Screams from Within MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Darksteel
Set code	DST
Number	52
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Hugh Jamieson

Key Takeaways

Screams from Within can continuously target and disable multiple creatures, making it a potent repeatable threat.
While effective in creature-rich decks, its dependency on death for value can limit its utility elsewhere.
The card’s versatility in control strategies makes it a valuable inclusion in decks that exploit creature demise.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gets -1/-1. When enchanted creature is put into a graveyard, return Screams from Within from your graveyard to play.

There's no escaping an enemy that lives inside your head.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Screams from Within provides an ongoing benefit by returning to your hand after the enchanted creature dies. This recursive ability means you could potentially use the enchantment multiple times over the course of a match, potentially removing numerous threats and boosting your card advantage without expending additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Screams from Within doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it can indirectly speed up your game plan by handling smaller creatures quickly. This keeps the board clear and maintains pressure on your opponent, which can be crucial for maintaining tempo and advancing your board state.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Screams from Within at instant speed gives you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn. You can choose the most opportune moment to enchant a creature, perhaps in response to a buff or other ability activation, ensuring maximum impact and potentially changing the tide of the game in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Screams from Within is that it doesn’t ask for a discard, but it does have a recurring ability that hinges on creature death. This persistent need for creatures to die to get value can be restrictive in decks not built around sacrifice or with low creature counts, becoming a dead card.

Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment has a specific mana requirement for black mana, which can be a limitation for multicolored decks. Those not heavily invested in black mana sources might find it challenging to consistently meet the casting cost, inhibiting its incorporation into a diverse range of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the enchantment can return to the battlefield under the right conditions, its initial three mana cost is somewhat high for the effect it provides. There are other enchantments and removal spells available that offer more immediate and impactful results for the same or lower mana investment, possibly making this card less favorable in competitive gameplay.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Screams from Within can be an essential piece in decks that aim to control opponents’ creatures. The enchantment’s ability to be reused lends itself to various strategies, ideal for decks focused on attrition or those that have synergies with enchantments or creature deaths.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in combos, working exceptionally well with permanents that trigger upon creature deaths or those that benefit from enchantment recursion. When paired appropriately, Screams from Within can become a relentless engine that dismantles your opponent’s board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based strategies prevail, Screams from Within offers continuous control, making it increasingly valuable. Its persistent presence on the battlefield ensures that you can adapt to a multitude of situations, keeping key opposing threats in check.

How to beat

Screams from Within is a unique enchantment aura in Magic: The Gathering that can create an endless loop due to its recursion ability. Players often use it to steadily chip away at their opponent’s creatures, especially since it returns to the battlefield after the enchanted creature dies. Tackling such an enduring threat requires strategy.

To effectively handle this card, consider using enchantment removal like Disenchant to directly target it before it can reattach to another creature. For a more permanent solution, cards like Rest in Peace can exile Screams from Within, preventing its return from the graveyard. Additionally, leveraging hexproof creatures can make it difficult for the opponent to find valid targets for their enchantment, thereby breaking the cycle. Remember, countering it when initially cast with a spell like Negate can also save you from the trouble before it even starts.

When facing an adversary with Screams from Within in their deck, maintaining enchantment control and strategic play are key to prevailing over this persistent threat. By foreseeing its return and preparing your countermeasures, you’ll stand a better chance of taking the upper hand in the match.

Cards like Screams from Within

Screams from Within is a unique enchant creature card with a persistence effect in Magic: The Gathering. A similar card is Paralyzing Grasp, as both are designed to debilitate opponents’ creatures. However, Screams from Within stands out due to its ability to return to the battlefield after the enchanted creature dies, ensuring ongoing control, whereas Paralyzing Grasp is a one-time use without such recursion.

Another card that echoes this theme of control is Dead Weight. This spell also diminishes the threat of opposing creatures by reducing their power. The distinction here is in the subtleties of ongoing influence. Screams from Within can potentially provide continuous suppression across multiple creatures, whereas Dead Weight is more limited in scope with a single impact.

In assessing these options, Screams from Within offers a persistent and recyclable solution to weaken and manage enemy forces, creating a lasting presence that extends beyond a singular interaction. This enduring trait gives it a notable edge in strategy and card advantage within Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of control enchantments.

Cards similar to Screams from Within by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Screams from Within MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel, 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 Screams from Within and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Screams from Within has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-12-01	If another player has gained control of Screams from Within, its triggered ability does nothing when it’s put into a graveyard. Cards are always put into their owner’s graveyard, but Screams from Within’s ability looks for the card only in its controller’s graveyard.
2005-08-01	If Screams from Within returns to the battlefield from your graveyard, you choose the creature that Screams from Within enchants (just as you would for any Aura that you’re putting onto the battlefield without casting it). If your opponent doesn’t control any creatures, you must choose one of your creatures. If there’s nothing at all that Screams from Within can enchant, it remains in your graveyard.