Disciple of Malice MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Cleric
Abilities	Cycling,Protection
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	139
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matt Cavotta

Key Takeaways

Maintains hand balance, disrupts opponents, being cost-effective, enabling sustained strategic pressure in the early game.
Limited to specific deck types due to black mana requirement, which could restrict its versatility across varied strategies.
Promises niche advantages against white strategies, situating it as a specialized asset in certain meta environments.

Text of card

Protection from white Cycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.)

The lantern he carried did not light his way—it signaled his approach.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the core strengths of Disciple of Malice is its ability to maintain a hand balance while applying pressure to the opponent. Its low mana cost and potential to disrupt early plays by the enemy ensure that you stay ahead in resources, making it valuable in decks that prioritize hand quality over quantity.

Resource Acceleration: While Disciple of Malice doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense, its low mana cost makes it a flexible card for early-game strategies. It leaves mana open for other crucial plays, allowing you to optimize your resource management and pace the game according to your strategy.

Instant Speed: Disciple of Malice may not be an instant itself, but its strength is in supporting decks that operate at instant speed. It pairs seamlessly with instant-speed removals and counterspells, letting you develop a game state while keeping mana available for reactions to your opponent’s threats during their turn, bolstering your overall board position.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players who choose to include Disciple of Malice in their decks might find themselves at a disadvantage due to the mandatory discard that accompanies its cycle ability. This cost can deplete a player’s hand, especially adverse in the late game where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Another limitation of Disciple of Malice is its specific mana cost that requires black mana. This cost restricts the card largely to mono-black or black-inclusive decks, reducing its flexibility in multicolor deck strategies where this particular mana might be scarce.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that may be considered steep for its 2/2 stats and Protection from White ability, Disciple of Malice offers a lower return on investment when compared to other creatures at similar or lower cost. This can lead to suboptimal mana efficiency for players optimizing their deck’s curve.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Disciple of Malice easily slots into black-centric or multicolor decks owing to its low mana cost. As a creature, it’s an early game play that can defend against some early aggression and pair well with various black cards that benefit from having a solid creature presence on the board.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that capitalize on the protection from white. It can be a strategic piece in combos that target creatures without fear of white spells, leveraging this safety to maintain control and pressure on opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where white decks and spells are prevalent, Disciple of Malice becomes a particularly apt choice. Its inherent protection can give you an edge by having a resilient creature that’s difficult for those decks to handle, thus providing strategic advantage over specific metagame trends.

How to beat

Disciple of Malice holds a niche spot within the MTG realm as a black creature that can be a thorn in the side of white-centered decks. Its protection from white gives it a distinct advantage, making it immune to white spells and blocking capabilities. To counter this pesky card, one could pivot to using non-white removal spells. Black has an array of options such as “Doom Blade” or “Go for the Throat,” which can dispose of it without facing resistance from protection abilities.

Alternatively, red spells like “Lightning Bolt” also offer a quick and efficient way to remove Disciple of Malice from the battlefield. In a broader strategy, focusing on non-targeted board wipes such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation” can circumvent its protection by not singling it out, thus clearing the way for your white creatures. The key to overcoming Disciple of Malice lies in diversifying your removal suite and having a game plan that does not rely solely on white spells or creatures in combat.

Adapting to its presence on the battlefield and utilizing the range of options available across the color wheel allows players to maintain control and neutralize threats like Disciple of Malice effectively within the game’s ever-evolving dynamics.

Cards like Disciple of Malice

Disciple of Malice holds a niche position in the realm of two-drop creatures within Magic: The Gathering. It stands alongside other two-mana creatures such as Black Cat, which has the power to force an opponent to discard a card upon its death. While both creatures can be integral to early game strategies, Disciple of Malice differentiates itself with protection from white, giving it a defensive edge in specific matchups.

Another card worth comparing is Walking Corpse. Simple yet efficient, this card offers a beastly presence as a 2/2, but without any additional abilities. Disciple of Malice, albeit possessing one less point of toughness, brings more strategic value against white creatures. Then there’s Child of Night, a vampire with lifelink that provides a potential health swing in combat. While Child of Night excels in granting you life, Disciple of Malice excels in protective capabilities, making it a solid choice for evasion tactics.

Assessing the unique roles each card can play in a game, Disciple of Malice emerges as a specialized piece in a player’s early arsenal, especially valuable for its protective trait in decks that anticipate a heavy presence of white spells or creatures.

Cards similar to Disciple of Malice by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Disciple of Malice MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Disciple of Malice and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Disciple of Malice has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.