Life's Finale MTG Card


Life's Finale - New Phyrexia
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Released2011-05-13
Set symbol
Set nameNew Phyrexia
Set codeNPH
Number65
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Gains advantage by removing threats from the field and opponent’s deck simultaneously.
  2. Slows opponents by targeting key creatures, affecting their game momentum.
  3. Though costly in mana, its strategic depth justifies inclusion in black-oriented decks.

Text of card

Destroy all creatures, then search target opponent's library for up to three creature cards and put them into his or her graveyard. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

The feeble resistance of the flesh is over. Phyrexia spreads its shadow over all.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Life’s Finale enables you to dismantle your opponent’s field while simultaneously sifting through their library to pull out any potential threats. This dual action ensures not only immediate but also long-term card advantage by preemptively handling future problems.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not generating mana or tokens, Life’s Finale disrupts the opponent’s resource acceleration by potentially removing key creatures or win-conditions from their deck. This can slow down their game plan significantly and give you the upper hand in maintaining a stable board state.

Instant Speed: While Life’s Finale is a sorcery, its potential inclusion in decks with cards that can be played at instant speed creates opportunities for strategic plays. You can hold back on casting it until just the right moment, following an opponent’s significant creature deployment, thereby maximizing its impact and ensuring you command the flow of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Life’s Finale does not require a discard, but it can result in unwanted self-mill if your deck isn’t built to handle graveyard interaction.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands three black mana, which can constrain its inclusion to mono-black or heavily black-oriented decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With six mana needed to cast, Life’s Finale is on the pricier side, which might deter players looking for a quicker board wipe solution.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Life’s Finale is not just a powerful board wipe, but it also serves as a means to disrupt your opponent’s future plays by allowing you to search their library and potentially throw off their strategy by choosing the cards that get put into their graveyard.

Combo Potential: This card has significant combo potential in decks that capitalize on graveyard mechanics. By filling the opponent’s graveyard, it can set up scenarios for targeted reanimation, benefiting savvy players that can anticipate opponents’ moves.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta saturated with creature-heavy decks, Life’s Finale proves to be a particularly effective answer. It resets the board and gives you information about your opponent’s deck composition, thereby providing a strategic advantage in subsequent rounds.


How to Beat

Life’s Finale sets a powerful stage on the battlefield as a mass removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, clearing all creatures from the field with its cataclysmic ability. The card is known for not only wiping the slate clean but also allowing the player to select three creatures from their opponent’s library to put into their graveyard, disrupting their game plan significantly.

To effectively counteract this spell, consider using cards with indestructible abilities or those that can be sacrificed for a beneficial effect before they’re destroyed. Employing instant-speed graveyard retrieval can also swiftly recover your creatures, turning a potential loss into a strategic advantage. Additionally, cards with counterspell capabilities provide a surefire method of directly negating Life’s Finale before it takes effect, enabling you to maintain your board presence and continue your offensive or defensive strategies.

Navigating around this pivotal card demands a thoughtful approach, as preemptive measures such as hand disruption or proactive creature protection can tilt the scales in your favor. By planning ahead and preserving key resources, you can outmaneuver Life’s Finale and emerge unscathed from what might have been a devastating blow to your creature-based strategies.


BurnMana Recommendations

With Life’s Finale as a potent disruption tool in your MTG arsenal, you gain not only a powerful board wipe but also a way to hinder your opponent’s future plays. Connecting the dots in your deck between strategic sorcery spells and graveyard manipulation can elevate your game to new heights. Whether you’re countering creature-heavy metas or setting up your own win conditions, understanding and utilizing this card can tip the scales in your favor. Dive deeper with us, where we help fine-tune your strategies and foster an environment for constant improvement and learning in the world of MTG.


Cards like Life's Finale

Life’s Finale is an impactful black sorcery in Magic: The Gathering, known for its potent board wipe effect, which destroys all creatures. In line with other spells of mass removal, it bears similarities with cards like Damnation, which also clears creatures across the board. What sets Life’s Finale apart is its additional strategic layer, allowing players to search an opponent’s library for up to three creatures and putting them into their graveyard. This can disrupt opponents’ plans by removing key threats before they even have a chance to draw them.

Another card in this category is In Garruk’s Wake, which features an even more selective wipe, leaving the caster’s creatures unscathed. Although this selective sweep comes at a higher mana cost compared to Life’s Finale. Then there’s Dead of Winter, which scales its destruction based on the number of snow permanents you control. Although not as comprehensive as Life’s Finale’s guaranteed board clear, it offers a unique scaling mechanism.

Considering the potential for graveyard manipulation and the certainty of clearing the field, Life’s Finale carves out its distinguished position among MTG’s creature sweep spells.

Damnation - MTG Card versions
In Garruk's Wake - MTG Card versions
Dead of Winter - MTG Card versions
Damnation - Planar Chaos (PLC)
In Garruk's Wake - Magic 2015 Promos (PM15)
Dead of Winter - Modern Horizons (MH1)

Cards similar to Life's Finale by color, type and mana cost

Kiss of Death - MTG Card versions
Dark Offering - MTG Card versions
Rain of Daggers - MTG Card versions
Corrupt - MTG Card versions
Poison Arrow - MTG Card versions
Morbid Hunger - MTG Card versions
Haunting Voyage - MTG Card versions
Zombie Apocalypse - MTG Card versions
Blood on the Snow - MTG Card versions
Choice of Damnations - MTG Card versions
Beseech the Queen - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Incursion - MTG Card versions
Stolen Grain - MTG Card versions
Blood Tribute - MTG Card versions
Essence Feed - MTG Card versions
Hex - MTG Card versions
Grave Exchange - MTG Card versions
Twilight's Call - MTG Card versions
Assassin's Strike - MTG Card versions
Undercity Plague - MTG Card versions
Kiss of Death - Portal Second Age (P02)
Dark Offering - Starter 1999 (S99)
Rain of Daggers - The List (PLST)
Corrupt - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Poison Arrow - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Morbid Hunger - Odyssey (ODY)
Haunting Voyage - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Zombie Apocalypse - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Blood on the Snow - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Choice of Damnations - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Beseech the Queen - The List (PLST)
Nightmare Incursion - Eventide (EVE)
Stolen Grain - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Blood Tribute - Commander 2017 (C17)
Essence Feed - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Hex - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Grave Exchange - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Twilight's Call - Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari (DDJ)
Assassin's Strike - Jumpstart (JMP)
Undercity Plague - Gatecrash (GTC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Life's Finale MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Life's Finale and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Life's Finale has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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