Tribute to Hunger MTG Card

Innistrad (ISD)
2011-09-30 - Number 119

Tribute to Hunger - Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)

Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)
2016-02-26 - Number 65

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Tribute to Hunger provides life gain while forcing opponents to sacrifice creatures, a powerful control tool.
Can be restrictive for decks due to specific mana needs and potentially beneficial to opponent’s graveyard strategies.
Beneficial in various deck types, particularly those focusing on control or utilizing combo mechanisms with sacrifices.

Text of card

Target opponent sacrifices a creature. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness.

Marella was delighted. The ball had attracted so many suitors for her daughter, including that handsome stranger. She wondered where the two were now . . . .

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tribute to Hunger provides a two-fold benefit. Initially, it forces an opponent to sacrifice a creature, potentially removing a key threat from the board. Secondly, it grants you life equal to that creature’s toughness, which could be substantial, enhancing your survivability in the match.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, Tribute to Hunger can be considered a form of indirect resource acceleration. By eliminating an opponent’s creature, it can set them back, slowing their tactical development and allowing you to progress your board state more aggressively.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Tribute to Hunger at instant speed means that you can respond flexibly to your opponent’s actions. This allows for strategic planning, such as using it in response to an enemy’s attack or in the midst of their combo execution, disrupting their game plan and preserving your resources for the most opportune moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tribute to Hunger does not directly require discarding, the card’s ability can lead to card disadvantage. By forcing an opponent to sacrifice a creature, players may inadvertently help them discard a less significant creature or enable graveyard strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Tribute to Hunger requires both black mana and generic mana, which could potentially hinder its inclusion in multicolored decks not heavily focused on black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, including two black mana symbols, Tribute to Hunger may come off as costly compared to other instant-speed removal spells. Given its restrictive mana requirement and situational gain of life, some players might opt for more efficient removal options within the MTG card pool.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tribute to Hunger offers a unique mix of life gain and removal, which allows it to slide into different deck archetypes that focus on control or lifegain strategies. Its instant-speed nature means it can be a handy tool at crucial moments within a game.

Combo Potential: This card finds its place in combos that capitalize on sacrificing creatures. Whether it’s bolstering your own health or disrupting an opponent’s strategy by forcibly removing their key creature, Tribute to Hunger can be the linchpin in various combo setups.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy decks often finding their way into the competitive scene, having a reliable removal card like Tribute to Hunger can give you an edge. Its ability to disrupt opponents while stabilizing your life total keeps it relevant in a constantly evolving MTG landscape.

How to beat

Tribute to Hunger is a removal spell with a unique twist, offering life gain as a sweet bonus to removing a creature from the battlefield. Yet, facing this card does not mean an inevitable loss of creatures or the duel. To effectively counteract Tribute to Hunger’s effect, one can employ various strategies. Maintaining a wide board presence with expendable creatures can minimize the impact, enabling you to sacrifice a less critical creature when Tribute to Hunger is cast. Another tactic is to utilize hexproof or shroud-equipped creatures, rendering them immune to being targeted by such spells.

Moreover, prioritizing the summoning of token creatures can provide you with a buffer against this removal spell, conserving your more valuable creatures for future turns. It is also worth considering holding up mana to cast instants that can protect or sacrifice your creatures in response, thus ensuring you remain in control of what is being offered as tribute.

Ultimately, Tribute to Hunger can be a powerful card, but with careful planning and the right countermeasures in place, its influence on the game can be mitigated, keeping your most important creatures safe and maintaining the upper hand in the match.

Cards like Tribute to Hunger

Tribute to Hunger brings a unique mix of life gain and creature removal to any game. When pitted against cards like Devour Flesh, the distinction in resource advantage becomes clear. Devour Flesh also forces a player to sacrifice a creature, yet Tribute to Hunger has the added benefit of giving you life equal to the sacrificed creature’s toughness. This can be a significant swing in health points, reinforcing your defenses while diminishing your opponent’s board presence.

Comparing it to Diabolic Edict, another staple in sacrifice effects, Tribute to Hunger offers a direct life gain advantage, but at a higher mana cost and at instant speed. The life gain could be pivotal in matchups where health is a precious resource. On the downside, the additional mana required could mean a delay in its execution.

While there are other options like Chainer’s Edict that provide a similar effect and come with the upside of flashback, Tribute to Hunger maintains its position thanks to the immediate life boost. For players who find themselves balancing removal and survival, this card proves its value through its dual functionality in caster protection and board control.

Cards similar to Tribute to Hunger by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tribute to Hunger MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed, 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 Tribute to Hunger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tribute to Hunger Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2016-02-26. Illustrated by Dave Kendall.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2011-09-30	Innistrad	ISD		119	2003	Normal	Black	Dave Kendall
2	2016-02-26	Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed	DDQ		65	2015	Normal	Black	Dave Kendall

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tribute to Hunger has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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