Dauthi Ghoul MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Dauthi Zombie
Abilities	Shadow
Released	1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set name	Tempest
Set code	TMP
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	121
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tom Kyffin

Key Takeaways

The Dauthi Ghoul can significantly bolster your board strength as creatures perish, offering continuous power increments.
Owing to its utility in black-themed decks, it presents worthwhile inclusion for its growing prowess with creature deaths.
Its mana specificity and initial cost versus impact present limitations, demanding strategic depth to harness its full potential.

Text of card

Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.) Whenever any creature with shadow is put into any graveyard from play, put a +1/+1 counter on Dauthi Ghoul.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Dauthi Ghoul’s ability to grow stronger whenever a creature dies can quickly lead to a sizable power boost, effectively contributing to your board presence without needing to draw and play additional creatures.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly affecting your mana resources, the Dauthi Ghoul’s potential for a rapid increase in power can apply pressure on your opponent, ensuring that your other card plays go uncontested and potentially saving mana that would be used on other threats.

Instant Speed: The Dauthi Ghoul’s static ability works seamlessly at instant speed, capitalizing on creatures’ deaths during either player’s turn. This grants an ever-present threat that your opponent must factor into every decision, whether it’s during a block, attack or during the resolution of a spell with a sacrificial cost.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Dauthi Ghoul demands that another creature hits the graveyard to trigger its ability. This reliance on specific circumstances to gain a +1/+1 counter can be a setback, especially if the battlefield is stale or if you’re facing graveyard disruption tactics from opponents that prevent creature deaths.

Specific Mana Cost: The need for black mana to cast Dauthi Ghoul might not be ideal for multicolor decks. The Ghoul’s reliance on a single mana type narrows its flexibility and can complicate your mana base when you’re trying to include other colors in your strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a 1/1 creature, the two-mana cost might be on the higher side considering the payoff. While it has the potential to grow, initially it might not provide the immediate board presence or impact that other two-mana creatures offer, limiting its early-game effectiveness.

Reasons to Include Dauthi Ghoul in Your Collection

Versatility: Dauthi Ghoul slots into a variety of black-centered deck themes, thriving in environments where creatures hit the graveyard regularly. Its ability to grow stronger with each fallen creature makes it a versatile choice for any collection.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with mechanics that manipulate the graveyard, such as sacrificing strategies or when paired with cards that have death triggers. Each activation of its ability can steadily ramp up its threat level on the board.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are common in many metagames, Dauthi Ghoul has the potential to become a dynamic asset, effectively responding to opponents’ creature-centric plays while becoming an increasingly larger threat itself.

How to beat

The Dauthi Ghoul card in Magic: The Gathering has a menacing presence that resonates with veterans and newcomers alike. This creature card thrives in the shadowy corners of the game, benefitting from opponents’ casualties and growing stronger with every creature that hits the graveyard. To gain an upper hand against this stealthy adversary requires a blend of foresight and precision.

Devising a strategy to beat Dauthi Ghoul is a nuanced task. One effective approach involves minimizing interactions that lead to the demise of your creatures. Additional layers of defense, such as utilizing cards that can exile it from the battlefield or graveyard directly, are imperative. Cards with vigilance can serve as a bulwark against these ghouls, deterring attacks and weakening their impact. Mistiming can lead to an empowered ghoul, turning the tide of battle quickly, making each turn and card played an essential pivot point.

In summary, countering Dauthi Ghoul in MTG hinges on careful playstyle adjustments and a keen understanding of graveyard interaction dynamics. Effective counter-measures might include deck adjustments with specific removal spells or employing a strategy that circumvents combat casualties.

Cards like Dauthi Ghoul

Dauthi Ghoul takes its rightful place in the stealthy echelons of shadow creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its unique ability to grow in power whenever a creature dies makes it akin to the infamous Blood Artist. While Blood Artist gains you life and nicks your opponent each time a creature perishes, Dauthi Ghoul becomes an increasingly larger threat on the battlefield.

Another relative in this macabre family is the Murderous Redcap, which not only has the morbid ability to deal damage when it enters the battlefield but also comes back for a second act thanks to persist. This gives it a resilience that the single-shot Ghoul lacks. Lastly, Carrion Feeder shares the undead Ghoul’s knack for benefiting from the death of others, allowing it to grow larger with each sacrificed creature. However, Carrion Feeder grants immediate power at the expense of other creatures, in contrast to Dauthi Ghoul’s end-of-turn strength gain.

Each of these cards captures the essence of using opponents’ losses to your advantage, a dark but effective strategy that can shift the tides of gameplay. Dauthi Ghoul holds its own with a straightforward development in power, rewarding a more passive approach to the sinister side of MTG.

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

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dauthi Ghoul 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 Ghoul and other MTG cards: