Vein Drinker MTG Card

Vein Drinker excels at creature removal and board advantage through its power-boosting ability. Its instant speed ability offers strategic flexibility and surprise interaction during opponents’ turns. Deck-building constraints and a higher mana cost can limit Vein Drinker’s immediate game impact.

Shards of Alara (ALA)
2008-10-03 - Number 91

Commander 2017 (C17)
2017-08-25 - Number 130

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Vampire
Abilities	Flying
Power	4
Toughness	4

Text of card

Flying , : Vein Drinker deals damage equal to its power to target creature. That creature deals damage equal to its power to Vein Drinker. Whenever a creature dealt damage by Vein Drinker this turn is put into a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Vein Drinker.

Cards like Vein Drinker

Vein Drinker stands out in the collection of vampire-themed cards in MTG, wielding abilities that cater to both board control and life-point strategy. It shares some competitive space with cards like Bloodline Keeper, another vampire creature that also transforms and strengthens your vampire army. However, Vein Drinker offers a more direct approach to neutralizing opponents’ creatures by destroying any creature damaged by it and allowing the controller to gain life equal to that creature’s power.

Bloodthirsty Aerialist provides a similar lifegain mechanism, its power increasing each time you gain life, yet Vein Drinker has the advantage of directly affecting the board state by removing threats. Then consider Malakir Bloodwitch, offering protection from white and impacting life totals when it enters the battlefield. Unlike Vein Drinker, Malakir Bloodwitch’s influence is felt immediately, but it lacks the repeatable removal tool Vein Drinker possesses.

When evaluating these vampiric contenders, Vein Drinker exhibits a unique combination of offensive and defensive capabilities. Its dual role in creature control and life manipulation indeed secures its spot in decks seeking that utility, offering both proactive and reactive playstyles in MTG.

Bloodthirsty Aerialist - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Vein Drinker by color, type and mana cost

Rohgahh of Kher Keep - MTG Card versions

Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats - MTG Card versions

Deathbringer Thoctar - MTG Card versions

Rakdos, the Showstopper - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The activated ability of Vein Drinker offers targeted creature removal coupled with the potential to grow in power and toughness, providing incremental card advantage by dealing with threats and enhancing board presence simultaneously.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or acceleration, Vein Drinker’s ability to control the board can indirectly accelerate your game plan by removing blockers or threats that would require additional resources to handle otherwise.

Instant Speed: Vein Drinker’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves during their turn, potentially removing a creature before it can participate in combat or use its abilities.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vein Drinker demands a sacrifice of another creature to unleash its full potential. While it serves as removal, it also depletes your creature resources, which can leave you at a disadvantage in the long run, especially if you’re facing a deck that can easily recover its creatures or one that doesn’t rely on them as much.

Specific Mana Cost: The requirement of black and red mana to cast Vein Drinker means it’s specifically designed for a multicolored deck. This can be restrictive as it cannot be seamlessly incorporated into mono-colored decks or those that don’t support its mana colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes four mana, Vein Drinker may enter the battlefield later in the game than other lower-cost creatures. This can put you at a tempo disadvantage, especially if faster, more aggressive decks establish a strong board presence while you’re still gathering the necessary resources for Vein Drinker.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vein Drinker is a card that offers flexibility in various strategies, able to both control the board by destroying creatures and grow in power simultaneously. This makes it an excellent fit for decks centering around control and incremental advantage.

Combo Potential: With its ability to place +1/+1 counters each time it destroys a creature, Vein Drinker pairs well with cards that either multiply counters or utilize the counters for additional effects, enhancing combo-driven playstyles.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment with a steady stream of creature-based decks, Vein Drinker serves as a relevant card. Its potential to shift the balance of the game by repeatedly removing opponents’ threats can significantly impact the board state and your position in the game.

How to beat

Vein Drinker is a powerful card in MTG that has a penchant for controlling the board by targeting creatures. Its ability to tap and destroy creatures, then placing +1/+1 counters on itself, can quickly turn it into a dominating threat. To successfully overcome a Vein Drinker, tactics must be employed that neutralize it before it becomes too powerful.

One effective strategy is to use instant speed removal spells. A card like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider can handle the Vein Drinker without it having a chance to utilize its abilities. Counter spells also work well by stopping Vein Drinker before it even enters the battlefield, with options like Counterspell or Mana Leak providing a cost-effective solution. Additionally, evasion tactics such as giving your creatures hexproof or indestructible with spells like Heroic Intervention can protect your board and diminish Vein Drinker’s impact. Lastly, since Vein Drinker requires tapping to use its ability, employing creatures or abilities to tap it down, like Frost Lynx’s enter-the-battlefield effect, can effectively stymie its power.

Thus, while Vein Drinker can be a daunting obstacle, a combination of swift removal, clever counterspells, and protective measures can ensure your game plan remains uninterrupted, keeping the advantage in your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vein Drinker MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Commander 2017, 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 Vein Drinker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Vein Drinker Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2017-08-25. Illustrated by Lars Grant-West.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2008-10-03	Shards of Alara	ALA		91	2003	Normal	Black	Lars Grant-West
2	2017-08-25	Commander 2017	C17		130	2015	Normal	Black	Lars Grant-West

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vein Drinker has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Each time a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, check whether Vein Drinker had dealt damage to it at any time during that turn. If so, Vein Drinker’s third ability will trigger. It doesn’t matter whether the damage was combat damage or not. It also doesn’t matter who controlled the creature or whose graveyard it was put into.
2008-10-01	If Vein Drinker’s first ability causes Vein Drinker and the targeted creature to deal lethal damage to each other, they’ll be destroyed at the same time. Vein Drinker’s triggered ability will trigger, but it will have been put into a graveyard before it would receive any counters. The ability will do nothing when it resolves.
2008-10-01	When the first ability resolves, if the targeted creature is no longer on the battlefield, the ability doesn’t resolve for having no legal targets. No damage is dealt.
2008-10-01	When the first ability resolves, if the targeted creature is still on the battlefield but Vein Drinker is not, Vein Drinker will still deal damage equal to its power as it last existed on the battlefield to the targeted creature.