Dauthi Embrace MTG Card


Dauthi Embrace - Tempest
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Released1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set nameTempest
Set codeTMP
Number120
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAndrew Robinson

Key Takeaways

  1. Dauthi Embrace allows creatures to attack unimpeded, providing a form of card advantage through successful combat.
  2. Its ability can be activated at instant speed, offering significant flexibility and tactical surprise in battles.
  3. The card’s requirement for black mana and discard can pose strategic disadvantages if not carefully managed.

Text of card

o Bo B: Target creature gains shadow until end of turn. (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.)

"The Dauthi army grows by screams and bounds." —Lyna, Soltari emissary


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Dauthi Embrace doesn’t draw you additional cards directly, it gives your creatures unblockable as needed, which ensures your attacks connect. In MTG, successful attacks can often translate to gaining advantages elsewhere, particularly with creatures that have beneficial effects upon dealing combat damage to a player.

Resource Acceleration: This card does not directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, but its ability to consistently allow creatures to go unblocked can be a form of strategic resource acceleration. It empowers your board presence, enabling faster victory and saving your resources for other plays instead of fighting through blockers.

Instant Speed: Dauthi Embrace’s ability can be activated at instant speed, providing a significant tactical advantage. It allows flexibility during combat, making it difficult for your opponent to predict and prepare for your next move. You can leave mana open to respond to your opponent’s actions, and if unneeded, endow one of your creatures with shadow to potentially close out the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tapping into the shadows can be costly with Dauthi Embrace. This card requires a discard each time it’s used, which could deplete your hand and leave you at a strategic disadvantage if you struggle to maintain card advantage. Always consider the balance between stealth and your resources in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Imbued with the essence of the Dauthi, this card demands black mana specifically. While powerful in mono-black or black-heavy decks, this requirement can be restrictive. Decks that run multicolor or lack a steady source of black mana may find Dauthi Embrace challenging to cast consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sneaking past defenses doesn’t come cheap. With a casting cost requiring three mana including two black, plus additional mana to activate its ability, Dauthi Embrace’s mana investment is high when compared to other cards that provide similar forms of evasion or creature enhancement. Strategic deck builders will weigh this card’s benefits against its cost carefully, looking for more mana-efficient alternatives.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dauthi Embrace offers a unique ability to grant shadow to any creature, which can be pivotal for attack strategies that require unblockable assailants. Its inclusion can enhance decks built around evasion or those that aim to slip past creature-based defenses.

Combo Potential: The potential to make any creature unblockable at instant speed allows it to synergize with cards that profit from successful combat damage, such as those with “whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player” effects, bolstering their impact within the game.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where ground stalls are common, Dauthi Embrace gains significant value. It shifts the battlefield dynamic, forcing opponents to adapt their own strategies to deal with an otherwise unblockable threat, making it a card that can punctuate the pace of play.


How to beat

Dauthi Embrace is a unique enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering, allowing creatures to gain shadow until end of turn, making them unblockable except by other creatures with shadow. Understanding its mechanics is essential to countering this strategy effectively. One way to tackle it is to remove the enchantment directly. Using enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize can immediately negate its advantages, leaving your opponent with unbuffed creatures.

Another strategy is to employ creatures with shadow to block your opponent’s attacks, turning their tactic against them. Alternatively, focusing on winning through non-combat means, like direct damage spells or alternative win conditions, may bypass the need to worry about Dauthi Embrace at all. It’s also crucial to maintain board control. If your opponent lacks creatures to enchant, Dauthi Embrace loses its purpose. Cards like Wrath of God can clear the board, minimizing the impact of your opponent’s shadow-giving tool.

In all scenarios, staying ahead of your opponent’s play and maintaining control of the board is key. Dauthi Embrace can sway the tides of a match, but with the right counters and strategies, you can emerge victorious.


BurnMana Recommendations

The path to MTG victory often lies in the clever use of your card arsenal. Dauthi Embrace is a potent enchantment that can dictate the flow of battle by rendering creatures unblockable. It shines in strategies focused on evasion or ensuring your key creatures can connect with an opponent unimpeded. Balancing its cost against your deck’s overall design is crucial. If you find these insights intriguing and wish to delve deeper into enhancing your gameplay with strategic card choices, dive into our comprehensive guides. Expand your understanding and skills—join the community of passionate players working towards becoming adept MTG tacticians.


Cards like Dauthi Embrace

Dauthi Embrace holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering as a tactical enhancer for shadow creatures. It shares a kinship with cards like Rogue’s Passage, which also provides a way to make creatures unblockable. However, unlike Rogue’s Passage that requires four mana to activate, Dauthi Embrace allows the player to pay only two black mana to give any creature shadow until end of turn, thus making it virtually unblockable by creatures without shadow.

Whispersilk Cloak is another comparative piece, granting not only unblockability but also “shroud” as long as it’s equipped. While Dauthi Embrace focuses on tactically assigning shadow temporarily, Whispersilk Cloak demands an up-front investment in mana but confers a constant ability. There’s also Glaring Spotlight, which can make creatures unblockable for a turn but also has an added benefit of removing hexproof and shroud from the opponents’ creatures.

Overall, while each card mentioned offers the coveted advantage of unblockability in different flavors, Dauthi Embrace stands out by giving a player the repeatable choice of making any creature almost unassailable, an edge that can be activated at instant speed for surprise defensive or offensive maneuvers.

Rogue's Passage - MTG Card versions
Whispersilk Cloak - MTG Card versions
Glaring Spotlight - MTG Card versions
Rogue's Passage - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Whispersilk Cloak - Darksteel (DST)
Glaring Spotlight - Gatecrash (GTC)

Cards similar to Dauthi Embrace by color, type and mana cost

Gloom - MTG Card versions
Season of the Witch - MTG Card versions
Tourach's Gate - MTG Card versions
Withering Wisps - MTG Card versions
Funeral March - MTG Card versions
Casting of Bones - MTG Card versions
Blanket of Night - MTG Card versions
Necropotence - MTG Card versions
Hecatomb - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Recurring Nightmare - MTG Card versions
Contamination - MTG Card versions
Oppression - MTG Card versions
Maggot Therapy - MTG Card versions
Murderous Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Noxious Field - MTG Card versions
Tainted Well - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Arena - MTG Card versions
Gravestorm - MTG Card versions
Mortiphobia - MTG Card versions
Gloom - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Season of the Witch - The Dark (DRK)
Tourach's Gate - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Withering Wisps - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Funeral March - Homelands (HML)
Casting of Bones - Alliances (ALL)
Blanket of Night - Visions (VIS)
Necropotence - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Hecatomb - Masters Edition (ME1)
Megrim - Stronghold (STH)
Recurring Nightmare - Exodus (EXO)
Contamination - Urza's Saga (USG)
Oppression - Urza's Saga (USG)
Maggot Therapy - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Murderous Betrayal - Nemesis (NEM)
Noxious Field - Prophecy (PCY)
Tainted Well - Invasion (INV)
Phyrexian Arena - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Gravestorm - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Mortiphobia - Torment (TOR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dauthi Embrace MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Dauthi Embrace and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dauthi Embrace has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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