Vile Requiem MTG Card
1998-10-12 - Number 167
2013-11-01 - Number 98
2020-09-26 - Number C13-98
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
During your upkeep, you may put a verse counter on Vile Requiem. o1o B, Sacrifice Vile Requiem: Destroy up to X target nonblack creatures, where X is the number of verse counters on Vile Requiem. Those creatures cannot be regenerated this turn.
Cards like Vile Requiem
Vile Requiem is an intriguing card within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique twist on graveyard-based enchantments. It stands comparable to other cards like Pestilence which also deals damage to each creature and player. What makes Vile Requiem distinct, however, is its cumulative upkeep cost allowing gradual build-up of verse counters that eventually unleashes damage across the board.
When discussing counterparts, Curse of the Pierced Heart mirrors the incremental damage aspect of Vile Requiem, albeit targeted at a single player. While lacking the scalable effect of accumulating verse counters, Curse of the Pierced Heart provides consistent damage. Another analog in the same thematic family is Pyrohemia, a card that is similar to Pestilence. This enchantment can repeatedly deal damage to all creatures and players, so long as there’s a red creature in play, distinguishing itself with a control over the timing of its effect compared to Vile Requiem’s gradual buildup.
To sum up, in the diverse tableau of Magic: The Gathering, Vile Requiem carves out its niche with a singular combination of graveyard interaction and scalable board impact, placing it amongst a refined group of enchantments offering strategic depth and board control.
Cards similar to Vile Requiem by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vile Requiem serves as a graveyard-utilizing tool, which can effectively dispose of creatures while restocking your hand. Its utility provides not just board control but also keeps your resources flowing.
Resource Acceleration: Despite not directly accelerating mana, Vile Requiem’s threshold ability offers a repeated effect without additional cost. This indirectly conserves the mana you’d otherwise spend on similar effects each turn, effectively speeding up your gameplay.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Vile Requiem at instant speed gives you flexibility. You can respond to your opponent’s threats during their turn, or at the end of their turn, making it a versatile defensive resource that adapts to the pace of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The activation of Vile Requiem’s abilities necessitates that you discard a card. This condition can be particularly detrimental when your hand size is already depleted, forcing you to give up potentially crucial cards in order to leverage Vile Requiem’s effects.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost requires a specific combination of mana, which, in this case, includes black mana. This requirement confines the card’s inclusion predominantly to decks that can reliably generate or fix for black mana, potentially limiting deck-building flexibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Vile Requiem’s initial cost and upkeep mechanic are on the higher side when weighed against its graveyard-triggered ability. For decks looking for immediate or more cost-efficient graveyard interaction, there may be alternatives that provide more bang for the buck without the ongoing mana commitment.
Reasons to Include Vile Requiem in Your Collection
Versatility: Vile Requiem isn’t a card limited to just one strategy. Its ability to remove creatures from the game can be integrated into a variety of decks, making it a flexible option for both control and combo archetypes looking to manage the battlefield effectively.
Combo Potential: Decks that thrive on graveyard interaction can find a friend in Vile Requiem. The card can be part of intricate combos, leading to potential game-winning plays as it disrupts your opponent’s creature base and sets the stage for your own strategic advances.
Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-changing MTG landscape, having a card that stands strong against creature-heavy tactics is a boon. If creatures are dominating the scene, Vile Requiem’s recurring creature removal could prove to be a decisive factor in maintaining board control.
How to beat
Vile Requiem can pose a serious threat in Magic: The Gathering with its uncanny ability to control the board by destroying creatures. However, an astute player can navigate against it. The key is to address the graveyard, as Vile Requiem relies on a plentiful creature count in the graveyard to be effective. Tools such as Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze can manage graveyard populations, rendering Vile Requiem less potent.
Similarly, enchantment removal is pivotal. Cards like Disenchant or the versatile Assassin’s Trophy can directly target and eliminate Vile Requiem before it accumulates enough verses to be a problem. Another strategy is to pressure your opponent by keeping a low creature count and relying on non-creature spells, undercutting Vile Requiem’s destructive capability.
Ultimately, the secret to overcoming Vile Requiem lies in a proactive approach, staying one step ahead with graveyard control, targeted removal and strategic gameplay, ensuring its verse counters never reach a crescendo. MDAPT(card disrupting strategies, enchantment removal, and low creature count strategies).
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vile Requiem MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Commander 2013, 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 Vile Requiem and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Vile Requiem Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by Carl Critchlow.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 167 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 2 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | C13-98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Carl Critchlow |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vile Requiem has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vile Requiem card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Adding a counter is optional. If you forget to add one during your upkeep, you cannot back up and add one later. |