Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root MTG Card

Creates Pest tokens upon opponents’ creatures dying, generating card advantage and deterring attacks. Exile effect operates at instant speed, disrupting graveyard strategies and increasing flexibility. Demands creature discard to use second ability, potentially impacting battlefield presence.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Vampire Warlock
Abilities Lifelink,Menace
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Menace, lifelink If a nontoken creature an opponent controls would die, exile it instead. When you do, you may pay . If you do, create a 1/1 black and green Pest creature token with "When this creature dies, you gain 1 life."

Cards like Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root

Valentin, Dean of the Vein serves a unique role within the pantheon of legendary creatures. With a design focused on graveyard control and creature generation, it’s worth looking at parallels with other cards. Namely, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet stands as a notable comparison. Though Kalitas has a higher mana cost, both creatures share the ability to control opponents’ graveyards by exiling creatures that would die and creating creature tokens. Kalitas produces Zombies, while Valentin creates Eyebat tokens.

There’s also Anafenza, the Foremost, who, like Valentin, disrupts graveyard strategies by exiling any creature that would enter the graveyard from anywhere. However, Anafenza lacks the token-generating utility. Nethroi, Apex of Death also embodies graveyard themes but inversely, focusing on bringing creatures back from the graveyard rather than exiling them, which is a significant departure from Valentin’s abilities.

Each of these cards has its merits in various decks, but Valentin stands out for its low cost and potential for early-game dominance through graveyard control and token generation. Among creatures that impact the graveyard, Valentin, Dean of the Vein certainly carves a distinct niche in both strategy and playstyle.

Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Anafenza, the Foremost - MTG Card versions
Nethroi, Apex of Death - MTG Card versions
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Anafenza, the Foremost - MTG Card versions
Nethroi, Apex of Death - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Valentin, Dean of the Vein enables steady card advantage by creating Pest tokens upon opponents’ creatures dying. These tokens, when they die, grant you life and effectively work as both a deterrent against opponent attacks and a means to increase your longevity in the game.

Resource Acceleration: With Valentin, resource acceleration is nuanced. Each Pest token you create offers potential life gain, acting as a resource that can be exploited with various synergies within your deck. This incremental advantage can quickly amount to overwhelming pressure and significant board presence over time.

Instant Speed: Valentin’s second ability, a mana-cost exile effect, operates at instant speed. This critical feature allows strategic interference with graveyard-based strategies, disrupts reanimation, and, due to its nature, can be triggered during your opponent’s turn, giving you flexibility and reactive control over the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For some, the upside of Valentin, Dean of the Vein lies in the ability to effectively manage graveyard strategies. However, it does demand a sacrifice in the form of a creature discard to capitalize on its second ability. This could become a pivotal disadvantage when you are short on creatures and need to maintain presence on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Valentin’s casting cost is very particular, requiring one black mana. This could limit deck-building flexibility, notably for those who run multicolored decks and may not always have the specific mana readily available, especially in the early game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although only two mana, one black and one generic mana, to cast, the activation cost for its Lifelink counter ability is relatively high, given the current meta-game where lower-cost cards are often more favorably positioned. This may sometimes lead to more efficient alternatives being considered for competitive deck builds.

Reasons to Include Valentin, Dean of the Vein in Your Collection

Versatility: Valentin is adaptable, fitting well into various deck archetypes. With its low mana cost and lifelink ability, it’s a strong early-game play that can also serve as a disruptive tool against graveyard-based strategies later on.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or benefit from creature exile, Valentin can become a key piece in a powerful combo, enhancing your board state while depleting your opponent’s resources.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of creature-heavy decks in many formats, having Valentin in your collection means you’re equipped with a card that not only strengthens your defense but also turns your opponents’ creatures into advantages for you upon their demise.

How to beat Valentin, Dean of the Vein

Valentin, Dean of the Vein stands out in Magic the Gathering as a versatile card capable of disrupting an opponent’s graveyard strategy while offering lifegain and creature versatility. When facing off against Valentin, one effective strategy is to utilize removal spells that exile rather than destroy, circumventing its ability to generate Pest tokens which can be quite a nuisance. Graveyard hate cards can also be powerful assets, as they limit Valentin’s ability to leverage the graveyard for advantage.

Another tactic involves prioritizing the removal of Valentin early in the match before its controller can capitalize on its abilities. This will often involve making tough calls on resource management, ensuring that you have the necessary mana and cards to address Valentin as soon as it hits the battlefield. In a pinch, combat tricks and buffs can help you overcome Valentin’s pesky lifelink during combat, turning the tide of the battle in your favor.

Ultimately, beating Valentin requires a blend of preemptive action and strategic reaction. Stay one step ahead, manage your resources well, and the Dean of the Vein can be neutralized, maintaining the balance of power on the battlefield in your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Strixhaven Art Series, 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 Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2023-05-08. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 902362015Modal DFCBlackJesper Ejsing
22021-04-23Strixhaven Art SeriesASTX 562015Art seriesBorderlessJesper Ejsing
32021-04-23Strixhaven Art SeriesASTX 56s2015Art seriesBorderlessJesper Ejsing
42021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 3332015Modal DFCBlackJesper Ejsing
52021-04-23Strixhaven: School of MagesSTX 1612015Modal DFCBlackJesper Ejsing
62023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 182015Modal DFCBlackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Valentin, Dean of the Vein // Lisette, Dean of the Root card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2021-04-16 An ability that triggers “whenever you gain life” triggers just once for each life-gaining event, no matter how much life you gain.
2021-04-16 Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, a “whenever you gain life” ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
2021-04-16 If a nontoken creature an opponent controls would die, and both Valentin and another effect are trying to exile it instead, that opponent chooses which effect to apply. If Valentin’s effect ends up not applying because of this choice, the triggered ability that allows you to pay won’t trigger, even if the creature card ends up in exile.
2021-04-16 If you gain an amount of life “for each” of something, that life is gained as one event and the ability will trigger only once.
2021-04-16 If you gain life at the same time a creature you control is dealt lethal damage, that creature dies before Lisette’s ability can put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2021-04-16 You may only pay once for each life gain event.