Swallowing Plague MTG Card

Swallowing Plague - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery — Arcane
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Number	146
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Dave Dorman

Key Takeaways

Swallowing Plague excels in both defense and offense, offsetting threats while enhancing player resilience.
It demands careful hand management due to the discard requirement, impacting overall strategy.
Restrictive mana needs may limit the card’s inclusion in diverse MTG deck builds.

Text of card

Swallowing Plague deals X damage to target creature and you gain X life.

"We are recalling all forces from the Takenuma Swamp. We lose men daily to kami attacks, and it seems our defeats only encourage them further." —General Takeno, letter to Lord Konda

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Swallowing Plague provides a significant shift in card utility by offering direct damage to a creature while also providing life gain. This simultaneous action ensures you are removing an opponent’s threat while bolstering your own life total, maintaining or potentially advancing your position on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: The life gained from Swallowing Plague can be indirectly viewed as a resource acceleration. In the right deck, additional life can fuel various card mechanics that require life payment, effectively giving you more resources to work with and increasing your staying power in the match.

Instant Speed: Swallowing Plague’s instant speed grants the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s actions during their turn, making it a versatile tool in your strategy. The ability to decide the most opportune moment to cast it, possibly disrupting an opponent’s attack or strategies, adds a layer of tactical depth to gameplay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Swallowing Plague mandates the player to discard another card, which could hinder hand advantage, especially if you’re already struggling to maintain a good number of cards in your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a stringent combination of mana, including black mana, which confines its integration largely to mono-black or black-dominated decks, potentially limiting its utility in a varied deck environment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost set on the higher side, Swallowing Plague may compete for a slot against other life-gain or removal spells that could be more cost-effective, posing a strategic dilemma in deck building and during gameplay.

Reasons to Include Swallowing Plague in Your Collection

Versatility: Swallowing Plague serves multiple roles within any black deck, operating as both a removal spell and a life gain source. Its ability to adapt to different in-game situations makes it a solid choice for most game stages.

Combo Potential: With its dual-function, this card can be a linchpin in strategies focused on life-drain or control. It can also set the stage for big plays, tipping the scales in your favor by swinging life totals while dealing with threats.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creatures are key, Swallowing Plague maintains relevance by negating opponents’ threats and bolstering your life total, potentially disrupting their tempo and giving you a crucial edge.

How to beat

Swallowing Plague is a card that can be a real game changer in MTG duels, dealing damage while gaining life. This makes it a formidable card, especially in decks that are designed around life drain strategies. But like all cards, it has its weaknesses and can be outmaneuvered with the right tactics.

When facing Swallowing Plague, remember it’s paramount to control the number of creatures your opponent has. Limiting their board presence reduces the impact of the spell, making it less of a threat. It’s also wise to keep instant-speed removal or counter spells in hand, ready to nip the problem in the bud. This way, Swallowing Plague can be met with either the removal of the targeted creature in response, nullifying the life gain, or by countering it outright.

Deck resilience can also buffer the blow from Swallowing Plague. Include cards that allow you to gain life or to bring creatures back from the graveyard. This dual approach can often offset the life swing that Swallowing Plague’s caster is aiming for. With thoughtful play and strategic deck building, this potentially devastating spell can be rendered just a minor setback rather than a game-ending move.

Cards like Swallowing Plague

Swallowing Plague stands out in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal as a noteworthy example of black removal and life gain. It harmonizes with cards like Consume Spirit, which shares the dual purpose of damage and healing. Nonetheless, Swallowing Plague is distinguishable due to its creature-specific target, whereas Consume Spirit boasts versatility by targeting both creatures and players. The direct life gain corresponding to damage dealt makes Swallowing Plague a robust option during creature-heavy matchups.

Another kindred spell is Drain Life, which similarly siphons life from the opponent. It offers an uncapped potential for damage and healing, but its reliance on excessive swamp mana can make it less accessible compared to Swallowing Plague’s straightforward mana cost. The efficiency of Swallowing Plague in a focused deck strategy is certainly highlighted when facing a single formidable creature on the battlefield.

Assessing these alternatives, Swallowing Plague finds its unique place within MTG black spells, perfectly aligning with decks that emphasize disruption and sustainability. Its pinpoint accuracy in removal coupled with the boon of life gain solidifies its strategic value in confrontations that hinge on life totals and board control.

Drain Life - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Swallowing Plague by color, type and mana cost

Sinkhole - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Soul Exchange - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Imperial Edict - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Chainer's Edict - Ultimate Masters (UMA)

Predators' Hour - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Swallowing Plague MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Swallowing Plague and other MTG cards: