Soulcage Fiend MTG Card

Soulcage Fiend impacts the game’s pace and can advantageously alter life totals upon death. Its unique mana cost can challenge deck-building but provides a significant effect on play. Being versatile and meta-relevant, Soulcage Fiend fits various deck strategies effectively.

Avacyn Restored (AVR)
2012-05-04 - Number 120

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 470

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Demon
Power	3
Toughness	2

Text of card

When Soulcage Fiend dies, each player loses 3 life.

Vowing to free the souls of her children, Kastinne followed the tormentors into the ghastly network of caves below Stensia.

Cards like Soulcage Fiend

Soulcage Fiend offers a unique dynamic to MTG players seeking advantage in life point strategies. In comparison to other creatures, such as Vexing Devil, it provides a different take on the concept of getting value from a creature’s death. Vexing Devil presents an upfront choice for life loss to the opponent, while Soulcage Fiend guarantees a loss of life upon death no matter the situation. This makes it a reliable tool for decks built around death-trigger effects.

Considering Dying Wish, another card that increases the impact of a creature’s demise, Soulcage Fiend stands out by inherently possessing the life loss effect without needing an enchantment. On top of that, there is Blood Artist, which can continually chip away at an opponent’s life total with its triggered ability from creature’s deaths. Soulcage Fiend differs from Blood Artist by providing a one-time but more substantial life loss effect.

Altogether, Soulcage Fiend carves out its niche as a small but significant source of guaranteed life loss. Its intrinsic ability to impact the life totals of each player makes it a notable comparison to other similar MTG cards that manipulate life as a resource.

Cards similar to Soulcage Fiend by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Soulcage Fiend from MTG leaves the battlefield, each player loses 3 life. This passive ability can contribute to card advantage in decks designed around life loss and gain, forcing opponents to deal with the Fiend or risk a detrimental life swing.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly offering mana acceleration, the life loss caused by Soulcage Fiend can expedite the game pace in your favor. This indirect resource acceleration pressures opponents and complements aggressive strategies that look to minimize the duration of the match.

Instant Speed: Although Soulcage Fiend itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it fuels strategies incorporating instant-speed interactions. The triggered ability upon death synergizes with flash spells or effects that sacrifice creatures, enabling you to optimize the timing of life loss to disrupt your opponent’s plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In a game where maintaining hand advantage can be pivotal, the triggered ability of Soulcage Fiend, causing each player to lose 3 life when it dies, may backfire. A savvy opponent could force the sacrifice or destruction of this creature, leading to an unintended discard that could disrupt your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Soulcage Fiend demands a specific arrangement of mana – one black and two generic – which could present a deck-building challenge. This requirement can hinder its inclusion in multicolor decks that may not reliably have the necessary mana types, especially in the early game where casting Soulcage Fiend is most beneficial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three total mana for a 3/2 creature, Soulcage Fiend’s cost-effectiveness is debatable. Other creatures in the same mana range could offer additional abilities or higher stats, which may overshadow Soulcage Fiend’s impact on the board, thereby limiting its desirability for competitive play.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Soulcage Fiend offers a flexible role in several deck builds, particularly those that thrive on life-loss mechanics or need creatures that can both attack and contribute to the overall strategy when they die.

Combo Potential: This card’s death trigger that causes each player to lose 3 life can be exploited in combinations, especially within decks that manipulate life totals for gain or aim to accelerate the game’s conclusion through such effects.

Meta-Relevance: As games become faster and more focused on efficient strategies, Soulcage Fiend’s ability to affect all players makes it a relevant choice in a meta where maintaining pressure and life total advantage can be crucial to victory.

How to beat

Soulcage Fiend presents a unique challenge on the battlefield in MTG. With its ability to deal damage to each player upon death, this card becomes a tricky adversary to manage. To navigate around the Fiend’s ability, a sound strategy is to minimize the impact of its death-triggered effect. One of the ways to accomplish this is by utilizing life gain decks that can offset the damage dealt when Soulcage Fiend leaves the field. Cards with life link or spells that boost your life total can be extremely useful in this situation.

Another effective tactic involves controlling when and how Soulcage Fiend dies. Employing removal spells that can bypass the board and exiling it rather than destroying ensures that its detrimental effect doesn’t activate. Alternatively, cards that restrict triggered abilities or provide protection for your life total can serve as a buffer against the Fiend’s exit damage. Tactical planning and the right countermeasures can turn this potential liability into an opportunity for you to keep the upper hand in the game.

Remember, adapting your game plan according to your opponent’s threats is crucial, and with these strategies, you’re well on your way to mastering the art of countering cards like Soulcage Fiend effectively.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soulcage Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored 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 Soulcage Fiend and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Soulcage Fiend Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Jason A. Engle.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2012-05-04	Avacyn Restored	AVR		120	2003	Normal	Black	Jason A. Engle
2	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22		470	2015	Normal	Black	Jason A. Engle

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Soulcage Fiend has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal