Death or Glory MTG Card

Invasion (INV)
2000-10-02 - Number 13

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number INV-13

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

Death or Glory enables a strategic edge by reanimating creatures, directly influencing battlefield dynamics.
Its ability to accelerate board presence offsets its lack of direct mana resource acceleration.
While powerful, the card’s specific mana cost could limit deck-building versatility.

Text of card

Separate all creature cards in your graveyard into two face-up piles. Remove the pile of an opponent's choice from the game and return the other to play.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Death or Glory, you sift through your graveyard, effectively sorting valuable creatures and potentially setting up future turns with a strategic edge. The ability to separate your graveyard into two piles and reanimate all creatures from one chosen pile gives you a surge in presence on the battlefield, which translates directly to maintaining or increasing your advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Death or Glory doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in the form of mana, it accelerates your board by potentially bringing multiple creatures into play under your control. This surge in board presence can be more valuable than simple mana generation as it allows you to quickly turn the tides and press for victory.

Instant Speed: As a card that you can play at sorcery speed, Death or Glory requires strategic planning for the perfect turn. Its game-changing effect during your main phase can catch an unprepared opponent off guard, allowing you to exploit a moment of weakness or reconstruct your forces swiftly without the delay of summoning sickness that typical creature spells face.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For players wielding the Death or Glory card, one of the hurdles to overcome is the obligation to discard cards. This requirement becomes particularly taxing when your hand is already running low, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage by diminishing your strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: The construction of your deck can hit a snag with Death or Glory’s strict mana demands. Its specific mana cost requires a dedicated deck setup to efficiently utilize its potential, potentially restricting its integration into a wider variety of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to mana efficiency, Death or Glory’s cost might raise eyebrows among seasoned players. The investment of five mana could be seen as steep, especially when there are alternatives that could execute similar effects or provide greater value at a lower cost threshold.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Death or Glory can be a pivotal card in decks focusing on graveyard strategies or that utilize creature recursion. Its ability to split creatures from your graveyard can reanimate valuable creatures or force tough decisions upon your opponent.

Combo Potential: This card has significant synergy with other strategies that capitalize on graveyard manipulation. Used in the right deck, it can set up powerful plays that can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often sees graveyard-based decks rise to prominence, having Death or Glory in your collection means you’re prepared to either exploit your own graveyard or pivot your strategy when facing decks that attempt to disrupt your game plan.

How to beat

Confronting the Death or Glory card in Magic: The Gathering can be quite the strategic challenge. This unique card disrupts typical gameplay, juxtaposing risk and reward in a way that can turn the tables in either player’s favor. To counter this card effectively, players should focus on graveyard control to minimize the selection of creatures the opponent can potentially retrieve. Cards such as Leyline of the Void ensure that creatures never reach the graveyard in the first place, thus rendering Death or Glory less impactful.

Another avenue is to employ instant-speed removal or graveyard shuffle effects when the opponent attempts to bring their creatures back to the battlefield. Tormod’s Crypt, for example, can exile a graveyard at a moment’s notice, nullifying the payoff from Death or Glory. Strategy is key, and anticipating the turn when Death or Glory may be played allows for a well-timed response. Lastly, cards that allow you to gain control of an opponent’s creatures can drastically reduce the effectiveness of Death or Glory, essentially turning the tables and using the opponent’s strategy against them.

Overall, staying a step ahead and maintaining control over the game state, especially the graveyard, is essential to outmaneuvering Death or Glory’s potential for a game-changing move.

Cards like Death or Glory

Death or Glory stands as a unique entry in the world of MTG card mechanics, invoking formidable tactics by splitting an entire graveyard into two piles, from which an opponent then chooses one to resurrect. This card echoes the strategic decision-making found in Fact or Fiction, which presents a split of the top five cards of your library, again with the choice left to an adversary. This mind game aspect is clearly a shared element.

Likewise, Doomsday is a card that brings to mind the high stakes of Death or Glory, allowing a player to thin their library to just five cards of their choosing, essentially betting the game on their next moves. It’s a testament to the go big or go home philosophy that appeals to certain player strategies. Both cards craft scenarios where the next play could swing the match, but Doomsday is more self-directed compared to the external decision facet that Death or Glory offers.

In essence, when considering the impact these cards have on the game, Death or Glory challenges both the player and their opponent, setting up a daring gambit that can potentially turn the tides of play in dramatic fashion.

Cards similar to Death or Glory by color, type and mana cost

Lonesome Unicorn // Rider in Need - MTG Card versions

Righteous Confluence - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Death or Glory MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and The List, 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 Death or Glory and other MTG cards: