Vampiric Feast MTG Card


Vampiric Feast swings game dynamics by combining life gain, damage, and creature removal at instant speed. The card’s demand for a discard and specific mana can be restrictive and potentially cumbersome. Its versatility and meta-relevance make Vampiric Feast a worthy addition to varied deck builds.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Vampiric Feast deals 4 damage to any target and you gain 4 life.


Cards like Vampiric Feast

Vampiric Feast is a intriguing card within the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering life gain spells. When considering its closest relatives in functionality, cards like Tribute to Hunger come to mind. Tribute to Hunger allows a player to gain life equal to the sacrificed creature’s toughness, much like Vampiric Feast. Yet, Vampiric Feast offers the added bonus of dealing damage directly to any target, providing a dual benefit in both life gain and direct board impact.

Exquisite Blood is another comparable card, which has a persistent effect allowing players to gain life whenever an opponent loses it, perfect for extended matches and synergizing with other life-draining cards. However, unlike the one-time substantial life swing provided by Vampiric Feast, Exquisite Blood requires a strategy built around its trigger. Additionally, Feast of Blood is akin in its vampiric theme but requires two vampires to cast, whereas Vampiric Feast does not.

In essence, while each card presents an individual advantage in certain scenarios, Vampiric Feast stands out for its immediate effect on life totals and its versatility in being able to target creatures or players, making it a valuable card for players who want to stabilize their life while diminishing their opponent’s resources.

Tribute to Hunger - MTG Card versions
Exquisite Blood - MTG Card versions
Feast of Blood - MTG Card versions
Tribute to Hunger - MTG Card versions
Exquisite Blood - MTG Card versions
Feast of Blood - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Vampiric Feast by color, type and mana cost

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Return of the Nightstalkers - MTG Card versions
Morality Shift - MTG Card versions
Peer into the Abyss - MTG Card versions
Necrotic Hex - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Cabal Conditioning - MTG Card versions
Wit's End - MTG Card versions
Phthisis - MTG Card versions
Plague of Vermin - MTG Card versions
Absorb Vis - MTG Card versions
Repay in Kind - MTG Card versions
Ichor Explosion - MTG Card versions
Sorin's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Covenant of Blood - MTG Card versions
Necromantic Selection - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Conscription - MTG Card versions
Behold the Beyond - MTG Card versions
Cruel Entertainment - MTG Card versions
Kindred Dominance - MTG Card versions
Never // Return - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vampiric Feast provides a triple effect by offering life gain, damage to an opponent, and creature removal in one sleek package. This enables a significant swing in card economy, as you effectively counteract an opponent’s threat while bolstering your own position.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly generating mana or tokens, the life gained from Vampiric Feast can be pivotal for decks that thrive on high life totals. This, in turn, activates abilities or cards that are contingent on life status, indirectly accelerating your resource capabilities.

Instant Speed: One of the key features of Vampiric Feast is its ability to disrupt the opponent’s strategy at instant speed. This allows you to flexibly decide when to cast it—either in response to an opponent’s action or at the end of their turn to maximize efficiency of your mana and maintain tactical surprise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vampiric Feast demands players to part with one of their cards from hand, which can be particularly taxing when your options are already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: This card calls for a precise arrangement of mana types which might not always align with a player’s available resources, potentially leading to a missed opportunity to cast it at a crucial moment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that might be considered steep relative to other options in the game, players have to weigh the benefits of Vampiric Feast against other potent cards that could be played with the same investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vampiric Feast presents as a dynamic addition to decks that thrive on life gain and direct player damage. This flexibility makes it highly useful across different playing styles and formats.

Combo Potential: With its dual ability to sap an opponent’s life while bolstering your own, Vampiric Feast works wonders in combinations, acting as an enabler for strategies hinging on life total discrepancies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its impact on life totals, Vampiric Feast has the potential to shift the tide in games where sustaining life points is crucial, making it a pertinent choice in many competitive environments.


How to beat Vampiric Feast

Vampiric Feast is a card that’s known for turning the tides in MTG by offering a combination of life gain and damage. To navigate against this potent card, consider strategies that limit or negate life gain such as using cards with the “life loss” keyword instead of damage. Cards like Tainted Remedy can reverse the life-gaining effects of Vampiric Feast, while utilizing instant-speed removal can prevent the lifegain from happening if you target the creature before the spell resolves. Additionally, you can employ graveyard interaction strategies that remove or exile it before your opponent gets a chance to cast it again from the graveyard. Staying agile and ready to adapt your strategy around Vampiric Feast is crucial; keep your counterspells ready for when it’s most advantageous to deny your opponent the swing in health.

Also, consider the metagame when preparing for Vampiric Feast. If it’s popular within your playgroup or at your local game store, adjust your deck accordingly. For example, cards that prevent or punish life gain, such as Erebos, God of the Dead, can be pivotal. Don’t forget about the power of board presence and pressure either. By maintaining a strong stance and rapid offensive, you can potentially win before your opponent stabilizes with Vampiric Feast. Effective deck tuning and knowing when to hold up mana for interaction are keys to mastering the encounter with this commanding card.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vampiric Feast MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal, 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 Vampiric Feast and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Vampiric Feast Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 1997-05-01. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-05-01PortalPOR 114s1997NormalBlack王峰
21997-05-01PortalPOR 1141997NormalBlackD. Alexander Gregory
32020-09-26The ListPLST POR-1141997NormalBlackD. Alexander Gregory

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vampiric Feast has restrictions

FormatLegality
PredhLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal