Undying Malice MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Undying Malice can essentially grant you an additional use of a creature that would otherwise head to the graveyard, either through combat or removal. By allowing that creature to return to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter, you maintain board presence and possibly even upgrade a creature, thus providing a subtle but valuable form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Undying Malice isn’t a direct source of mana acceleration, it works as a resource accelerator by preserving your creatures. This can be seen as indirect resource acceleration since you’re effectively saving the mana you would have to spend to recast another creature from your hand, allowing you to allocate your mana elsewhere.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Undying Malice offers a dynamic surprise factor and flexibility, enabling you to respond immediately to the actions of your opponents. This swift capability enhances your strategic options, fostering an atmosphere where every move could change the tide of the game in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Undying Malice asks for a card sacrifice when it triggers its revival effect. This can be problematic when your hand is already running thin, effectively forcing you to lose an additional resource to gain its benefits.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a black mana, Undying Malice may not seamlessly fit into multi-color deck strategies, potentially restricting its inclusion to black-focused or two-color decks that can reliably provide the necessary mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a two mana cost for an effect primarily used in aggressive decks aiming to maintain board presence, this card’s investment may be too steep compared to other low-cost creatures or spells that provide similarly aggressive advantages on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Undying Malice in Your Collection

Versatility: Undying Malice is a card that offers strategic flexibility in gameplay. It can be used to save key creatures from removal, or as a clever way to retrigger enter-the-battlefield effects, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of black-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: This card shows promise when combined with creatures with death triggers. By returning a creature to the battlefield with an extra +1/+1 counter, Undying Malice opens up avenues for combo plays that can swiftly turn the tide of a game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature control is crucial, having Undying Malice in your arsenal ensures that your valuable creatures can make an impactful return. Its low mana cost also makes it easy to hold up as a defensive maneuver without sacrificing development on your own board, keeping you relevant in constantly shifting metas.

How to beat

Undying Malice is a noteworthy black instant card in MTG that provides a creature with a second lease on life. By granting undying until end of turn, it ensures that when the creature dies, it returns to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter. This effect can be especially frustrating for opponents attempting to clear the board. To counter this card effectively, consider using exile effects or spells that specify the creature can’t be regenerated. Cards like Path to Exile or Declaration in Stone bypass the undying mechanic by not sending the creature to the graveyard in the first place.

Moreover, graveyard hate mechanics like those from Scavenging Ooze or Relic of Progenitus can also be effective after the creature has been targeted by Undying Malice. They remove the creature from the graveyard before the undying trigger can resolve. Paying attention to timing and understanding the stack is critical. By interrupting the undying sequence or circumventing it entirely, an MTG player can neutralize the advantages that Undying Malice provides, maintaining control over the game’s pace and board state.

BurnMana Recommendations

If optimizing your MTG deck strategy is top of mind, consider the compelling dynamics that Undying Malice brings to the table. This card serves as a key tool for maintaining board presence and leveraging creature abilities in black-focused or versatile two-color decks. Evaluate the pros and cons of including this card in your set, and understand its synergies and counters to unleash its full potential in gameplay. For those keen to explore further, delve into the depths of strategy and discover how Undying Malice can turn a dire situation to your advantage. Ready to harness the power of resurrection and take control of the battlefield? Join us to learn more and elevate your MTG experience.