Devouring Greed MTG Card

Devouring Greed - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
2004-10-01 - Number 110

Devouring Greed - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)

Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
2015-05-22 - Number 78

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery — Arcane

Key Takeaways

Advantageous in managing cards and pacing, Devouring Greed turns creatures into unexpected, pivotal damage.
As a resource accelerator, it capitalizes on spirit synergy, converting resources into impactful game-enders.
Demands strategic timing, mirroring instant speed play, to maximize its potential during critical turns.

Text of card

As an additional cost to play Devouring Greed, you may sacrifice any number of Spirits. Target player loses 2 life plus 2 life for each Spirit sacrificed this way. You gain that much life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Devouring Greed offers a unique avenue for gaining card advantage by transforming creatures on the battlefield into a sudden burst of damage against your opponent. This can tip the scales significantly, potentially turning an unimposing board state into a winning move.

Resource Acceleration: In decks built around the Spirit or Arcane synergies, Devouring Greed can operate as a form of resource acceleration. By sacrificing creatures that have already served their purpose or those that replace themselves, you effectively convert existing resources into direct game-ending power.

Instant Speed: Although Devouring Greed operates at sorcery speed, its strategic impact resonates with the principle of instant speed play. It demands careful timing to ensure the maximum number of Spirits are available for sacrifice, and it can be a devastating surprise for an unprepared opponent during the culmination of a critical turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Devouring Greed calls for the player to sacrifice creatures as part of its casting cost. This can lead to a decreased board presence, which might set you back, especially if the game is close or you’re already behind.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one black mana specifically, plus two of any color. This can sometimes make it challenging to cast in multicolor decks that may not always have the right mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Devouring Greed has a total casting cost of four mana, which can be quite steep considering that you’re also sacrificing creatures to gain its benefits. In the fast-paced dynamics of the game, there are other spells and effects available that might achieve similar results without such a heavy resource commitment.

Reasons to Include Devouring Greed in Your Collection

Versatility: Devouring Greed can be a game-changer in various deck builds that focus on creature control and sacrifice mechanics. It allows players to turn their creatures into direct life swings, making it a flexible choice for both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card unlocks potential synergies with decks that capitalize on having a lot of creatures and using them as resources. Combining it with token generators can produce massive swings in life totals, sometimes even ending the game on the spot.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Devouring Greed could be a key card. Its ability to swiftly change the tide of a game makes it a formidable inclusion against opponents who might not expect an instant life loss mechanic.

How to beat Devouring Greed

Devouring Greed presents a unique challenge in the Magic: The Gathering realm as it leverages the power of spirits. As a sorcery that requires sacrificing spirits to boost life loss and gain, overcoming this card demands strategic foresight. The key here is to limit the proliferation of spirits on your opponent’s battlefield. Engage in creature control tactics such as board wipes or spot removal spells to keep their spirit count low, thus diminishing Devouring Greed’s potential impact.

Furthermore, battlefield effects that prevent sacrificing creatures or cards that can counteract sorceries shine against this threat. Consider incorporating instant-speed removal to disrupt your opponent’s sacrifice timing or leaning on counterspells to negate the casting of Devouring Greed altogether. Another approach is to reduce the efficacy of life loss through life gain strategies or employ cards that replace losses, ensuring that even if Devouring Greed resolves, its effect is minimized.

Ultimately, the secret to besting Devouring Greed lies in proactive control, denying your opponent key opportunities to leverage their spirits, and maintaining a robust defensive posture throughout the match. Keeping these strategies in mind will significantly tilt the odds in your favor.

Cards like Devouring Greed

Devouring Greed stands out within the world of sacrifice-based spells in Magic: The Gathering. It finds its peers in other sacrifice-themed cards like Altar’s Reap and Bone Splinters, all of which require you to sacrifice a creature as part of their costs. Devouring Greed differs in that it allows for multiple creature sacrifices for an amplified effect, gaining both life and dealing damage to your opponent which scales with the number sacrificed, making it a potential game-ender in the right deck.

When comparing with other sacrifice-for-gain spells, Costly Plunder lets players draw cards for sacrificing a creature or artifact, and though it doesn’t directly affect life totals, it offers immediate card advantage. Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim provides repeatable sacrifice utility, coupled with life gain, but lacks the direct opponent damage and doesn’t scale its effect. This highlights Devouring Greed as a versatile tool, particularly in decks focused on numerous creatures and the “go-big” strategy.

Assessing its value among similar MTG cards reveals Devouring Greed’s strategic depth, especially in formats where swarming the battlefield aligns with the deck’s overall synergy, making it a force to be reckoned with.

Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Devouring Greed by color, type and mana cost

Terisiare's Devastation - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Devouring Greed MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Devouring Greed and other MTG cards: