Liege of the Pit MTG Card


Liege of the Pit - Time Spiral
Mana cost
Converted mana cost8
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Demon
Abilities Flying,Morph,Trample
Released2006-10-06
Set symbol
Set nameTime Spiral
Set codeTSP
Power 7
Toughness 7
Number113
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJeremy Jarvis

Key Takeaways

  1. Liege of the Pit can grant card advantage by consuming opponent’s resources for its containment.
  2. Sacrifice demands and mana specificity make the card a planning-heavy inclusion in decks.
  3. With combo and versatility, it’s well-suited for game formats that value singular powerful creatures.

Text of card

Flying, trample At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature other than Liege of the Pit. If you can't, Liege of the Pit deals 7 damage to you. Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Liege of the Pit provides a substantial presence on the board with its ability to dominate the game if left unanswered. As a powerful creature, Liege of the Pit can pressure opponents into expending multiple resources to deal with it, thereby offering you a potential card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Liege of the Pit doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its sheer power can be an indirect form of acceleration. By forcing opponents to deal with it, they may have to divert resources that could have been used for their own development, thus slowing them down and giving you a relative increase in tempo.

Instant Speed: While Liege of the Pit itself is not an instant, the key to leveraging its power can sometimes be tied to playing threats at instant speed before it enters the battlefield. By utilizing instant-speed spells and abilities to clear the path or protect it, Liege of the Pit’s arrival on the board can be more strategically timed and therefore more impactful.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Liege of the Pit obliges players to sacrifice a creature during each of their upkeep phases if it was played using its madness ability. This continuous need for creature fodder can severely strain your resources, especially if you are struggling to maintain a board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Liege of the Pit demands a precise combination of mana types: two black and six additional mana. This specificity can be restrictive, limiting the card’s integration into multicolored decks or those without sufficient mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of eight mana required for its traditional casting cost, Liege of the Pit is on the pricier end of the spectrum, which may delay its play or compete with other high-impact cards in your strategy for a slot on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include Liege of the Pit in Your Collection

Versatility: Liege of the Pit offers the flexibility to adapt to various game situations. As a powerful demon with the potential to transform from the card Tombstone Stairwell, it can be a game-changer in decks that manipulate the graveyard or run a heavy creature strategy.

Combo Potential: This demon has combo potential thanks to its sacrifice ability. It can be used alongside cards that generate tokens or benefit from creatures dying, making it a dynamic component in many combo-centered decks.

Meta-Relevance: While the card may not be a mainstay in the current competitive scene, its relevance shines in casual circles and specific formats like Commander, where its sheer power level can dominate the battlefield against a multitude of opponents.


How to beat Liege of the Pit

Liege of the Pit commands attention in Magic: The Gathering due to its formidable presence as a towering demon with potentially game-ending abilities. However, despite its power, seasoned players have strategies to outmaneuver this colossal threat. Controlling the battlefield involves understanding your opponent’s artifacts, enchantments, and creatures that work in concert with Liebe of the Pit, and using removal spells at the opportune time.

Removal spells like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can handle Liege of the Pit efficiently, exiling it before its power becomes overwhelming. Moreover, utilizing counterspells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak when Liege of the Pit is cast can prevent it from entering the battlefield at all. In terms of strategy, maintaining open mana for these responses and playing patiently are key in managing such high-impact cards. If Liege of the Pit has already landed, board wipes like Wrath of God can clear the path to victory.

Above all, knowing when to apply pressure and advance your position can create a window to neutralize threats such as Liege of the Pit, turning the tides of the game in your favor. Adaptability and resource management are paramount to overcoming the raw power of such a daunting adversary.


Cards like Liege of the Pit

Liege of the Pit is a formidable demon creature card that can make or break games for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts. Its most direct parallel is Lord of the Pit, another powerful demon with a high maintenance cost that requires sacrificing a creature each turn or suffering a hefty penalty. However, Liege of the Pit offers a twist with its morph ability, allowing players to reveal it at a potentially strategic moment and surprise their opponents.

Comparing it further, it draws parallels with creatures such as Abyssal Persecutor; another demon that offers high stats for a low mana cost but comes with a downside of preventing opponents from losing the game. While Abyssal Persecutor requires careful planning to remove from the board at the right time, Liege of the Pit provides flexibility through morphing, granting tactical advantages in timing and board presence.

Analyzing these mighty creatures, Liege of the Pit stands as a multifaceted option for those looking to incorporate a high-risk, high-reward strategy in their MTG arsenal. The card’s inherent versatility through morphing combined with the potential to dominate the battlefield gives it a unique place among similarly aggressive creatures in the game.

Lord of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Abyssal Persecutor - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Pit - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Abyssal Persecutor - Worldwake (WWK)

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Scion of Darkness - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Myojin of Night's Reach - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Sanguine Praetor - Guildpact (GPT)
Tombstalker - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Reiver Demon - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Skeletal Wurm - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Pestilence Demon - Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis (DDR)
Baleful Force - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Shambling Attendants - The List (PLST)
Distended Mindbender - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Razaketh, the Foulblooded - Commander Masters (CMM)
Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - Game Night 2019 (GN2)
Archfiend of Despair - Commander Masters (CMM)
Vilis, Broker of Blood - Game Night: Free-for-All (GN3)
Cyclopean Titan - Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021 (CMB2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Liege of the Pit MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Liege of the Pit and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Liege of the Pit has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2006-09-25 If you have another creature on the battlefield when the ability resolves, you must sacrifice it. You can’t choose to be dealt 7 damage instead.
2006-09-25 You can’t sacrifice Liege of the Pit to its own ability. You can sacrifice one Liege of the Pit to another Liege of the Pit.

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