Shadowborn Demon MTG Card

Shadowborn Demon offers robust removal, clearing opponents’ creatures and pressing your advantage in the game. Mighty yet precise, the Demon fits into decks designed around graveyard mechanics and creature control. Though potent, it demands careful deck construction and mana base consideration for optimal play.

Magic 2014 (M14)
2013-07-19 - Number 115

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 464

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Mythic
Type	Creature — Demon
Abilities	Flying
Power	5
Toughness	6

Text of card

Flying When Shadowborn Demon enters the battlefield, destroy target non-Demon creature. At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard, sacrifice a creature.

Cards like Shadowborn Demon

Delving into the abyss of creature destruction and graveyard interaction, Shadowborn Demon is an intriguing choice for players. Its dark twin in this regard could be Shriekmaw, which also offers targeted creature removal upon entering the battlefield. However, Shadowborn Demon ups the ante with a considerable body that can impact the board both offensively and defensively.

Graveyard manipulation finds another parallel in Nekrataal; although less imposing in power and toughness, it similarly dispatches enemy creatures with its arrival. Where Nekrataal is limited to non-artifact, non-black creatures, Shadowborn Demon can target any creature. An additional layer of complexity is found in the Demon’s upkeep cost, which can be a double-edged sword, affecting its long-term viability on the battlefield compared to the more straightforward Nekrataal.

In the broader context of creature removal and potent threats, the Shadowborn Demon offers a delicate balance and showcases the depth of MTG’s creature-based strategies. Whether one values immediate impact or potential graveyard synergy, the Shadowborn Demon demonstrates a unique combination of power and challenge within the game’s demonic repertoire.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shadowborn Demon offers significant board control by destroying a non-Demon creature upon entry, disrupting your opponent’s field and potentially clearing the way for your own attacks. Additionally, if four or more creature cards are in your graveyard, this action alone can swing the tide of the match in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Shadowborn Demon does not directly accelerate resources in the form of mana or tokens, its creature removal ability can be an indirect form of resource acceleration. By eliminating key creatures your opponent controls, you effectively set them back, preserving your own resources and potentially leading to a quicker path to victory.

Instant Speed: Although Shadowborn Demon itself does not have instant speed, it does contribute to game strategies that operate at instant speed. Sacrificing the Demon during your upkeep, when the required condition is not met, is a mandatory action that can strategically be turned to your advantage when combined with graveyard-based instant speed spells or abilities that benefit from creature cards entering the graveyard.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Shadowborn Demon enters the battlefield with a hefty clause; upon summoning, you must sacrifice another creature unless there are four or more creature cards in your graveyard. This can be particularly problematic in the early game or in creature-light decks where each creature’s value is at a premium.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes double black mana, Shadowborn Demon demands a significant commitment to black mana sources. This can restrict the card to primarily black or black-centric two-color decks, limiting its versatility in the broader MTG metagame.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of five mana, including three generic and two black, Shadowborn Demon’s casting cost is on the higher side. Considering the speed of the current MTG environment, there are instances where this summoning cost could be prohibitive, potentially leaving players at a tempo disadvantage.

Reasons to Include Shadowborn Demon in Your Collection

Versatility: Shadowborn Demon is a dynamic choice for decks that require creature control. Its ability to destroy a non-demon creature upon entering the battlefield makes it a valuable asset for various game situations and strategies.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that utilize creatures in the graveyard. With its inherent sacrifice mechanic, it can act as a catalyst for graveyard interaction or provide a recurring threat in decks that capitalize on return-from-graveyard synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given the rise of creature-centric decks, having a Shadowborn Demon at your disposal offers a solid response. Its immediate impact on the board and potential to be a recurring nuisance makes it an apt choice for disrupting opponent’s strategies in the current meta.

How to beat

The Shadowborn Demon is a notorious creature card in MTG, known for its ability to swing games with its formidable presence and creature removal ability. Its entrance to the battlefield is impactful as it obliges you to sacrifice another creature unless you have a sufficient number of creatures in your graveyard, which can be a cleverly-designed drawback for an unwary player.

To counteract the Shadowborn Demon effectively, grave-hate strategies are advisable. Make use of cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void to inhibit creatures from touching the graveyard, which neuters the demon’s inherent self-sacrifice clause. Another viable tactic is to employ instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push right when the demon hits the battlefield before its triggered ability can resolve. This ensures the demon’s removal threat is mitigated and it’s swiftly dealt with, provided you meet the conditions such as the lower power threshold for Fatal Push or have landfall for Path to Exile.

Overall, overcoming the challenge posed by Shadowborn Demon requires thoughtful anticipation and the right disruptions applied at critical moments. Players would do well to manage their resources and understand the timings to triumph over the demonic force it represents in MTG.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shadowborn Demon MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Shadowborn Demon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shadowborn Demon Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Lucas Graciano.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2013-07-19	Magic 2014	M14		115	2003	Normal	Black	Lucas Graciano
2	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22		464	2015	Normal	Black	Lucas Graciano

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shadowborn Demon has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Shadowborn Demon’s enters-the-battlefield ability is mandatory. If you control the only non-Demon creature, you must choose it as the target.
2013-07-01	The last ability checks whether you have fewer than six creature cards in your graveyard when it would trigger. If you have six or more, it won’t trigger at all. The ability will check again when it tries to resolve. If at that time you have six or more, the ability won’t do anything.