Sign in Blood MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 18 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 2 |
Rarity | Common |
Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Target player draws two cards and loses 2 life.
"You know I accept only one currency here, and yet you have sought me out. Why now do you hesitate?" —Xathrid demon
Cards like Sign in Blood
Sign in Blood stands out as a potent draw spell among the many options available in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to Night’s Whisper, Sign in Blood allows players to draw two cards for the same mana cost, albeit with a slightly higher risk due to the need to pay life. Night’s Whisper does require one less black mana which can make it more versatile in multicolor decks.
Moving to a similar effect with a twist, Read the Bones is an evolution of the concept, offering a scry 2 before the draw, allowing for more control over what to pull from the deck, but at an increased cost of three mana. Compared to Sign in Blood, Read the Bones gives players the ability to look ahead and filter unwanted cards, albeit at a slower pace due to its higher mana requirement.
Overall, even with other spells like Painful Truths entering the battlefield, Sign in Blood remains a respected choice for its straightforward and efficient design in Magic: The Gathering. Its direct approach in exchanging life for cards embodies the essence of black mana playstyle—power at a price.
Cards similar to Sign in Blood by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Sign in Blood. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
B | Pauper | Pauper Challenge 64 2024-03-17 | ||
Mono-Black Vampires | Pioneer | Mono-Black Vampires | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-28 | |
Mono-Black Midrange | Pauper | Devotion | Pauper Jungle | |
Mono-Black Burn | Pauper | Black Burn | Pauper Challenge 32 2024-03-16 | |
Orzhov Midrange | Modern | Orzhov Midrange | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-14 (1) | |
Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer | Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer Showcase Challenge 2024-04-14 | |
Mono-Black Aggro | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024 | ||
Black Burn | Pauper | Black Burn | Monthly Tournament #37 | |
Mono-Black Scam | Modern | Mono-Black Scam | Modern Preliminary 2024-03-13 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sign in Blood offers a significant boost to card advantage by allowing you to draw two additional cards for a minimal investment. This capability can give you the resources you need to outmaneuver opponents in both early and late phases of the game.
Resource Acceleration: While Sign in Blood doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, the additional cards drawn can lead to quicker access to your vital resources. The ability to draw into lands or key spells accelerates your gameplay, ensuring you’re always a step ahead.
Instant Speed: Even though Sign in Blood requires sorcery timing, its low cost and impactful draw effect make it a workhorse in your strategic planning. It provides immediate benefit, replenishing your hand and allowing you to continue exerting pressure on the battlefield without missing a beat.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Sign in Blood provides a useful draw effect, it doesn’t come without a cost. It requires the life payment as a form of discard, forcing you to make potentially risky life total decisions which could put you at a disadvantage in close games.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost includes two black mana, which restricts its playability to mono-black or black-heavy decks, thereby limiting its versatility across various deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although a two-mana cost for drawing two cards is efficient, in fast-paced games, the two life paid can be substantial, and there may be turns where casting Sign in Blood is not the optimal play due to its need for precise timing and life resource management.
Reasons to Include Sign in Blood in Your Collection
Versatility: Sign in Blood offers flexible gameplay options, as it allows a player to draw two cards at the cost of only two life points, making it a valuable addition to decks that thrive on card advantage. Its low mana cost makes it a viable choice for various stages of the game.
Combo Potential: This card can be a key component in decks that capitalize on drawing cards or utilizing life as a resource. Its ability to target any player also opens up unique strategies, such as forcing an opponent with low life to draw two cards, potentially causing a loss of the game.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where the right cards in hand can turn the tide, Sign in Blood remains a pertinent choice. Its usefulness in both aggressive and control decks ensures that it stays relevant, irrespective of the shifting meta-game.
How to beat Sign in Blood
Sign in Blood stands out in MTG for its dual capability to refuel a player’s hand or to finish off an opponent low on life with its direct damage. This versatile black spell can be a game-changer, offering the pilot the choice to draw two cards at the cost of only two life and two mana. What makes it tricky to counter is its low casting cost and the immediate card advantage it bestows.
Winning against a player deploying Sign in Blood requires strategic denial or redirection of its effects. Employing counterspells like Negate just as Sign in Blood is cast disrupts the draw, leaving an opponent without the anticipated card advantage. Alternatively, countering the damage with life gain spells like Rest for the Weary, if used as a finisher, can nullify the lethal potential of Sign in Blood. Swift and clever resource management can trump the early advantage Sign in Blood seeks to create.
Ultimately, to outsmart an adversary using Sign in Blood, one must anticipate the balance between life points and card gains, respond decisively to the spell, and adapt to whatever role it is played in—be it as a draw engine or as a subtle weapon to diminish life totals.
BurnMana Recommendations
Understanding the strengths and trade-offs of Sign in Blood is crucial for any MTG aficionado aiming to enhance their gameplay. As you weigh its card advantage against the life cost and mana specifics, consider integrating it into strategies that use life as a resource or in those that prioritize card draw. Its role in decks can vary from providing essential momentum to being a potential game-ending move against adversaries low on life. Should Sign in Blood resonate with your playstyle, we encourage you to delve deeper into the art of crafting a deck that leverages its unique dynamics. Forge ahead, refine your collection, and unlock new potential with each draw. Learn more with us and optimize your deck’s performance.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sign in Blood MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2010, 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 Sign in Blood 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Sign in Blood Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 2009-07-17 and 2022-10-14. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
Show/hide all sets# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 36226 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | ||
2 | 2009-07-17 | Magic 2010 | M10 | 112 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
3 | Magic Player Rewards 2010 | P10 | 3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | ||
4 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 25 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
5 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 117 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
6 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 101 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
7 | 2012-07-13 | Magic 2013 | M13 | 110 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
8 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 114 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
9 | 2014-11-07 | Commander 2014 | C14 | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
10 | 2014-12-05 | Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. Liliana | GVL | 49 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
11 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 97 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
12 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 77 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
13 | The List | PLST | P10-3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Alan Pollack | ||
14 | Strixhaven Art Series | ASTX | 72 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Minttu Hynninen | ||
15 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 95 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Kaoru Yukishiro | |
16 | Strixhaven Art Series | ASTX | 72s | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Minttu Hynninen | ||
17 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 32 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Minttu Hynninen | |
18 | 2022-10-14 | Game Night: Free-for-All | GN3 | 61 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sign in Blood has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |