Deadly Designs MTG Card
2016-08-26 - Number 42
2018-03-16 - Number 83
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Key Takeaways
- Deadly Designs can create game-changing scenarios by offering controlled card advantage at instant speed.
- It’s a double-edged sword with a hefty cost and specific mana requirements that may limit some decks.
- Flexibility in gameplay makes it valuable for collection, synergizing well in control and multiplayer decks.
Text of card
: Put a plot counter on Deadly Designs. Any player may activate this ability. When there are five or more plot counters on Deadly Designs, sacrifice it. If you do, destroy up to two target creatures.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Deadly Designs, players can set up a delayed but powerful card advantage. By paying mana into it over time, you can draw out crucial removal, often eliminating the most threatening board presences when the game’s state allows for it.
Resource Acceleration: Although Deadly Designs itself does not directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly lead to acceleration by clearing the path of blockers or threats, thus enabling your own resources to come through more efficiently – this can translate to more damage dealt, or protecting your key permanents from being destroyed, which is crucial for maintaining tempo.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Deadly Designs at instant speed offers significant strategic flexibility. You can efficiently manage your mana, respond to opponent’s actions, and potentially alter the outcome of combat or other critical phases of the game in a pinch.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For Deadly Designs, activating its ability demands that players pay two life as well as discard a card, presenting a challenge when resources are already stretched thin.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost is locked into black and generic mana, which can be restrictive for decks that aren’t built around a black mana base or strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial investment of four mana and an additional payment to activate its ability, Deadly Designs may not always be the most mana-efficient removal option available for players.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Deadly Designs offers a unique flexibility in its gameplay, as it serves not only as a deterrent to other players’ strategies but also as a looming threat that can be activated at the most opportune moment. It fits into various control and multiplayer-oriented decks with ease.
Combo Potential: With the correct setup, Deadly Designs can become a key component in combinations that manipulate the number of counters on permanents. This can synergize with proliferate mechanics or cards that benefit from the destruction of other permanents.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where permanents play a pivotal role, the capacity to selectively remove key pieces on the board makes Deadly Designs a valuable card. It aligns well with the shifting dynamics of MTG play, where being able to answer to threats on-demand is crucial.
How to beat
Deadly Designs is an intriguing card in the MTG universe that can introduce a tactical layer to games due to its ability to hold potential removal power in stasis. It sits on the battlefield gathering counters, making opponents wary of building up their forces or developing complex strategies. However, even the most formidable cards have their Achilles’ heel.
One proven strategy against Deadly Designs is to minimize its impact through timing and speed. Faster, aggressive decks that develop significant board presence before it can gather enough counters can pressure the opponent into activating it prematurely. Having an arsenal of cheap, expendable creatures allows for flexibility against the looming threat of Deadly Designs. Additionally, don’t overlook the importance of enchantment removal spells. Cards like Desenchant or Naturalize can dismantle Deadly Designs before it becomes a problem, ensuring your strategy remains uninterrupted.
Understanding when to commit to your plays versus when to hold back can tip the scales in your favor. In multiplayer formats, cooperation might be key; sometimes it’s advantageous to persuade others to help in triggering Deadly Designs early, dispersing its effect and making it less of a game changer.
Uncovering Similar Strategies
Deadly Designs stands out in the world of multiplayer MTG strategies, drawing parallels to cards like Curse of Disturbance. Both are designed to subtly tip the scales over time, offering an incremental advantage. Deadly Designs does this through a build-up mechanic, allowing any player to pay into its impending doom, whereas Curse of Disturbance rewards the controller immediately with tokens during combat.
Assassin’s Strike shares the forced discard aspect of Deadly Designs, but it combines that with creature removal upon casting. While Assassin’s Strike operates at sorcery speed without any collaboration from opponents, Deadly Designs provides a variable, yet potentially game-swinging effect that requires more strategic planning.
The multiplayer nature of Deadly Designs has players weighing the pros and cons, much like with Exsanguinate, another card that scales with the game progress. Despite not being directly related in function, Exsanguinate also thrives in the late game where resources are plenty, similar to the accumulation of counters on Deadly Designs. Therefore, these cards offer layered tactics beyond what meets the eye.
Ultimately, in the realm of MTG, nuances in card abilities can make all the difference. Deadly Designs holds its ground through an interactive and suspenseful mechanic, distinguishing itself within the array of scheming options.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Deadly Designs MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy: Take the Crown and Masters 25, 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 Deadly Designs and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Deadly Designs Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-08-26 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by Jama Jurabaev.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-08-26 | Conspiracy: Take the Crown | CN2 | 42 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jama Jurabaev | |
| 2 | 2018-03-16 | Masters 25 | A25 | 83 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jama Jurabaev |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Deadly Designs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Deadly Designs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-03-16 | If the player who controlled Deadly Designs as its last ability triggered doesn’t control it as that ability resolves, Deadly Designs won’t be sacrificed. The same is true if each of the ability’s targets are all illegal by the time the ability resolves. However, if it’s still on the battlefield and has five or more plot counters on it, its last ability will immediately trigger again. |
| 2018-03-16 | You control the last ability of Deadly Designs, no matter who activated the ability to give it its fifth plot counter. |
| 2018-03-16 | You must sacrifice Deadly Designs as its last ability resolves. However, you can choose zero creatures as targets if you want. |
