Necrotic Hex MTG Card


Delivers massive board swing by sacrificing creatures and gaining tokens, ideal for attrition strategies. Demands careful play due to discard and mana requirements, challenging deck-building skills. Strong synergy with sacrifice and graveyard mechanics, offering strategic depth in gameplay.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Each player sacrifices six creatures. You create six tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens.

"You foolish knights pound your breastplates and vow to fight until your last breath. As if that's when it ends." —Tormod, the Desecrator


Cards like Necrotic Hex

Necrotic Hex is a powerful card that brings a unique dynamic to the battlegrounds of Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with other mass removal spells like Damnation, which also clears the field by destroying all creatures. Yet, Necrotic Hex allows both the caster and opponents to replace the lost creatures with 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens. This added layer of creature replacement does not feature in Damnation, making Necrotic Hex a game shifter during stalemates.

Looking at another comparison, Endgame Massacre is a card spell that functions like a board wipe but with an added benefit for the controller. Necrotic Hex offers a similar outcome but, differently, ensures each player gets something back in the form of tokens. This can be a turning point, offering strategic advantages post-wipe. Lastly, consider Cultivate the Grave. While not directly a mass removal, it allows for reanimation of creatures from graveyards. Necrotic Hex can be seen as preemptive, creating a new undead army as it dispatches creatures to the graveyard.

Balancing destruction with creation, Necrotic Hex holds a distinct position amongst Magic: The Gathering spells. Its ability to turn losses into potential gains makes it a formidable choice for players seeking to capitalize on every aspect of the game.

Damnation - MTG Card versions
Damnation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Necrotic Hex by color, type and mana cost

Vampiric Feast - MTG Card versions
Return of the Nightstalkers - MTG Card versions
Morality Shift - MTG Card versions
Peer into the Abyss - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Cabal Conditioning - MTG Card versions
Wit's End - MTG Card versions
Phthisis - MTG Card versions
Plague of Vermin - MTG Card versions
Absorb Vis - MTG Card versions
Repay in Kind - MTG Card versions
Ichor Explosion - MTG Card versions
Sorin's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Covenant of Blood - MTG Card versions
Necromantic Selection - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Conscription - MTG Card versions
Behold the Beyond - MTG Card versions
Cruel Entertainment - MTG Card versions
Kindred Dominance - MTG Card versions
Never // Return - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Feast - MTG Card versions
Return of the Nightstalkers - MTG Card versions
Morality Shift - MTG Card versions
Peer into the Abyss - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Cabal Conditioning - MTG Card versions
Wit's End - MTG Card versions
Phthisis - MTG Card versions
Plague of Vermin - MTG Card versions
Absorb Vis - MTG Card versions
Repay in Kind - MTG Card versions
Ichor Explosion - MTG Card versions
Sorin's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Covenant of Blood - MTG Card versions
Necromantic Selection - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Conscription - MTG Card versions
Behold the Beyond - MTG Card versions
Cruel Entertainment - MTG Card versions
Kindred Dominance - MTG Card versions
Never // Return - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Necrotic Hex shines in creating disparity between resources on the battlefield. By forcing each player to sacrifice six creatures and providing you with six undead, it can drastically swing the board state in your favor, often leaving opponents at a significant disadvantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Necrotic Hex doesn’t generate mana or ramp directly, it can rapidly populate your side of the board. This surge in zombie tokens can ramp up your offensive potential and be used synergistically with cards that benefit from creature deaths or sacrifice, thereby accelerating your long-term strategy.

Instant Speed: Although Necrotic Hex is a sorcery, its impact during your main phase is so immediate and potent that it can be akin to the benefits of an instant. By decimating your opponent’s board before they have the chance to respond or create a sizable force, Necrotic Hex commands a level of respect and wariness, typically reserved for instant-speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Necrotic Hex requires players to discard cards, rendering this particularly challenging for those managing a dwindling hand. This makes timing crucial when playing this card, as a suboptimal discard could lead to unfavorable board positions.

Specific Mana Cost: The pièce de résistance of Necrotic Hex is its strict mana cost, demanding a blend of black and generic mana. For multicolored decks, especially those not centered around black, weaving this card into a strategy is not always seamless.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at seven mana, Necrotic Hex sits at a higher tier on the mana curve. This cost benchmarks significantly against alternative spells, thus requiring players to consider their deck’s tempo and whether surging towards this endgame play interrupts more immediate needs.


Reasons to Include Necrotic Hex in Your Collection

Versatility: Necrotic Hex can be a valuable addition to various deck archetypes, particularly those capitalizing on sacrifice mechanics or graveyard play. Its ability to impact the entire board makes it a strategic choice for multiple game scenarios.

Combo Potential: With its capacity to generate multiple tokens and force sacrifices, Necrotic Hex could be the linchpin in a combo that turns the tide of battle. It synergizes well with decks designed around death triggers and token strategies.

Meta-Relevance: As the game ebbs and flows with different dominant strategies, a card like Necrotic Hex can become instrumental in disrupting opponent’s strategies, especially in a meta-game where creature-heavy decks are prevalent.


How to beat

Necrotic Hex is a powerful sorcery that can significantly alter the board state in an MTG game. By forcing each player to sacrifice six creatures, it has the potential to dismantle an opponent’s creature-based strategy. To effectively counter this card, it’s critical to maintain creature card advantage. Limiting the number of valuable creatures on the board before Necrotic Hex resolves can minimize its impact.

Additionally, utilizing instant-speed removal spells or effects that can exile Necrotic Hex from the graveyard can prevent recurring cast from graveyard strategies that some decks employ.

Deck construction that includes a variety of non-creature spells or creatures that generate value upon entering or leaving the battlefield can also mitigate the damage caused by Necrotic Hex. Finally, having counter spells ready to disrupt your opponent’s game plan is another strategic approach to overcome the challenge posed by this formidable card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Necrotic Hex holds a potent force in MTG, arming its user with the power to swiftly alter game dynamics. Serving both as a disruptor and a creator of undead armies, this card is not one to overlook for players seeking to enhance their decks with multi-faceted strategies. If you appreciate the art of sacrificing for gain and wish to integrate this spell into your black-oriented or multi-color decks, there’s much to learn about optimizing its incantations. Curious to see how Necrotic Hex can shape victory from the brink of defeat? Visit us for insights and strategies to make every play session with this powerful sorcery a memorable one.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Necrotic Hex MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Necrotic Hex and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Necrotic Hex Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Nils Hamm.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 860102015NormalBlackNils Hamm
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1372015NormalBlackNils Hamm
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6492015NormalBlackNils Hamm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Necrotic Hex has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-11-10 Let's say everyone controls lots of creatures. As Necrotc Hex resolves, first the player whose turn it is (likely you) chooses which six creatures they'll sacrifice, then each other player in turn order does the same, knowing the choices of players before them. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously. Finally, you'll create the six tapped Zombies.
2020-11-10 You'll create six tapped Zombies no matter how many creatures you sacrifice.