Taste of Death MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 6 |
Rarity | Rare |
Type | Sorcery |
Abilities | Food |
Text of card
Each player sacrifices three creatures. You create three Food tokens. (They're artifacts with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life.")
"Hone the knife and mourn the least. Three chimes to sound the sweet, grim feast." —Barrow witch incantation
Cards like Taste of Death
Taste of Death serves as a notable example in Magic: The Gathering’s repertoire of mass removal spells. It shares similarities with cards like Kaya’s Wrath, which can also clear the battlefield of creatures. Unlike Kaya’s Wrath, which removes creatures unconditionally, Taste of Death allows players to vote on three creatures to sacrifice. It offers a political twist in multiplayer games, setting it apart from straightforward sweepers.
Another akin card is Ritual of Soot, a spell that specifically targets creatures with lower converted mana costs. While Ritual of Soot might be more efficient against swarms of smaller creatures, Taste of Death is indiscriminate, able to affect any creature regardless of its size, given that it’s chosen to be sacrificed. This card also gives its caster a life-gain bonus, providing a cushion against aggressive opponents. Besides, Feed the Swarm emerges as a potential alternative with a different angle—it allows single-target removal while also dealing with enchantments, a flexibility not present in Taste of Death.
All considered, Taste of Death may not be the swiftest of removal spells but it adds strategy with its voting mechanism and offers a life gain benefit, enhancing its strategic use particularly in games involving multiple players.
Cards similar to Taste of Death by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you cast Taste of Death, you gain a significant edge as each player sacrifices three creatures. In the right situation, this can create a considerable shift in the board state, often translating into a valuable card advantage for you.
Resource Acceleration: Along with altering the battlefield, this card provides an additional benefit by offering you three Food tokens. These tokens can later be converted into life points, which can be a crucial resource that helps you stabilize in a game or potentially edge out an opponent in a tight race for survival.
Instant Speed: Although Taste of Death is a sorcery, its effects can be leveraged to set up advantageous plays on your next turn. By clearing the board at a strategic moment, you make way for your own creatures to swing in unimpeded or prepare the ground for instant-speed follow-ups that capitalize on the newly-cleared battlefield.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Taste of Death is its forced sacrifice element. While this may benefit you in some board states, the necessity of sacrificing three creatures can be a steep price if you’re not positioned with expendable creatures or playing a deck that benefits from the graveyard.
Specific Mana Cost: Taste of Death comes with a specific mana requirement that includes two black mana. This can be restrictive for decks that are not heavily invested in black mana or those running multiple colors as it may not always be easy to have the necessary mana without compromises to the mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at six mana cost, Taste of Death is considered expensive for its effect, especially when compared to other removal or board wipe spells. In faster-paced games, the high mana cost can be prohibitive, delaying critical plays or leaving you vulnerable while you save up for its casting.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Taste of Death offers a unique blend of mass creature removal and life gain, making it a solid choice for black-based control or midrange decks. By being able to impact the board state significantly, it can turn the tides of the game in your favor.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes with strategies that benefit from sacrificing creatures, such as those including the “death trigger” mechanics. It can also fuel graveyard-based plays or enable morbid abilities, which activate when a creature dies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Taste of Death can serve as an efficient counter. Its capacity to clear multiple threats while padding your life total keeps it relevant against aggressive strategies that aim to overrun you early on.
How to beat
Taste of Death is a pivotal card forcing each player to sacrifice three creatures, offering a significant advantage in MTG, especially in creature-heavy matchups. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to diversify your in-game strategies. One approach is to maintain a low creature count on the battlefield, thus minimizing the impact of the forced sacrifice. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells or flash creatures can also provide unforeseen blockers or removal to disrupt your opponent’s plans.
Moreover, leveraging graveyard strategies can turn Taste of Death into an advantage for you. Cards that benefit from creatures in the graveyard or that have effects when they die can mitigate the cost and potentially sway the game outcome. Including indestructible creatures or those with protection from black spells will nullify Taste of Death’s effect on them, securing your board presence.
Deck flexibility and strategic foresight are critical. By incorporating these countermeasures into your deck building and gameplay tactics, you can effectively navigate around Taste of Death’s potentially game-altering consequences and maintain control over the match.
BurnMana Recommendations
The comprehensive analysis of Taste of Death reveals its potential as a game-changer in MTG. It’s a card that demands strategic deck building and thoughtful gameplay, excelling in scenarios where creature control is vital. For those looking to wield its power or counter its effects, understanding the nuances of each match is key. This card suits black-centered decks that thrive on sacrificing creatures and manipulating the graveyard. If you’re intrigued by the tactical depth and versatility Taste of Death offers, we encourage you to explore further strategies and card interactions. Hone your skills and expand your MTG knowledge with us, and discover how to optimize your deck’s potential against all odds.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Taste of Death MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Commander 2021, 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 Taste of Death and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Taste of Death Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Chris Rallis.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2019-10-04 | Throne of Eldraine | ELD | 320 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rallis | |
2 | 2021-04-23 | Commander 2021 | C21 | 156 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Rallis |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Taste of Death has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Taste of Death card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2019-10-04 | As Taste of Death resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses three creatures they control, then each other player in turn order does the same, knowing the choices made before them. Then all the chosen creatures are sacrificed at the same time. |
2019-10-04 | Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures (such as Gingerbrute), it's never a creature type. |
2019-10-04 | If a player controls three or fewer creatures, that player sacrifices each creature they control. |
2019-10-04 | Whatever you do, don't eat the delicious cards. |
2019-10-04 | You can't sacrifice a Food token to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate the ability of Tempting Witch. |
2019-10-04 | You create three Food tokens, no matter how many creatures were actually sacrificed, even if some or all players sacrificed no creatures. |