Boon of Erebos MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Number	80
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	James Ryman

Key Takeaways

Boon of Erebos offers power at instant speed, pivotal for unexpected combat results and board control.
Requires black mana and life loss, challenging player resource management and life total equilibrium.
In creature-centric metas, it shines by ensuring key creatures survive and opponents’ threats are neutralized.

Text of card

Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn. Regenerate it. You lose 2 life.

"Death is not a certainty. Erebos determines when a mortal's time is up." —Iadorna, death priest of Erebos

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Boon of Erebos offers a surge in power for a single creature, which can be a game-changer when trying to eliminate key threats or swing in for crucial damage. Though it does not directly draw cards, the potential to eliminate a blocker or win a combat can lead to an indirect advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While this spell doesn’t accelerate your mana, it serves as a low-cost investment with a significant return on board presence. For just one black mana, Boon of Erebos bestows a formidable boost, optimizing your resource efficiency in tight situations where mana conservation is key.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Boon of Erebos at instant speed provides flexibility during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions. This can lead to favorable trades or unexpected victories in combat scenarios, offering an element of surprise that can tip the scales in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Boon of Erebos offers the temporary boost of power and toughness, along with indestructibility, it comes at the cost of card disadvantage. Using this card requires a player to sacrifice another card from their hand, a trade-off that can deplete resources and potentially place the player at a disadvantage if they’re already behind.

Specific Mana Cost: Boon of Erebos necessitates one black mana specifically. For players not running a mono-black or predominantly black deck, this cost could prove restrictive, limiting the card’s versatility across different deck archetypes. Consistency in mana sources is needed to ensure this card can be played on time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost set at one generic and one black mana, players might consider it a bit pricey for an effect that only boosts a creature until end of turn. In the dynamic landscape of the game, this two-mana investment might compete with other more impactful or permanent solutions at a similar cost point.

Reasons to Include Boon of Erebos in Your Collection

Versatility: Boon of Erebos offers a unique combination of lifeloss, creature buff, and regeneration that allows it to be played in various black-centric or aggressive decks. It helps against removal spells allowing your key creatures to survive combat or removal.

Combo Potential: This card adds valuable combo potential in strategies revolving around sacrifice or death triggers. Enhancing a creature before sacrificing it for greater effects can lead to powerful plays within these archetypes.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo can determine the winner, Boon of Erebos can be a cost-effective option to turn the tides in your favor. Particularly in a meta that tends to be creature-heavy, being able to save a creature while eliminating an opponent’s can significantly affect the board state.

How to beat

Boon of Erebos stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a double-edged sword, offering both a power boost and lifeloss in a single, inexpensive spell. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to acknowledge its potential to be a combat trick or a decisive factor in tight races. Removing the creature targeted by Boon of Erebos before it can benefit from the +2/+0 increase is an effective strategy. This can be achieved through instant-speed removal spells that disrupt your opponent’s plans and minimize their advantage.

Another method to overcome the temporary advantage provided by Boon of Erebos involves smart blocking decisions during combat. When you anticipate the possibility of this spell, maneuver a scenario where your opponent is compelled to use it defensively rather than offensively, thus limiting its impact on the game state. It’s also worth considering the use of creatures with lifelink to offset the lifeloss your opponent aims to inflict, stabilizing your own life total in the process.

By considering the card’s strengths and weaknesses, players can strategize effectively to prevent Boon of Erebos from becoming a turning point in their opponent’s favor, thus maintaining control over the game’s outcome.

Cards like Boon of Erebos

Boon of Erebos offers a unique twist on creature buffs in Magic: The Gathering. When sizing it up to cards like Giant Growth, which also give creatures a power and toughness increase, Boon of Erebos throws a curveball with its life payment feature. Unlike Giant Growth’s straightforward buff, Boon of Erebos asks for the strategic sacrifice of life, and in return, it grants not just a boost but temporary indestructibility.

Diving deeper into the pool of similar cards, we encounter Rush of Vitality. This card also provides indestructibility along with lifelink, yet it does not dip into a player’s life points as a cost. In contrast, it is an opportunity to gain life rather than spend it. Boon of Erebos, therefore, is for those daring enough to leverage their own life for a strong, definitive play.

To sum up, Boon of Erebos proudly stands out in the pantheon of buff spells. Its blend of life-cost gameplay and the boon of indestructibility makes it a challenging yet potentially game-changing card for players willing to take calculated risks in their MTG sessions.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Boon of Erebos MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Boon of Erebos and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Boon of Erebos has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Boon of Erebos card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-09-15	The loss of life is part of the spell's effect. It's not an additional cost. If Boon of Erebos doesn't resolve, you won't lose life.