Pestilence MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 18 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Pestilence in MTG offers card advantage by affecting all creatures and players, strategically clearing the board.
  2. This enchantment persists for continuous damage, enabling resource acceleration and a potent presence in play.
  3. Pestilence operates at instant speed, delivering immediate damage without compromising other plans or mana.

Text of card

oo B Do 1 damage to each creature and to both players. Pestilence must be discarded at end of any turn in which there are no creatures in play at end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pestilence MTG involves clearing lanes for creatures or directly damaging players through a collective loss of life points. This allows for gaining card advantage in a duel by weakening your opposition’s defenses.

Resource Acceleration: Since Pestilence remains in play until there are no creatures on the battlefield, it is a dependable source of repetitive damage. It creates resource acceleration by swiftly diminishing the life totals of all players and reducing the virtual lifelines of enemy creatures.

Instant Speed: Although Pestilence itself is an enchantment, its impact is considered at the speed of an instant. Once activated, there’s no waiting. The damage is dealt immediately to all creatures and players alike in the same turn, preserving your mana and cards for other strategic plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One thing to keep in mind when choosing Pestilence is that it demands a hefty level of card management. If you don’t have a creature on the field, you’ll have to be prepared for this card to be discarded from the game, leaving you at a potential disadvantage if you are low on alternate resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Pestilence leans heavily into its black mana origin, necessitating a commitment to that color. This can limit its application to decks and strategies that either revolve around black mana itself or can adequately support it alongside other mana needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even with its substantial power, Pestilence comes at a high mana cost. Clocking in at four mana points, this card faces intense competition from other mana-efficient plans or resource generators. While its board-wide effect is undeniably potent, it’s crucial to consider if it’s cost-effective for your specific playstyle or deck setup.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pestilence, a captivating black enchantment, can be easily integrated into various deck styles. Its ability to deal damage to all creatures and players adapts seamlessly to a wide range of gameplay strategies, making it a beneficial asset.

Combo Potential: Pestilence shows substantial synergy with cards that possess damage prevention or are capable of regenerating. Its capacity to trigger recurring damage bolsters strategies that thrive on consistent creature removal, thus elevating your deck’s intimidation factor.

Meta-Relevance: Given the recurrent trend of creature-heavy strategies in the current meta-game, Pestilence could prove invaluable. This enchantment’s power to control the board and dwindle opponent’s life total can shift the game dynamics drastically in your favor.


How to beat

Pestilence is a notoriously powerful card in Magic: The Gathering. This black enchantment spell allows a player to deal damage to all creatures and players, the magnitude of which equals the amount of mana invested. It’s known for its potential of creating massive board wipes and turning games around. However, it’s not insurmountable.

One efficient way to conquer Pestilence is through enchantment removal cards. Spells like Disenchant, Revoke Existence, and Naturalize are a few examples that could be used to immediately eliminate Pestilence from the game. These cards are relatively inexpensive regarding mana costs, making them quick-response solutions.

In addition, holding onto creature cards with Indestructible or Protection from Black abilities can ensure that they survive Pestilence’s onslaught. Creatures with high toughness can also weather the blow long enough for you to mount a counterattack. Another smart strategy involves utilizing life-gain decks, allowing you to replenish your Life Points as fast or faster than Pestilence can deplete them.

Ultimately, the key to battling against Pestilence lies within the player’s deck construction and strategy. The ability to quickly adapt to changes in the battlefield environment could potentially turn the tables in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

For enthusiasts seeking to harness the destructive force of Pestilence in MTG, it’s essential to recognize both its power and pitfalls. This iconic black enchantment shines in its ability to manage the battlefield and impact all players, yet its dependence on creature presence and high mana cost require calculated deck building. Ensure your collection is equipped with enchantment removals and sturdy creatures to weather its effect. Eager to dive deeper and optimize your strategy with Pestilence? Discover advanced techniques, critical card synergies, and build a truly formidable deck by learning more with us.


Cards like Pestilence

Pestilence is an influential card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, renowned for its captivating ability to deal damage to all creatures and players. Similar cards include Pyroclasm and Infest, both of which can cause extensive damage. However, the key differentiator for Pestilence lies in its continuous nature. Unlike other one-off spells, Pestilence holds the potential to persist in the game, which can be crucial to ensuring a dominating stance.

Another card that shares a resemblance with Pestilence is Crypt Rats. Similarly, it provides an effect that damages each player and creature. However, Pestilence’s strength is in its consistency since unlike Crypt Rats, it’s not a creature and cannot easily be removed.

The Pestilence Demon is also akin to Pestilence, with the spell effect replicated in creature form. Yet, Pestilence in its enchantment form provides a greater versatility as it’s not limited by summoning sickness and isn’t prone to creature-specific removal tactics.

Therefore, while assessing the potency and flexibility of Pestilence against similar cards, Pestilence indeed secures a high spot among damage-dealing cards in Magic: The Gathering, mainly due to its persistent ability and resilience against removal strategies.

Pyroclasm - MTG Card versions
Infest - MTG Card versions
Crypt Rats - MTG Card versions
Pestilence Demon - MTG Card versions
Pyroclasm - Ice Age (ICE)
Infest - Onslaught (ONS)
Crypt Rats - Visions (VIS)
Pestilence Demon - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)

Cards similar to Pestilence by color, type and mana cost

Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Vile Requiem - MTG Card versions
Parasitic Bond - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Strands of Night - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Lich - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Nether Void - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Breeding Pit - The List (PLST)
Greed - Commander 2021 (C21)
Feast of the Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Koskun Falls - Homelands (HML)
Grave Pact - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Diabolic Servitude - Urza's Saga (USG)
Vampiric Embrace - Urza's Saga (USG)
Vile Requiem - The List (PLST)
Parasitic Bond - Urza's Saga (USG)
Brink of Madness - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Death Pit Offering - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Tainted Aether - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Strands of Night - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Patriarch's Desire - Odyssey (ODY)
Nefarious Lich - Odyssey (ODY)
Last Laugh - Torment (TOR)
Court of Ambition - Commander Legends (CMR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pestilence MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Pestilence and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pestilence Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1201993normalblackJesper Myrfors
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1211993normalblackJesper Myrfors
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1211993normalwhiteJesper Myrfors
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1211993normalblackJesper Myrfors
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1211993normalblackJesper Myrfors
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1221993normalblackJesper Myrfors
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1221993normalwhiteJesper Myrfors
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1221993normalwhiteJesper Myrfors
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1521993normalblackJesper Myrfors
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1521993normalwhiteJesper Myrfors
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 1861997normalwhiteKev Walker
121998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1471997normalblackPete Venters
131999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1491997normalwhiteKev Walker
141999-11-12Battle Royale Box SetBRB 491997normalwhitePete Venters
152019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7291997normalblackPete Venters
162020-09-26The ListPLST USG-1471997normalblackPete Venters
172022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4141997normalblackJesper Myrfors
182022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1172015normalblackJesper Myrfors

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pestilence has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Pestilence card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2004-10-04 Each activation is considered a new damage effect. An activation can only be 1 point of damage.
2011-06-01 It will stay on the battlefield if there is a creature that is put into the graveyard during the end step. This is because this ability will not trigger at all if there is at least one creature on the battlefield as the end step begins.
2011-06-01 Note that “until end of turn” effects wear off after “at the beginning of the end step” triggered abilities, so an artifact that animates until end of turn can keep this on the battlefield.

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