Souldrinker MTG Card

With instant speed and life-draining, Souldrinker turns life into a strategic resource on the battlefield. Its discard requirement might limit hand options, but it’s a small price for its recurring effects. Mana specificity and higher cost are considered drawbacks, yet its synergy potential is undeniable.

Tempest (TMP)
1997-10-14 - Number 158

Souldrinker - Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic (DDC)

Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic (DDC)
2009-04-10 - Number 39

Souldrinker - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)

Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
2014-12-05 - Number 39

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

Pay 3 life: Put a +1/+1 counter on Souldrinker.

Don't drink and thrive.

Cards like Souldrinker

Souldrinker holds an intriguing place within the suite of sacrificial creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the abilities of cards like Bloodthrone Vampire, where sacrificing other creatures bolsters its power. Yet, Souldrinker doesn’t rely on other creatures to become a threat. For each life point you pay, it gets stronger, providing flexibility without additional card cost.

When considering Blood Artist, another close relative in ability, the distinction is clear. Blood Artist reaps benefits from any creature’s demise, yours or your opponent’s, rewarding you with life gain and chipping away at your opponent’s life total. Souldrinker, however, is self-contained, functioning solely on personal life investment to empower itself.

In essence, while Souldrinker may not offer the widespread impact of Blood Artist or the communal strength boost of Bloodthrone Vampire, its singular focus on self-enhancement can be a strategic advantage in games where maintaining control of your life total and creature board is paramount.

Cards similar to Souldrinker by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Souldrinker offers a strategic edge by providing continuous life-draining abilities that can weaken your opponents over time. This gradual attrition can equate to gaining card advantage as it erodes your opponent’s resources while maintaining your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: As a versatile asset in any deck, Souldrinker can serve as a form of resource acceleration. By controlling the pace of life total exchanges, you can effectively force your opponent to expend resources on dealing with Souldrinker, thereby accelerating your own position in the game.

Instant Speed: Souldrinker’s ability can be activated at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to make crucial plays during your opponent’s turn. This enables more dynamic interactions and decision-making, and can potentially disrupt your adversary’s strategy by forcing them to play around your untapped mana and the threat Souldrinker poses even when it’s not your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Souldrinker’s ability comes with the stipulation of discarding a card. While empowered by its life-draining capability, this requirement might deplete your hand, leaving few options for later turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Souldrinker demands a precise combination of mana types to cast. This mana cost includes black mana, which can be restrictive, as it may not seamlessly fit into a multi-color deck that is not focused on black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though its abilities can impact the game, Souldrinker’s initial mana investment is significant. When evaluating the mana-to-effect ratio, consider alternative creatures or spells that could offer greater value or more immediate board presence for the same cost or less.

Reasons to Include Souldrinker in Your Collection

Versatility: Souldrinker has a place in decks that capitalize on life manipulation or sacrifice mechanics. Its ability to directly control your life total makes it a flexible tool for various strategies.

Combo Potential: With the ability to pay life and generate a recurring effect, Souldrinker can synergize with cards that benefit from frequent life payments or creature abilities, unlocking powerful interactions on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where life total is a resource just as important as mana, Souldrinker becomes an asset. Its relevance increases in metas where the ability to manage life totals can mean the difference between defeat and a clever, strategic win.

How to beat

Souldrinker presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to deal direct damage while offering longevity through its self-sustaining mechanism. Overcoming a card like Souldrinker requires a strategy that disrupts this equilibrium. Efficient removal spells are a key tactic. Cards such as Murder or Path to Exile offer direct solutions by swiftly taking Souldrinker out of play with no time for life-draining subtleties.

Another effective measure is utilizing creature-based strategies. Placing creatures with the ability to block and survive Souldrinker’s damage can diminish its impact. Furthermore, enchantments like Pacifism can neutralize Souldrinker without having to remove it from the field, bypassing its threatening ability completely. Remember, Souldrinker thrives on prolonged games; therefore, adopting an aggressive deck that can hasten the pace and apply pressure will often place the Souldrinker user at a disadvantage, forcing them to defend rather than attack.

Countering Souldrinker is about balance—disrupting the opponent’s plans while advancing your board state. Denying them the continuous life-drain while maintaining a strong presence leads to victory over this daunting adversary in your Magic: The Gathering matches.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Souldrinker MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic, 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 Souldrinker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Souldrinker Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Dermot Power.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-10-14	Tempest	TMP	158	1997	Normal	Black	Dermot Power
2	2009-04-10	Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic	DDC	39	2003	Normal	Black	Dermot Power
3	2014-12-05	Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic	DVD	39	2015	Normal	Black	Dermot Power

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Souldrinker has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal