Phylactery Lich MTG Card
2010-07-16 - Number 110
2012-07-13 - Number 104
2018-07-13 - Number 113s
2018-07-13 - Number 113
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Abilities | Indestructible |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
As Phylactery Lich enters the battlefield, put a phylactery counter on an artifact you control. Phylactery Lich is indestructible. When you control no permanents with phylactery counters on them, sacrifice Phylactery Lich.
Cards like Phylactery Lich
Phylactery Lich brings a unique twist to the black creature roster in Magic: The Gathering. It stands shoulder to shoulder with indestructible creatures like Darksteel Colossus, offering the same relentless durability. Yet, what sets this lich apart is its dependency on an artifact to maintain its presence on the battlefield. This creates an intriguing dynamic not seen in the self-sufficient Colossus.
Investigating further into analogs, we discover creatures such as Abyssal Persecutor, which also delivers immense power for a modest mana cost. However, the lich’s potential for immortality doesn’t come saddled with a losing condition like the Persecutor’s limitation. Then there’s Indulgent Tormentor, presenting a lower mana investment and flying capability, but it lacks the steadfastness conferred by the lich’s indestructibility.
Despite its stringent artifact requirement, Phylactery Lich offers robust resilience that few black creatures can emulate. Weighing its unique strength against the vulnerabilities of its counterparts, it’s clear that the Phylactery Lich is a compelling option for players leveraging artifact synergies in their decks.
Cards similar to Phylactery Lich by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Phylactery Lich offers a robust board presence, ensuring that if you can secure its Phylactery counter on a durable artifact, you’ll have a persistent threat that is difficult for your opponents to remove. This resilience translates to card advantage, allowing you to maintain a formidable presence without the need to commit additional cards to the board.
Resource Acceleration: While the Lich itself does not directly contribute to resource acceleration, it synergizes well with artifact-centric decks that typically include mechanisms for ramping up mana production. The mere presence of Phylactery Lich can be a deterrent, encouraging opponents to deal with your artifacts, indirectly protecting your acceleration tools.
Instant Speed: While the Lich is not an instant, the indestructible nature of the card means you can deploy your other instant-speed spells without worrying about leaving the Lich vulnerable. This opens up strategic flexibility, allowing you to make the most of your mana and instant-speed interactions on your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Phylactery Lich requires an artifact on the battlefield that you can imprint with a phylactery counter. This can be a significant downside if you’re unable to maintain an artifact presence, effectively risking card disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: The Lich has an intensely specific mana cost of three black mana, making it a challenging fit outside of mono-black decks. This requirement can hamper your deck’s flexibility and strain your mana base in multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not the most expensive creature, dedicating three black mana to one card can be costly, especially since it doesn’t guarantee an immediate impact on the game state. In a format where tempo is key, this can put you at a disadvantage against decks that operate at a faster pace or offer more utility for the mana spent.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Phylactery Lich offers a unique position in decks that can reliably produce and protect an indestructible artifact, functioning well in mono-black control or artifact-centric builds. Its resilience against most forms of removal makes it a solid inclusion in a variety of strategies.
Combo Potential: This card excels in synergy with time-honored artifacts, enabling you to craft a robust defense while setting up potential game-winning plays. Its indestructible nature lends to combinations that can otherwise be risky with more vulnerable creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In metas dominated by targeted removal, Phylactery Lich stands as a formidable obstacle. With black being a staple in many powerful deck archetypes, adding it can give you a competitive edge while maintaining pressure on your opponents.
How to beat
The Phylactery Lich presents a unique challenge in MTG due to its indestructible nature, only vulnerable when its phylactery – typically an artifact – is destroyed. Players facing this formidable card must redirect their focus towards artifact removal strategies like Abrade or Shatter to disrupt the Lich’s phylactery. It’s critical to remember that without its phylactery, the Lich loses its protective shield, making it susceptible to being taken out of the game.
Moreover, bypassing the Lich’s defense through board control spells, including mass removal like Day of Judgment or the exile effect of Path to Exile, can efficiently handle the threat it poses. Cards that force the player to sacrifice a creature can also serve as a work-around, leaving the opponent’s Lich with no choice but to surrender its grim grasp on the battlefield.
In essence, overcoming the Phylactery Lich is about targeting its weak points and being prepared with the right answers in your deck. With these strategic moves, you upend the Lich’s immortality gimmick, steering the tide of the match in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phylactery Lich MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Magic 2013, 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 Phylactery Lich and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Phylactery Lich Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2018-07-13. Illustrated by Michael Komarck.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 110 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Michael Komarck | |
| 2 | 2012-07-13 | Magic 2013 | M13 | 104 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Michael Komarck | |
| 3 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 Promos | PM19 | 113s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Michael Komarck | |
| 4 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 113 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Michael Komarck |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phylactery Lich has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Phylactery Lich card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-07-13 | If Phylactery Lich and an artifact are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, you can’t put a phylactery counter on that artifact. You must choose an artifact you control that’s already on the battlefield. |
| 2018-07-13 | If you control no artifacts as Phylactery Lich enters the battlefield, its first ability won’t do anything. As soon as it enters the battlefield, its last ability will trigger (unless you control some other permanent with a phylactery counter on it) and you’ll have to sacrifice it. |
| 2018-07-13 | Phylactery Lich’s first ability doesn’t target the artifact. No player may take actions between the time you choose an artifact and the time you put a phylactery counter on it. |
| 2018-07-13 | Phylactery Lich’s last ability checks your permanents for any phylactery counters, not just the specific one that it caused you to put on an artifact. For example, if you control two Phylactery Liches and two different artifacts with phylactery counters, neither Phylactery Lich will be sacrificed if one of those artifacts leaves the battlefield. |
| 2018-07-13 | Phylactery Lich’s last ability is a “state trigger.” Once a state trigger triggers, it won’t trigger again as long as the ability is on the stack. If the ability is countered and the trigger condition is still true, it will immediately trigger again. |