Rune of Mortality MTG Card


The card allows you to maintain hand size by drawing a card upon entering the battlefield. Its ability to add deathtouch can instantly change combat situations to your favor. Strategically using removal spells and non-combat strategies can mitigate its impact.
Rune of Mortality - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura Rune
Abilities Enchant
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Number108
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byYeong-Hao Han

Text of card

Enchant permanent When Rune of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card. As long as enchanted permanent is a creature, it has deathtouch. As long as enchanted permanent is an Equipment, it has "Equipped creature has deathtouch."


Cards like Rune of Mortality

Rune of Mortality is an intriguing enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that offers a unique twist to deck strategies requiring deathtouch. It’s akin to cards like Touch of Moonglove which grants deathtouch but stands out by letting you draw a card after enchanting a creature or Equipment. This is a distinct advantage over Touch of Moonglove which only offers an immediate, but fleeting, effect.

In line with enchantments adding utility to creatures, Aspect of Gorgon also comes to mind. While it permanently confers deathtouch and a slight toughness boost, it lacks the card draw synergy that Rune of Mortality allows upon entering the battlefield. Another enchantment, Basilisk Collar, also gives deathtouch and lifelink to equipped creatures, enhancing longevity in matches. However, it is an Equipment card which requires a greater initial mana investment and another to equip, as opposed to the runic enchantment’s fuss-free application.

Ultimately, Rune of Mortality posits itself as a solid choice for granting deathtouch while also complimenting card draw strategies – a harmonious blend not commonly found in similar MTG cards with equivalent abilities.

Touch of Moonglove - MTG Card versions
Aspect of Gorgon - MTG Card versions
Basilisk Collar - MTG Card versions
Touch of Moonglove - MTG Card versions
Aspect of Gorgon - MTG Card versions
Basilisk Collar - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Rune of Mortality by color, type and mana cost

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Oversold Cemetery - MTG Card versions
Lingering Death - MTG Card versions
Bad Moon - MTG Card versions
Fear - MTG Card versions
Warp Artifact - MTG Card versions
Deathgrip - MTG Card versions
Blight - MTG Card versions
Animate Dead - MTG Card versions
Seizures - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Sigil - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl's Hex - MTG Card versions
Dance of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Enfeeblement - MTG Card versions
Oath of Ghouls - MTG Card versions
Despondency - MTG Card versions
Insubordination - MTG Card versions
Chains of Mephistopheles - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Horobi // Echo of Death's Wail - MTG Card versions
Brain Maggot - MTG Card versions
Aphemia, the Cacophony - MTG Card versions
Oversold Cemetery - MTG Card versions
Lingering Death - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Rune of Mortality enters the battlefield, its enchantment ability lets you draw a card, offsetting the cost of playing it and helping maintain your hand size for continued pressure on the opponent.

Resource Acceleration: By attaching to a creature, it effectively turns that creature into a removal magnet, potentially causing your opponent to expend resources on a creature that’s gained a new lease of life as a threatening piece on the board.

Instant Speed: Although Rune of Mortality isn’t cast at instant speed, its ability to bestow deathtouch can instantly alter combat dynamics, acting as a deterrent for incoming attacks and empowering surprise offensive moves during your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Rune of Mortality provides an enchantment advantage, players must be ready to discard another card for its optional foretell ability, potentially diminishing valuable hand resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting demand for black mana restricts the card to decks with a black mana base, potentially excluding it from various deck strategies that can’t accommodate the color restriction.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its ability to grant deathtouch, the combined cost for casting and attaching Rune of Mortality might be seen as steep, particularly when there are cards with similar abilities at a lower total mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include Rune of Mortality in Your Collection

Versatility: Rune of Mortality offers flexibility as it can enchant any permanent, granting deathtouch, one of the most powerful abilities. This card becomes a handy tool in a variety of decks, from aggressive strategies looking to ensure their creatures are lethal threats, to defensively oriented decks that want to deter attacks.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with equipment or creature abilities that allow for repeated targeting or damage distribution. By giving a creature deathtouch, even the smallest point of damage becomes deadly, empowering numerous tactical combinations and interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where large creatures dominate the battlefield, giving a small or utility creature deathtouch can serve as a great equalizer. It can also disrupt opponent strategies reliant on large, hard-to-remove threats. By enhancing the threat level of any creature, Rune of Mortality maintains relevance regardless of the shifting meta.


How to beat

Rune of Mortality presents a nuanced yet potent tool for those aiming to weave deathtouch into their creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Enchanting a creature grants not only deathtouch—a profound ability that allows any amount of damage to be lethal to creatures—but also the valuable perk of drawing a card when it enters the battlefield.

Defeating a card with such an immediate impact requires strategic finesse. Removal spells that counteract enchantments or exile creatures before the rune takes effect can be highly effective. Popular choices include Disenchant, which specifically targets artifacts and enchantments, and Path to Exile, capable of exiling creatures irrespective of any enchantments they might bear. Both spells provide an answer to the threat before it can redefine the battlefield.

Moreover, focusing on non-combat strategies such as direct player damage or utilizing creatures with indestructible can neutralize the advantage deathtouch provides. Ultimately, tuning your deck with a variety of removal tools or alternative win conditions can help ensure that Rune of Mortality doesn’t dictate the outcome of the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deepening your understanding of the enchanting MTG realm enhances gameplay experiences, as showcased by the multipurpose Rune of Mortality card. This card transforms your creatures into strategic assets that can alter the flow of a match, offering both offensive and defensive benefits. When integrating such a card into your collection, think about the synergy with your existing deck and how it can be used to confront the meta-game challenges you face. Staying informed can give you an edge, and we’re here to help. Expand your MTG knowledge and finesse your card choices to ensure every duel is a commanding performance.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rune of Mortality MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim, 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 Rune of Mortality and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rune of Mortality has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
BrawlLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-02-05 If the target of an Aura spell is an illegal target as that spell tries to resolve, it won’t resolve, it won’t enter the battlefield, and none of its enters-the-battlefield triggered abilities will trigger.
2021-02-05 Runes can target and be attached to any permanent, even one that isn’t currently a creature or an Equipment. You can cast a Rune choosing a Vehicle as the target, for example. The Rune’s enters-the-battlefield ability will trigger, and you’ll draw a card. The Rune won’t do anything while the Vehicle isn’t a creature, but if it becomes one later, the appropriate ability will start applying.