Unliving Psychopath MTG Card


Unliving Psychopath - Dissension
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie Assassin
Released2006-05-05
Set symbol
Set nameDissension
Set codeDIS
Power 0
Toughness 4
Number56
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byGreg Staples

Key Takeaways

  1. Analyze graveyard interaction and resource management to strengthen your late game with Unliving Psychopath.
  2. Strategically discard and manage black mana costs to maximize this card’s full potential in gameplay.
  3. Stay aware of its high cost and deck specificity, weighing its benefits against competitive alternatives.

Text of card

: Unliving Psychopath gets +1/-1 until end of turn. , : Destroy target creature with power less than Unliving Psychopath's power.

"The victim bears the marks of the 'Ktozok Impaler'. . . but he was executed years ago!" —Gorev Hadszak, Wojek investigator


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Unliving Psychopath card offers a unique twist on this concept by allowing players strategic interactions with the graveyard, thus adding to the depth of how one manages their resources. The potential to draw from a vast pool of cards already played enhances your long-game potential.

Resource Acceleration: This card can offer indirect resource acceleration by manipulating the costs associated with certain types of spells or effects. This could potentially lead to more efficient plays, allowing players to execute powerful strategies earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: While the card may not be an instant itself, it can interact favorably with instant-speed spells and actions. This can create unexpected opportunities and advantages that can be leveraged at critical moments, keeping opponents on their toes and giving players a tactical edge.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unliving Psychopath introduces a strategic drawback by demanding a card discard to trigger its ability. This discard condition presents a potential setback particularly when your hand is already stretched thin, restraining the utility of the card during critical moments of play.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s effectiveness is restricted to decks tailored around its exact mana cost, which includes black mana. This specificity can hinder deck versatility, limiting the situations where Unliving Psychopath can be seamlessly incorporated into varied deck types without compromising the mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a higher mana cost for its capabilities, Unliving Psychopath faces stiff competition from other cards in its mana range. Players may find that the cost-benefit ratio is skewed when considering the overall impact this card has on the game, especially when evaluating it against other options that could accomplish similar goals more efficiently or with added benefits.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Unliving Psychopath provides a unique set of abilities that allow it to function well in control decks as well as in more aggressive strategies. Its ability to manipulate combat and potentially clear out smaller creatures makes it a flexible choice for various game situations.

Combo Potential: This card can serve as a key piece in combos that revolve around creature power and toughness. It can be paired with cards that reduce the toughness of opposing creatures, ensuring you can effectively control the board while setting up for a decisive blow.

Meta-Relevance: Given a meta that’s creature-heavy or relies on specific creatures to win, Unliving Psychopath’s creature control capabilities make it a potent inclusion. It can disrupt opponent tactics and serve as a deterrent against creature-based strategies, making it a relevant choice for competitive play.


How to beat

Unliving Psychopath is a card that demands a strategic approach to overcome in MTG. With its ability to potentially neutralize opponents’ creatures, it can pose a significant threat on the battlefield if left unchecked. To counter this card effectively, adapt your strategy to minimize its impact. Consider employing spells that can bypass its abilities, such as those that exile or transform. Targeted removal spells can also be a direct way to deal with it, ensuring that its board presence is short-lived.

Moreover, enhancing your creatures’ toughness beyond the reach of Unliving Psychopath’s ability can prevent it from dominating the combat phase. Lastly, incorporating enchantments or artifacts that restrict the opponent’s ability to utilize activated abilities can neutralize the threat completely. Each match against Unliving Psychopath provides an opportunity to refine your tactics, making it a dynamic adversary in MTG. By anticipating your opponent’s moves and preparing accordingly, you increase your chances of triumphing against this challenging card.


Cards like Unliving Psychopath

Unliving Psychopath offers a unique dynamic to control decks within Magic: The Gathering. This creature resembles Royal Assassin in some respects, as both cards allow players to destroy other creatures selectively. However, Unliving Psychopath demands a bit more strategy with its ability tied to its power rather than an open tap ability. This can be more restrictive but also allows for power boosts to make its ability even more threatening.

Taking another comparative look, Olivia’s Dragoon presents similar aspects due to its power-centered ability. The Dragoon enables players to adjust its power at a moment’s notice, albeit for a different combat advantage. Despite the similarities, Unliving Psychopath stands out because its design is more control-oriented, focusing on removing threats rather than just combat tricks. In terms of gameplay and strategy, it caters to a different aspect of the game than the more aggressive Dragoon.

Ultimately, while there are several creatures with abilities connected to their power, Unliving Psychopath offers a blend of careful planning and board control. This makes it a card that can immensely influence the board state when utilized in synergy with other power-modifying cards or strategies in the vast world of Magic: The Gathering.

Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Olivia's Dragoon - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Olivia's Dragoon - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Unliving Psychopath by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
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Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unliving Psychopath MTG card by a specific set like Dissension, 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 Unliving Psychopath and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unliving Psychopath has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2006-05-01 The creature must have less power than Unliving Psychopath both when the ability is activated and when it resolves.