Ruthless Cullblade MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Vampire Warrior
Released	2010-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Worldwake
Set code	WWK
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	65
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	rk post

Key Takeaways

Ruthless Cullblade intensifies pressure on opponents, turning into a significant threat at lower life totals.
Its versatility shines in different deck archetypes and synergizes well within vampire tribal strategies.
Effective in a meta that sees frequent low opponent life totals, enhancing aggressive game plans.

Text of card

Ruthless Cullblade gets +2/+1 as long as an opponent has 10 or less life.

She wields a blade as bloodthirsty and elegant as herself.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ruthless Cullblade’s ability to grow with an opponent’s life total opening the door for potential card advantage. If your opponent is at 10 life or less, this creature gets +2/+1, transforming it into a powerful threat your opponents have to deal with, often at a cost to their own resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Ruthless Cullblade doesn’t directly create mana or tokens, as a two-drop with significant power potential, it accelerates your battle resource by putting pressure on opponents early in the game. This can force your opponent to react instead of developing their own board, essentially speeding up your route to victory.

Instant Speed: Although Ruthless Cullblade itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its synergies in decks that support instant-speed interaction are noteworthy. For example, instant-speed removal spells can suddenly boost the Cullblade’s power mid-combat by ensuring the opponent’s life total drops, turning the tides of battle in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ruthless Cullblade’s power boost is conditional upon opponents having ten or less life, which may not always be achievable, thereby diminishing the card’s potential impact without reliable ways to reduce your opponent’s life total.

Specific Mana Cost: Ruthless Cullblade requires black mana in its casting cost, which may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks that don’t focus heavily on black mana or have a strong mana fixing strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana for a 2/1 creature, Ruthless Cullblade might be considered overcosted when compared with other creatures in the same mana range that provide immediate value or have less conditional abilities.

Reasons to Include Ruthless Cullblade in Your Collection

Versatility: Ruthless Cullblade stands out due to its adaptability in various deck archetypes. Its role shifts between a mere aggressor in early game to a significant threat if an opponent’s life total is lowered, making it a flexible addition to any black-based deck looking to capitalize on life point manipulation.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with cards that enable loss of life or grant evasion, allowing it to reliably hit opponents and grow stronger. With its vampire subtype, it synergizes with tribal buffs, enhancing its utility and strength in vampire-themed decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where players often fluctuate at low life totals, Ruthless Cullblade becomes increasingly effective. Its threat grows in games aiming for quick resolutions and is particularly useful in aggressive strategies focused on diminishing life totals swiftly.

How to beat

Ruthless Cullblade is a creature card in MTG that gains a tactical advantage when your opponent’s life total is significantly reduced. Specifically, its power increases if an opponent has 10 or less life, making it a formidable force in the late game. The key to overcoming this threat is to manage your life total wisely and to remove or neutralize the card before it becomes too powerful.

One strategy is to use removal spells that can target Ruthless Cullblade regardless of its size. Instant speed spells like Path to Exile or Doom Blade can be especially effective since they can be used before the creature gets a boost. Another tactic involves preventing life total manipulation by controlling the board and maintaining a strong defense against early aggressions that aim to bring your life down quickly. Additionally, employing life gain cards can offset the Cullblade’s trigger condition, keeping its power at bay while you stabilize your board presence.

Ultimately, understanding Ruthless Cullblade’s mechanics and having a plan to counteract its strengths can ensure that this card doesn’t cut your chances of victory short. Hold your ground, play smart, and you’ll be able to outmaneuver the Ruthless Cullblade’s edge.

Cards like Ruthless Cullblade

Ruthless Cullblade has carved a niche for itself amongst the aggressive vampire cards in MTG. It finds company with Blood Seeker, a card that shares its vampire tribal synergy. Both thrive in decks that fuel aggression and reward players for depleting opponents’ life totals. However, Ruthless Cullblade gains a power boost when an opponent’s life total is brought to 10 or less, becoming a possible major threat.

Bloodthrone Vampire stands out as another relative, offering a sacrifice mechanic to power up, though it lacks the direct life-total-linked growth of Ruthless Cullblade. This sacrificial ability adds a layer of versatility, allowing players to turn creature tokens or other expendables into raw power. Conversely, Ruthless Cullblade relies on the tide of the battle itself to grow stronger.

When evaluated alongside its peers, Ruthless Cullblade presents an interesting choice for MTG players who enjoy pressuring their adversaries and leveraging the vampire tribal theme. Its potential swing in power makes it a formidable card in the right circumstances, rewarding strategic play that focuses on tipping the opponent’s life in favor of its lethal cut.

Bloodthrone Vampire - URL/Convention Promos (PURL)

Cards similar to Ruthless Cullblade by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)

Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)

Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Undead Augur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ruthless Cullblade MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake, 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 Ruthless Cullblade and other MTG cards: