Weight of the Underworld MTG Card


Weight of the Underworld can indirectly lead to card advantage by debilitating opponent’s creatures. Strategically removing creatures with it accelerates your game plan for a quicker win. Although not an instant, it pairs well with instant speed spells to maintain tempo.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets -3/-2.

Proud Alkmenos, who would not bow to Erebos in death, is now bowed by his own hubris for all eternity.


Cards like Weight of the Underworld

Weight of the Underworld is a notable enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, providing a blend of control and removal within a single card. When considering its brethren in MTG, Dead Weight comes to mind. Dead Weight, while offering less of a power and toughness debuff, costs less mana, making it a more efficient choice early in the game.

Comparatively, there’s also the card Stab Wound, which shares a similar vibe by imposing a negative impact on a creature’s stats, but it also includes consistent life loss for the opponent. This adds a layer of strategy not present in Weight of the Underworld, targeting both the creatures and the opponent’s life total directly. Lash of Malice is another card in this conversation – swiftly reducing a creature’s power and toughness for only one black mana, though it is an instant and not an ongoing effect like Weight of the Underworld.

Each of these enchantments offers distinct advantages, and players must weigh the cost against the immediate or long-term benefits on the battlefield. Weight of the Underworld stands its ground thanks to its significant debuff, despite heavier mana demands.

Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Stab Wound - MTG Card versions
Lash of Malice - MTG Card versions
Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Stab Wound - MTG Card versions
Lash of Malice - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Weight of the Underworld by color, type and mana cost

Pestilence - MTG Card versions
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Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Vile Requiem - MTG Card versions
Parasitic Bond - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Strands of Night - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you cast Weight of the Underworld, it enables you to control the board by neutralizing a major threat. Though it doesn’t directly result in drawing cards, managing the battlefield effectively can indirectly lead to card advantage by exhausting your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, the strategic removal of an opponent’s creature can accelerate your game plan. By eliminating blockers or attackers, you create an unobstructed path for your own creatures, potentially leading to a faster victory.

Instant Speed: Although Weight of the Underworld is not an instant itself, it is a valuable enchantment that can be used in conjunction with instant speed spells in your arsenal. This duality ensures you’re not entirely sacrificing tempo and can make pivotal moves at crucial moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Weight of the Underworld doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, but managing your hand to maintain a balance between resources and threats can be challenging when using aura cards, as they’re often vulnerable to card disadvantage through removal.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both black mana and generic mana requirements, the card may not fit seamlessly into every deck, especially those not focusing on black mana or those that run on a tight mana curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the removal ability it provides, Weight of the Underworld’s mana cost is steep compared to other removal options in the game. Four mana to give a creature -3/-2 can be a heavy investment, particularly when there are more cost-efficient and versatile removal spells available.


Reasons to Include {THEME} in Your Collection

Versatility: Weight of the Underworld is a flexible removal option for decks that require ways to handle problematic creatures. The enchantment’s ability to lock down a threat, regardless of its size, makes it a suitable fit for various deck strategies that need to clear the path for their win conditions.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on enchantments. It can be instrumental in decks that trigger effects whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield or when creatures die. Additionally, it works well with devotion mechanics, increasing black mana symbols in play for related abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where creatures with high toughness are prevalent, Weight of the Underworld gains significance as a viable control tool. Its ability to render opponent’s key creatures ineffective can be a game-changer, making it a strategic asset against decks that rely heavily on individual creature-based strategies.


How to beat Weight of the Underworld

Weight of the Underworld presents a unique challenge on the battlefield as an enchantment aura that not only weakens a targeted creature but also maintains a steady pressure with its recurring damage per turn. To effectively handle this card, consider using enchantment removal spells such as Naturalize or Disenchant that can target and destroy it directly, lifting the oppressive weight from your creature and swinging the momentum back to your favor. Alternatively, running creatures with hexproof or employing counterspells can preemptively protect your assets from being ensnared by such debilitating enchantments.

Incorporating cards that capitalize on your own graveyard can also turn the tables when facing Weight of the Underworld. With mechanics that thrive on having creatures in the graveyard, such as delve or escape, the downside of losing a creature becomes a strategic asset. Remember, understanding the intricacies of your deck and the flexibility of your responses will decide the tide of battle against persistent threats like Weight of the Underworld.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Weight of the Underworld MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods and Magic Origins, 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 Weight of the Underworld and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Weight of the Underworld Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-02-07 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Wesley Burt.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-02-07Born of the GodsBNG 862003NormalBlackWesley Burt
22015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1262015NormalBlackWesley Burt
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 8232015NormalBlackWesley Burt
42020-09-26The ListPLST ORI-1262015NormalBlackWesley Burt

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Weight of the Underworld has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal