Innocent Blood MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Innocent Blood is cost-effective and skillfully circumvents indestructible or hexproof creatures.
  2. Its one black mana cost facilitates rapid response play and preserving resources.
  3. The card integrates well with instant spells, opening opportunities for strategic plays.

Text of card

Each player sacrifices a creature.

Zombies mourn for the living and celebrate those who will soon be given the gift of death.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Innocent Blood is designed to efficiently remove creatures from the board without targeting them directly. This can be particularly advantageous in a situation where you’re facing down a board with hexproof or indestructible creatures that are difficult to remove with targeted removal spells. By forcing each player to sacrifice a creature, you potentially dismantle an opponent’s strategy while keeping your hand filled with other answers and threats.

Resource Acceleration: At only one black mana to cast, Innocent Blood allows for a rapid response to early creature threats. This enables players to utilize their mana efficiently by leaving resources available to be put towards other spells and abilities earlier in the game. This could lead to a significant tempo gain if used at a strategic moment, setting your opponent back while you continue to develop your board or hand.

Instant Speed: While Innocent Blood is a sorcery, its low cost and effect can synergize with instant speed spells and abilities you may have. Being able to cast Innocent Blood on your turn leaves mana open for counter spells or instant removal to be used during your opponent’s turn, setting up for a well-timed double play that can swing the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Innocent Blood asks no player to discard, the symmetrical effect forces you to sacrifice a creature, which can be a considerable setback if you rely on a few powerful creatures rather than many expendable ones.

Specific Mana Cost: Innocent Blood’s mana cost is singularly black, making it less accessible for multi-colored decks that might struggle with generating the necessary black mana consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While costing only one black mana seems efficient, in the context of other removal spells available, Innocent Blood’s inability to target specific threats can be a significant disadvantage in strategic play.


Reasons to Include Innocent Blood in Your Collection

Versatility: Innocent Blood is a powerful addition to any deck that aims to control the board. Its ability to make each player sacrifice a creature ensures that even those with hexproof or shroud can be dealt with, giving it a broad application against various strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can be strategically paired with decks that capitalize on sacrificing creatures, whether it’s to fuel graveyard strategies or to exploit effects that trigger on creature deaths. It meshes well with cards that expect you to have fewer creatures than your opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where players tend to run creature-heavy decks, Innocent Blood can disrupt your opponents’ plans early on. It’s especially potent in games where creatures with powerful effects are common, but hard to remove through targeted spells. Keeping the board clear and leveling the playing field can often tip the scales in your favor.


How to beat

Innocent Blood is a potent edict effect card in Magic: The Gathering that forces each player to sacrifice a creature. This can be particularly devastating in formats where players often rely on a single, powerful creature to control the game. To effectively play against Innocent Blood, it’s crucial to diversify your battlefield presence. Running decks that can generate multiple creatures efficiently will make you less vulnerable to this sacrifice effect. Cards that create tokens or creatures that replace themselves, such as Doomed Traveler, ensure that you maintain board presence even after Innocent Blood resolves.

Another strategy is to use creatures that have an “enters the battlefield” or “leaves the battlefield” effect, turning a potential setback into an advantage. This way, even if Innocent Blood prompts a sacrifice, you might gain life, draw cards, or remove an opponent’s threat in the process. Lastly, holding onto instant-speed creature generators can allow you to recover swiftly, keeping your game plan on track. Understanding the dynamics of sacrificing creatures and maintaining a diverse army will enhance your resilience against the forced attrition brought about by Innocent Blood.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is both an art and a science, especially when it comes to optimizing your deck with versatile removal cards like Innocent Blood. With its efficient mana cost and the ability to clear the board of pesky creatures, it’s a staple for control strategies. Whether you capitalize on sacrificing creatures for benefit or need to level the playing field against indestructible threats, Innocent Blood is a card to be reckoned with. If you’re eager to adapt your gameplay, enhance your deck, or explore the strategic depth of MTG, delve deeper with us. Sharpen your skills and make your deck more resilient – learn how Innocent Blood can shift the tide in your favor.


