The Abyss MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 120
2009-09-07 - Number 77
2002-06-24 - Number 46938
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | World Enchantment |
Text of card
All players bury one target non-artifact creature under their control, if they have any, during their upkeep.
"An immense river of oblivion is sweeping us away into a nameless abyss." —Ernest Renan, *Souvenirs d'Enfance et de Jeunesse*
Cards like The Abyss
The Abyss is a unique enchantment in MTG that has held its place as a powerful control tool since its inception in the Legends set. When pitted against similars like No Mercy, The Abyss shows a proactive approach, requiring each player to sacrifice a creature during their upkeep, thereby continuously clearing the board. No Mercy, meanwhile, waits for your creatures to be dealt damage by an opponent before it destroys them, making it reactive.
Smokestack, another parallel, also dictates sacrifices at each upkeep, but it’s not limited to creatures and can target other permanents, offering a broader sweep at potentially a faster pace. Yet, The Abyss has the advantage of being less disruptive to the caster’s board state by focusing solely on creatures. Then, there’s the iconic Dread, which, like No Mercy, destroys attacking creatures. However, The Abyss doesn’t need to wait for an attack, nudging out the potential threats at the earliest convenience.
In summary, while these cards play in the realm of controlling enemy forces, The Abyss maintains a steady board presence and can deter opponents from playing their valuable creatures, securing its reputation for consistent creature management in MTG.
Cards similar to The Abyss by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using The Abyss. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Jeff | Free form | Canadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed | |
 | Esper Tempo | Vintage | Blue Tempo | Vintage Preliminary 2024-02-16 |
 | Mono-Black Control | Legacy | Mono-Black Pox | 2023 Asia Legacy Championship |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Abyss is a powerhouse when it comes to disrupting your opponent’s strategy. By forcing them to sacrifice a non-token creature during each of their upkeep phases, you whittle down their resources while maintaining your own board state, leading to substantial card advantage over time.
Resource Acceleration: While The Abyss doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, it effectively slows down your opponent by removing their creatures. This indirect resource acceleration can give you the upper hand, as it allows you to develop your board without the pressure of an opposing army.
Instant Speed: Although The Abyss itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, this legendary enchantment changes the tempo at which your opponent plays. Knowing that any creature they cast could be doomed to The Abyss alters their playstyle, potentially causing them to hold back valuable creatures or play at a pace that benefits you.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Abyss compels players to sacrifice a non-token creature during each of their upkeep phases. This mandatory action can backfire if your deck isn’t perfectly tuned to leverage the symmetrical effect, leading to a potential loss of valuable creatures on your side of the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: This legendary enchantment requires an exact payment of three black mana plus one of any color to cast. Such a strict mana requirement can restrict deck-building options, as it necessitates a solid black mana base, potentially hindering the inclusion of The Abyss in multi-color decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though powerful, The Abyss carries a heavy four mana total cost to get on the battlefield. In faster-paced games or against decks with an aggressive curve, investing four mana on a control element may not be as effective as deploying creatures or casting other disruption spells that could have an immediate impact.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Abyss is a unique card that can be slotted into a variety of Black decks, serving as a powerful control tool. Its ability to systematically destroy non-artifact creatures ensures a clear board and fits well in strategies looking to maintain a creature advantage.
Combo Potential: This card pairs excellently with setups that benefit from creatures dying, such as those involving graveyard recursion or death triggers. It can also combo well with indestructible or artifact creatures, preserving your board while dismantling your opponent’s.
Meta-Relevance: In environments heavy with creature-based decks, The Abyss maintains its relevance. The consistent creature destruction it provides can be crucial in stalling opponents’ strategies and securing late-game dominance, especially against aggro and creature-combo strategies.
How to Beat The Abyss
The Abyss is a legendary enchantment card that poses a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to force players to sacrifice a creature during their upkeep can quickly decimate a board presence. To effectively counter this, targeting it with enchantment removal is key – cards like Disenchant or Naturalize are perfect tools to remove The Abyss from the battlefield directly.
Alternatively, utilizing creatures that have death-trigger abilities can turn The Abyss’s effect to your advantage. Creatures with Persist or Undying will return to the battlefield after being sacrificed, potentially stronger. Another strategy involves cards that generate creature tokens at every upkeep, which can be sacrificed instead of more valuable creatures. Low-value creatures or those with a high recurrence rate often help to mitigate the effects of The Abyss until you can remove it permanently.
In sum, while The Abyss can be daunting, understanding the breadth of options available to counter it – ranging from direct removal to smart creature play – can help you maintain control over the game. Adopting these strategies will significantly increase your chances of nullifying this powerful enchantment and protecting your board.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Abyss MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Magic Online Promos, 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 The Abyss and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The The Abyss Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 120 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 2 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 46938 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jason A. Engle | ||
| 3 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 77 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where The Abyss has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Abyss card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The controller of The Abyss controls the ability, but the current player chooses what gets destroyed. |
| 2008-10-01 | This has the supertype world. When a world permanent enters the battlefield, any world permanents that were already on the battlefield are put into their owners’ graveyards. This is a state-based action called the “world rule.” The new world permanent stays on the battlefield. If two world permanents enter the battlefield at the same time, they’re both put into their owners’ graveyards. |