Sarevok, Deadly Usurper MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sarevok, Deadly Usurper ensures you stay ahead in the game by offering an ability that potentially draws you a card each time a creature an opponent controls dies. This keeps your hand replenished, increasing your options and strategic depth as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This formidable card has a second ability that ramps up your mana resources. By exiling a creature card from your graveyard, Sarevok provides you with one black mana, thus accelerating your gameplay and allowing you to deploy your threats earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: Although Sarevok itself does not operate at instant speed, its triggered ability can activate during any turn, giving you the advantage of interaction on your opponent’s turn. This brings an element of surprise and tactical advantage, as you can benefit from the death of creatures any time it happens, not just on your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Sarevok, Deadly Usurper can come with the tough decision of discarding another potentially valuable card from your hand. This cost can be detrimental during games where every card in hand is crucial for maintaining an edge over the opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Sarevok’s casting necessities demand both black and red mana, which inherently restricts it to decks running these colors. This limitation can hamper deck diversity and requires a focused mana base to ensure consistency in play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Sarevok’s abilities are undeniably potent, its casting cost is also significant. With a casting requirement that is on the higher end of the curve, players might find themselves opting for other cards that can provide a more immediate impact on the game state for a lesser mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sarevok, Deadly Usurper lends itself to a range of strategies and can adapt to various playstyles. Its ability to manipulate both graveyard and battlefield makes it a dynamic addition to any deck.

Combo Potential: With Sarevok, the right setup can lead to devastating turns, interacting seamlessly with cards that benefit from creature deaths or casting from the graveyard. Its synergy with recurring mechanics can set the stage for game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Sarevok can thrive. It serves as both a deterrent and an enabler, carving a niche in metagames that favor interaction with creatures and graveyards.

How to beat

Sarevok, Deadly Usurper presents a unique challenge in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering. As a commander, this card can be a significant threat, with its ability to cheat mana costs while replenishing your hand with high-powered creatures. Understanding its strengths is key to formulating a strategy against it. To mitigate the advantage Sarevok brings to the table, consider utilizing removal spells that can bypass its regeneration shield. Instant-speed removals like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization offer a quick solution to eliminate Sarevok before your opponent can benefit from its abilities.

Additionally, control decks with counter spells can be effective by denying its cast from the command zone. A well-timed Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent Sarevok from entering the battlefield altogether. Graveyard hate cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can also impair the capability of reanimating powerful creatures, which is a cornerstone of Sarevok’s strategy. By employing these tactics, players can keep Sarevok in check and maintain an edge over their opponents in MTG.