Soulless One MTG Card

Onslaught (ONS)
2002-10-07 - Number 171

Planechase (HOP)
2009-09-04 - Number 41

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Zombie Avatar
Power	*
Toughness	*

Key Takeaways

Its power scales with zombie presence, making it an escalating threat in zombie-focused decks.
Soulless One benefits from graveyard synergy, amplifying its potential as the game progresses.
Instant-speed spells can unexpectedly boost its power, often catching opponents off-guard.

Text of card

Soulless One's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Zombies in play plus the number of Zombie cards in all graveyards.

"Surrender your soul to me."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Soulless One’s power and toughness increase with each zombie on the battlefield and in all graveyards, which can offer a significant card advantage in a zombie-themed deck. This turns every zombie card into a potential threat and pressure point for your opponent, not just when they’re on the battlefield but even after they’re in the graveyard, maximizing the value of each creature card you play.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, the nature of Soulless One allows it to benefit from other zombies that do. Zombie-themed decks often include cards that bring creatures back from the graveyard, effectively using the graveyard as a resource. This interaction allows forSoulless One’s continual growth and serves as an indirect form of acceleration that can tip the scales in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although Soulless One itself is not an instant, its dynamic nature interacts well with instant-speed spells in MTG that can suddenly increase the zombie count before damage is dealt or during the end step before your turn. This interaction can catch an opponent off guard, providing a swift increase in power and toughness that can lead to unexpected and advantageous offensive or defensive plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To leverage Soulless One’s full potential, you need to have a number of zombie creatures in your graveyard. This can create a reliance on discard strategies or self-mill tactics, which may not align with your deck’s overall game plan, potentially putting you at a disadvantage if forced to discard other valuable cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Soulless One’s casting cost requires black mana, which can be restrictive. If you’re not running a mono-black or a base-black deck, it might be challenging to consistently provide the necessary mana, particularly in a multi-colored deck, which can lead to it sitting unplayed in your hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exorbitantly costly, Soulless One’s mana value can be considered high when compared to other creatures with a similar impact. In fast-paced games, the fact that it costs four mana—specifically, three generic and one black—can hamper your tempo and give your opponent the upper hand before you can establish a board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Soulless One’s power and toughness grow with each zombie you have in play and in your graveyard, making it a dynamic fit in zombie tribal decks or any strategy focused on creature accumulation.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with effects that fill your graveyard, such as dredge or self-mill mechanics, and with strategies that recur creatures from the graveyard, amplifying its impact on the battlefield quickly.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favours creature-heavy strategies or where graveyard interaction is common, Soulless One can become a significant threat that scales with the game’s progression, often becoming a must-answer threat for opponents.

How to beat

Soulless One is an ominous presence in any game of Magic: The Gathering. Its power and toughness equal the number of Zombies on the battlefield plus the number of Zombie cards in all graveyards. Therefore, to effectively overcome this undead behemoth, strategic removal of Zombies is crucial. Board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the playing field, while spot removal such as Path to Exile helps manage the burgeoning undead forces before Soulless One grows out of control.

Graveyard hate cards, such as Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void, are also invaluable in this matchup. By exiling Zombie cards from graveyards, you can diminish Soulless One’s size, making it easier to deal with. In essence, the key to beating Soulless One lies in controlling the number of Zombies in play and in graveyards, cutting off the power source for this towering horror. A combination of removal and graveyard disruption can keep the Soulless One at bay, letting you turn the tides in your favor.

Playing cautiously, disposing of creatures directly, and preemptively clearing graveyards will maintain a manageable state on the battlefield, preserving your position against the threat of the Soulless One and its Zombie legion.

Cards like Soulless One

Soulless One stands as an intriguing undead force in the realm of zombie tribal decks. Its power and toughness are directly tied to the number of Zombies on the battlefield and in all graveyards, which is reminiscent of cards like Unbreathing Horde and Lich Lord of Unx. Unbreathing Horde offers durability, entering the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the count of other Zombies you control plus the number of Zombie cards in your graveyard. Contrastingly, it doesn’t dynamically grow like Soulless One does during the game.

On par with the theme of undead domination, Lich Lord of Unx not only brings a static power and toughness but also allows the scheming player to create additional Zombie creature tokens and even drain life from opponents. While Soulless One’s might continues to scale as the graveyard and battlefield get crowded with Zombies, Lich Lord’s abilities can significantly influence the game’s tide even without a massive horde amassed.

Therefore, amidst the constellation of Zombie-centric cards, Soulless One’s growing threat presents a unique angle, and its potential in a game cannot be underestimated. Its might can surge swiftly, looming as a looming threat that embodies the relentless rise of the undead in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Soulless One by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soulless One MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Planechase, 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 Soulless One and other MTG cards: