07 - Number 569
2020-08-13 - Number 92
2020-09-26 - Number AKH-79
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Crocodile Demon |
| Abilities | Lifelink |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Baleful Ammit enhances your life total while impacting the board with a lifelink ability during combat.
- Negative counter distribution can be strategic, pairing well with certain cards and abilities.
- Its specific mana requirements and discard condition may pose slight deckbuilding challenges.
Text of card
Lifelink When Baleful Ammit enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature you control.
"Not all in our crop deserve the afterlife. We must leave the unworthy behind, Samut." —Djeru, initiate of Tah crop
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Integrating the Baleful Ammit into your gameplay can subtly shift the card advantage in your favor. With its Lifelink ability, this creature ensures you are not only advancing your board presence but also gaining valuable life points with each skirmish it survives — an indirect method of gaining the upper hand over your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: While Baleful Ammit does not directly generate mana or tokens, placing a -1/-1 counter on another creature you control can work as acceleration. This is especially true when it turns a dying creature into an immediate benefit for you, effectively minimizing resource losses and maintaining the pace of your play.
Instant Speed: The ability for Baleful Ammit to interact at instant speed is not inherent to the card itself. However, coupling this creature with instant-speed spells or abilities that can exploit its entry to the battlefield can indeed boost your overall strategy, allowing for a surprise Lifelink blocker or a quick shift in the state of the board during your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Baleful Ammit demands a card be discarded upon entering the battlefield if looking to exploit its lifelink ability to the fullest. This can be a drawback when your hand is already depleted or the cards remaining are critical to your game plan.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one black and two other mana types might not seem too restrictive, but for multicolored decks focusing on a different primary color, fitting Baleful Ammit seamlessly into the curve might prove challenging.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 3-drop 4/3 lifelink creature sounds appealing, Baleful Ammit competes in a slot crowded with impactful, game-changing cards. Its cost effectiveness may diminish when compared to other creatures or spells that offer more flexibility or immediate board presence for the same, or lesser, mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Baleful Ammit offers flexibility as it can seamlessly integrate into life gain and counter-centric decks. Its ability to enter play and immediately impact life totals makes it a strong choice in various strategic settings.
Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with strategies involving -1/-1 counters. It pairs with cards that benefit from or mitigate negative counters, magnifying its utility across multiple game scenarios.
Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to disrupt creature-based strategies by distributing -1/-1 counters and the prevalent use of such strategies, Baleful Ammit maintains relevance within the current competitive arena. Its lifelink trait adds a layer of survivability, making it beneficial in protracted matches.
How to beat
Baleful Ammit is an intriguing creature card that blends lifelink with an ability to place a -1/-1 counter on another target creature you control. This can be looked at as a strength or a vulnerability. To effectively navigate around this creature, consider using cards that can bypass lifelink, such as those that deal direct damage to players or cause loss of life without engaging in combat.
Control decks that use spells such as Shock or Lightning Strike can remove Baleful Ammit before it becomes a substantial threat. Moreover, evasion tactics like flying creatures can overtake the Ammit, as it does not come with inherent flying or reach abilities. Lastly, the -1/-1 counter it distributes upon entering the battlefield can be exploited—cards that benefit from or remove these counters can turn the tide against an Ammit-user and swing the game in your favor.
To sum up, while Baleful Ammit has the potential to be a resilient force on the battlefield, it can be managed with precision. Deck builders should consider including direct damage spells, flying creatures, and counter manipulation strategies to gain the upper hand against this lifelinking creature.
Cards like Baleful Ammit
Baleful Ammit slots into decks that revolve around the mechanics of life loss and benefit gains. When considering this creature card’s impact in MTG, one can see parallels with Gifted Aetherborn. While the Aetherborn also brings lifelink to the battlefield, unlike Baleful Ammit, it doesn’t have the liability of placing a -1/-1 counter on another creature you control. This makes Baleful Ammit a card with a potential downside, yet it’s balanced with the upside of its higher power.
Comparably, the Ammit Eternal shares more than a name with Baleful Ammit, showcasing another angle of the -1/-1 counter gameplay. The Eternal, however, accumulates these counters as part of the opponent’s actions, potentially weakening itself unless strategically managed. In contrast, Baleful Ammit’s counters are a one-off cost, with the upside of life gain whenever it deals damage.
These synergies put Baleful Ammit in an interesting spot among its counterparts. Its combination of abilities can be harnessed in decks that manipulate -1/-1 counters or where the lifelink trait is pivotal to sustain in the game, offering a unique mix that’s tailored for niche strategies.
Cards similar to Baleful Ammit by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Baleful Ammit MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Mystery Booster, 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 Baleful Ammit and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Baleful Ammit Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 79 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 569 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 3 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 92 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | AKH-79 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Baleful Ammit has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