Cards like Innocent Blood

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Innocent Blood stands out as an efficient creature removal spell that impacts all players. It echoes the effect of cards such as Diabolic Edict, which also forces a player to sacrifice a creature. However, Innocent Blood affects all players equally, making it uniquely democratic and potentially more devastating in a multiplayer setting. Unlike Diabolic Edict, Innocent Blood does not target a single player, creating a level playing field when creatures become threats on the board.

Another card that can be measured against Innocent Blood is Barter in Blood. This card amplifies the concept, demanding each player to sacrifice not one, but two creatures. This can lead to sweeping changes on the game board but comes with a higher mana cost. Smallpox is yet another comparable spell, inflicting sacrifice and additional penalties, such as discarding cards and losing life. Despite these broader effects, Smallpox’s balance of cost and impact makes Innocent Blood a more streamlined choice when focusing solely on creature removal.

Examining these similar spells, Innocent Blood offers a simple, low-cost solution for clearing creatures. Its capacity to evenly affect all players without targeting restrictions makes it a potent option for players valuing equity and strategy over raw power and wider-ranging effects.

Diabolic Edict - MTG Card versions
Barter in Blood - MTG Card versions
Smallpox - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Edict - Tempest (TMP)
Barter in Blood - Mirrodin (MRD)
Smallpox - Time Spiral (TSP)

Cards similar to Innocent Blood by color, type and mana cost

Raise Dead - MTG Card versions
Mind Twist - MTG Card versions
Contract from Below - MTG Card versions
Spoils of War - MTG Card versions
Tendrils of Despair - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdling Scream - MTG Card versions
Organ Harvest - MTG Card versions
Duress - MTG Card versions
Bubbling Muck - MTG Card versions
Reanimate - MTG Card versions
Soul Strings - MTG Card versions
Cabal Therapy - MTG Card versions
Confront the Past - MTG Card versions
Stir the Grave - MTG Card versions
Cry of Contrition - MTG Card versions
Deathmark - MTG Card versions
Call to the Netherworld - MTG Card versions
Raven's Crime - MTG Card versions
Imperial Seal - MTG Card versions
Bone Splinters - MTG Card versions
Raise Dead - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Mind Twist - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Contract from Below - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Spoils of War - Ice Age (ICE)
Tendrils of Despair - Weatherlight (WTH)
Bloodcurdling Scream - Portal Second Age (P02)
Organ Harvest - Unglued (UGL)
Duress - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Bubbling Muck - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Reanimate - Jumpstart (JMP)
Soul Strings - Prophecy (PCY)
Cabal Therapy - Premium Deck Series: Graveborn (PD3)
Confront the Past - The List (PLST)
Stir the Grave - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Cry of Contrition - Guildpact (GPT)
Deathmark - Coldsnap (CSP)
Call to the Netherworld - Time Spiral (TSP)
Raven's Crime - Eventide (EVE)
Imperial Seal - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Bone Splinters - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Innocent Blood MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and World Championship Decks 2003, 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 Innocent Blood and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Innocent Blood Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Carl Critchlow.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12001-10-01OdysseyODY 1451997normalblackCarl Critchlow
22003-08-07World Championship Decks 2003WC03 pk1452003normalgoldCarl Critchlow
32009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 332003normalblackCarl Critchlow
42011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 662003normalblackCarl Critchlow
52016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 942015normalblackCarl Critchlow
62016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 542015normalblackCarl Critchlow
72017-11-24Explorers of IxalanE02 192015normalblackCarl Critchlow
82019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 6932015normalblackCarl Critchlow
92020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2442015normalblackCarl Critchlow
102020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-942015normalblackCarl Critchlow

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Innocent Blood has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-06-08 You can cast Innocent Blood even if some (or all) players control no creatures. Those players are simply unaffected.

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