Rite of Belzenlok MTG Card
2018-04-27 - Number 102
2018-04-27 - Number 102s
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment — Saga |
| Abilities | Trample |
Text of card
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I, II — Create two 0/1 black Cleric creature tokens. III — Create a 6/6 black Demon creature token with flying, trample, and "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice another creature. If you can't, this creature deals 6 damage to you."
Cards like Rite of Belzenlok
The Rite of Belzenlok stands out in the realm of token-generating cards within Magic: The Gathering. This card bears some resemblance to From Under the Floorboards, as both create numerous creature tokens. Rite of Belzenlok, however, delivers these over a series of turns, ending with a powerful Demon token. In contrast, From Under the Floorboards can be cast for its madness cost, offering immediate and flexible token generation.
Another card that echoes Rite of Belzenlok is Bitterblossom, a staple that consistently produces Faerie tokens at each upkeep. While Bitterblossom offers a steady stream of token creatures, the Rite culminates in a single, potentially game-ending Demon. Then there’s Westvale Abbey, which transforms from a land into an enormous Demon creature, similar to the climax of Rite of Belzenlok, but requiring the sacrifice of other creatures to activate.
Among these options, Rite of Belzenlok presents a unique blend of escalating tension and payoff, adding a dramatic narrative arc to games that can shift the balance in favor of the player who weaves this dark rite into their strategy.
Cards similar to Rite of Belzenlok by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Rite of Belzenlok digs deep into your deck’s strategy by providing multiple creatures over two turns. This can overwhelm your opponent with a sudden influx of tokens, making it difficult for them to keep up and securing you a commanding presence on the board.
Resource Acceleration: Embracing the darker side of resource generation, this card initially offers a steady stream of Cleric tokens that can serve as blockers or sacrificial offerings for greater effects. On the final chapter, the creation of a large Demon creature can act as a significant threat, leveraging your board state for a potential win condition.
Instant Speed: While Rite of Belzenlok is not an instant itself, producing a series of tokens can create instant-speed effects when paired with cards reacting to creature spawns. This synergy can catch opponents off-guard during their own turn, especially if they underestimate the looming threat of the saga’s progression.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Rite of Belzenlok can be a demanding card that may require you to sacrifice valuable creatures, which could place you at a disadvantage, particularly when facing opponents with creature-light decks.
Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates two black mana, potentially limiting its integration into multi-colored decks. Players must carefully consider their mana base to ensure the necessary black mana is accessible when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana cost including two specific black mana, Rite of Belzenlok comes with a higher investment compared to other cards that could create immediate impact. This higher mana cost could slow down your game pace, especially when playing against fast, aggressive decks.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Rite of Belzenlok offers a multi-layered gameplay element, fitting well into decks that capitalize on token generation and sacrifice strategies. This versatility sees it utilized in a myriad of deck archetypes, from black control to demonic themed builds.
Combo Potential: The card has inherent combo potential, facilitating explosive plays. It synergizes with cards that benefit from multiple creatures entering the battlefield or dying, such as “Blood Artist” or “Zulaport Cutthroat,” enabling a tactical advantage that can swing games.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to create multiple creatures and climax with a powerful Demon token, Rite of Belzenlok proves relevant in metas dominated by attrition strategies. It’s a card that keeps opponents guessing and provides recurring threats over several turns.
How to beat
Rite of Belzenlok is a formidable enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to create multiple creature tokens and ultimately culminate with a powerful Demon. When facing this card, one efficient strategy is to employ removal spells that target enchantments or use countermagic to prevent it from hitting the battlefield altogether. Disenchant and Naturalize are staple options in many deck colors that allow players to directly address problematic enchantments like Rite of Belzenlok.
Another approach is to focus on sweeping the board clean. Cards with mass removal effects, such as Wrath of God or Doomskar, can clear out the tokens generated during the first few turns and the Demon at the end. This negates the sacrifice effect and the risk of engaging with a large creature. Handling the smaller tokens with cheap, efficient removal like Shock or Fatal Push can also mitigate the build-up to the final transformation.
Remember, timing is critical. Being proactive and knowing when to hold back your answers for the most critical moment is key to outmaneuvering the strategy that Rite of Belzenlok attempts to execute.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Rite of Belzenlok MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria and Dominaria Promos, 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 Rite of Belzenlok and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Rite of Belzenlok Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-04-27 and 2018-04-27. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-04-27 | Dominaria | DOM | 102 | 2015 | Saga | Black | Seb McKinnon | |
| 2 | 2018-04-27 | Dominaria Promos | PDOM | 102s | 2015 | Saga | Black | Seb McKinnon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Rite of Belzenlok 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Rite of Belzenlok card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-04-27 | A chapter ability doesn’t trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter’s number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the III chapter ability to trigger, but I and II won’t trigger again. |
| 2018-04-27 | As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn’t use the stack. |
| 2018-04-27 | Each symbol on the left of a Saga’s text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to or greater than the ability’s chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to. |
| 2018-04-27 | If counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives lore counters. Removing lore counters won’t cause a previous chapter ability to trigger. |
| 2018-04-27 | If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve. |
| 2018-04-27 | Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won’t be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield. |
| 2018-04-27 | Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities—in the Dominaria set, this is always three—the Saga’s controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack. |