Death Baron MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie Wizard
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Death Baron significantly bolsters Zombie decks, offering a crucial power-toughness enhancement paired with deathtouch.
  2. While boosting undead creatures, it has a specific mana cost and might not fit all playstyles or deck types.
  3. Wielding Death Baron can enrich your collection, optimally aligning with the current creature-based meta-game.

Text of card

Skeleton creatures you control and other Zombie creatures you control get +1/+1 and have deathtouch.

For the necromancer barons, killing and recruitment are one and the same.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Death Baron offers significant card advantage in a game of MTG, especially when it’s complemented with Zombie creatures. Its ability bestows other Zombies you control with both a power-toughness boost and deathtouch, aiding your creatures in successfully battling opponents while they survive.

Resource Acceleration: Although not an explicit mana ramp, Death Baron effectively accelerates your resources by augmenting the threats of every Zombie in your warrior legion. This means less mana is required in summoning bigger, powerful creatures, allowing you to deploy more threats faster.

Instant Speed: Even though Death Baron doesn’t carry the instant tag, its impact feels immediate. When put down, it ramps up the potential of your undead troops instantly, adding pressure on your opponent and offering new strategic decisions at your disposal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Death Baron card doesn’t require a discard for activation, but considering its powerful ability, it could benefit from resource management. Also, its own power to rise your horde of undead can backfire if you are low on creatures in your graveyard.

Specific Mana Cost: Death Baron requires two swamps and one colorless mana point to be played. This means it’s typically integrated into mono-black or multi-colored decks that lean heavily on black mana. Its specific mana requirement can limit its use to specific decks and strategies, and may not be suitable for all play styles.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Three mana for a 2/2 creature might seem a bit steep, especially when you glance over its potential rivals in the same mana niche. There are other options in the same cost range that could potentially give you a higher immediate impact. The payoff for this cost comes from its ability to enhance other skeletons and zombies, so unless this type of synergy is present in your deck, the three mana cost might seem high.


Reasons to Include Death Baron in Your Collection

Versatility: The Death Baron MTG card is a vital asset to multiple deck types, notably those profiting from empowering their creature cards. As a Zombie Wizard, it provides an advantageous edge in Zombie or Skeleton-centric decks, giving a +1/+1 boost and pushing the deck’s offensive capabilities.

Combo Potential: As a lord card, Death Baron can boost your deck’s strategy with its unique ability to give all Zombie and Skeleton cards both power increase and deathtouch. This feature enhances potential combos, multiplying the card interactions and increasing your game-winning potential.

Meta-Relevance: In the current meta-game, where creature-centric decks are prevalent, Death Baron’s abilities can offer necessary resilience and aggression. Hence, having it in your collection contributes significantly to your deck’s relevance in ongoing competitive games.


How to beat

Confronting the Death Baron card in Magic: The Gathering can be a tough challenge. With its exceptional abilities, this card can quickly turn any battlefield to your disadvantage. One of its core abilities is providing all Skeletons and Zombies you control with deathtouch and +1/+1, making it a significant threat in any undead deck.

One effective method to overcome the Death Baron relies on instant cards, such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile. These spells swiftly remove threats before they become too problematic. Remember that Death Baron affects not just itself, but other undead creatures too. So, eliminating the Baron early can considerably weaken your opponent’s offensive line.

Moreover, utilizing cards with exile abilities can be another viable strategy. Cards like Save of Exile or Oblivion Ring are capable of removing the Baron permanently, inhibiting your opponent’s strategy to grow their undead army.

Ultimately, the key to countering Death Baron lies in quick removal or permanent exile. Each strategic step can help tip the scales in your favor, keeping your game alive even when facing such mighty undead lords in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the strategy of MTG is like unfolding an ancient map to treasure – it’s all about the right cards and the knowledge to wield them. Death Baron stands as a keystone in undead-themed decks, its aura empowering each rotting comrade with decisive deathtouch. However, its full potential is chained to a legion of Zombies or Skeletons. If you’re looking to dominate with a horde of the undead, or if your collection lacks this dark sovereign, it’s time to consider adding Death Baron to your arsenal. Harness its power to sway the match in your favor and keep opponents at bay. Visit us to discover how to best integrate this card into your strategic lineup and raise your game to an eternal triumph. Embrace the dark arts of the undead with Death Baron.


Cards like Death Baron

The uniqueness of the Death Baron card in Magic: The Gathering can be framed by drawing comparisons with related alternatives. It bears a likeness to Undead Warchief, another Zombie empowering card. Like Death Baron, Undead Warchief also provides stat bonuses to Zombie creatures. However, it’s the Death Baron that comes with Deathtouch, giving your undead army an additional value.

In a parallel context, Cemetery Reaper emerges as an interesting competitor. It also boosts Zombie creatures, and at the same time, transforms opponent’s creatures into Zombies. While this is an advantageous trait, it lacks Deathtouch, which is the highlight of the Death Baron card. Similarly, Diregraf Captain proves a worthy compare. It grants power to Zombie cards while paining an opponent when any of your Zombies leave the battlefield, a striking difference from Death Baron that focuses on empowering your cards.

In conclusion, Death Baron holds its ground amidst its counterparts in Magic: The Gathering. Its unique rendition of empowering Zombie creatures and arming them with Deathtouch makes it a sought-after card, notwithstanding the exceptional abilities of its competition.

Undead Warchief - MTG Card versions
Cemetery Reaper - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Captain - MTG Card versions
Undead Warchief - Scourge (SCG)
Cemetery Reaper - Magic 2010 (M10)
Diregraf Captain - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Death Baron by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Death Baron MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Shards of Alara, 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 Death Baron and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Death Baron Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2021-09-24. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 692542003normalblackSlawomir Maniak
22008-10-03Shards of AlaraALA 702003normalblackNils Hamm
32009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 252003normalblackNils Hamm
42018-07-13Core Set 2019 PromosPM19 90s2015normalblackNils Hamm
52018-07-13Core Set 2019 PromosPM19 902015normalblackSlawomir Maniak
62018-07-13Core Set 2019 PromosPM19 90p2015normalblackNils Hamm
72018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 902015normalblackNils Hamm
82021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1112015normalblackNils Hamm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Death Baron has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-07-13 A creature that's both a Skeleton and a Zombie will get the bonus only once.
2018-07-13 Because damage remains marked on a creature until it's removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a Skeleton or Zombie you control may become lethal if Death Baron leaves the battlefield during that turn.
2018-07-13 Death Baron doesn't normally affect itself. If you manage to turn it into a Skeleton, however, then it will give itself +1/+1 and deathtouch.

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