Essence Extraction MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Essence Extraction provides creature removal plus life gain, a tactical edge in many situations.
  2. Instant speed of Essence Extraction allows for versatile and timely plays in the game.
  3. While effective, its three-mana cost demands careful inclusion in mana-balanced decks.

Text of card

Essence Extraction deals 3 damage to target creature and you gain 3 life.

The "gifted" among the aetherborn can draw the life essence of other living beings into themselves.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Essence Extraction offers you the ability to remove a creature while gaining life, essentially handling two tasks with one card. This can tip the scales in your favor as you eliminate an opponent’s threat and simultaneously bolster your life total, making it harder for your opponent to bring your health down.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the life gain from Essence Extraction can effectively buy you more time to deploy your resources. It can serve as a lifeline, giving you the opportunity to draw into more lands or spells that will accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: The power of casting Essence Extraction at instant speed cannot be overstated. It allows you to navigate your turns with flexibility, preserving mana for responses, and strategically pinpointing the perfect moment to strike. Whether it’s in the heat of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, the instant nature of this spell ensures that you always have the upper hand in timing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Essence Extraction requires no discard, but it does have other limitations.

Specific Mana Cost: This instant needs one black and two colorless mana, which confines it to black-centric or two-color decks that can reliably generate this mana combination.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Essence Extraction’s cost of three mana is a bit steep for its effect, considering that some other removal spells do more for less or have additional flexibility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Essence Extraction’s ability to handle threats on the board makes it a flexible addition to any black deck. Its power to remove creatures and provide a life boost is effective in various scenarios, making it a solid pick regardless of the opponent.

Combo Potential: This card excels in decks that capitalize on life gain triggers or that require creature removal to pave the way for larger combos to unfold. It integrates smoothly with strategies aiming to outlast opponents.

Meta-Relevance: Given its efficiency in dealing with aggro decks and the prevalence of creature-based strategies, Essence Extraction holds a relevant place. Its instant speed allows you to react to threats immediately, keeping you a step ahead in the meta game.


How to beat

Essence Extraction stands out in the Magic: The Gathering universe as a powerful removal spell packed with an added life gain benefit. However, overcoming this card requires a nuanced strategy. Utilizing cards with indestructibility or hexproof guarantees that your creatures stay on the battlefield despite attempts at removal. Spell counters like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can also effectively neutralize Essence Extraction before it hits its mark. Moreover, cards such as Blossoming Defense that provide a boost in toughness temporarily can outmaneuver Essence Extraction’s damage output, ensuring your creature’s survival and maintaining your board presence.

Taking a pro-active approach by utilizing creature protection mechanics or simply playing creatures outside the three-damage range can also diminish the impact of Essence Extraction. In addition, leveraging graveyard retrieval mechanics will help you rebound quickly if Essence Extraction does claim one of your creatures. Remember, by anticipating this card and preparing your deck accordingly, you can swiftly invalidate its advantages and maintain control over the game flow.


Cards like Essence Extraction

Essence Extraction showcases its strength as a removal spell with a life gain twist in MTG. Its closest kin is Skinrender, which also removes creatures from the game but arrives as a creature itself. Skinrender may deal with smaller creatures via its -3/-3 counters, but unlike Essence Extraction, it lacks the immediate life gain bonus that can be a game-changer in tight situations.

Then there’s Murder, a straightforward and effective card that can destroy a creature for the same amount of mana without the life gain. This simple yet powerful action makes Murder a staple in many decks, though it does not offer the same defensive utility as Essence Extraction. Conversely, Vraska’s Contempt brings something extra to the table: exile and life gain. While costlier at four mana, it solidly handles indestructible threats and Planeswalkers, making it versatile for different game scenarios.

Ultimately, Essence Extraction holds its ground in the world of creature removal spells. Its balance between cost, removal efficiency, and the life gain makes it particularly useful for decks looking to stabilize while managing threats on the board.

Skinrender - MTG Card versions
Murder - MTG Card versions
Vraska's Contempt - MTG Card versions
Skinrender - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)
Murder - Magic 2013 (M13)
Vraska's Contempt - Ixalan (XLN)

Cards similar to Essence Extraction by color, type and mana cost

Spoils of Evil - MTG Card versions
Dark Banishing - MTG Card versions
Carrion - MTG Card versions
Sick and Tired - MTG Card versions
Corpse Dance - MTG Card versions
Bone Harvest - MTG Card versions
Slay - MTG Card versions
Afflict - MTG Card versions
Dismember - MTG Card versions
Body Count - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Graves - MTG Card versions
Execute - MTG Card versions
Kill! Destroy! - MTG Card versions
Sudden Death - MTG Card versions
Footbottom Feast - MTG Card versions
Fevered Strength - MTG Card versions
Hideous End - MTG Card versions
Corpse Lunge - MTG Card versions
Necrobite - MTG Card versions
Murder - MTG Card versions
Spoils of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Dark Banishing - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
Carrion - Mirage (MIR)
Sick and Tired - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Corpse Dance - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Bone Harvest - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Slay - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Afflict - Odyssey (ODY)
Dismember - Modern Event Deck 2014 (MD1)
Body Count - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Reaping the Graves - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Execute - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Kill! Destroy! - Unhinged (UNH)
Sudden Death - Time Spiral (TSP)
Footbottom Feast - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Fevered Strength - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Hideous End - The List (PLST)
Corpse Lunge - Innistrad (ISD)
Necrobite - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Murder - Murders at Karlov Manor (MKM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Essence Extraction MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Kaladesh, 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 Essence Extraction and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Essence Extraction Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 622112015normalblackTomasz Jedruszek
22016-09-30KaladeshKLD 802015normalblackMin Yum
32016-09-30Kaladesh PromosPKLD 802015normalblackTomasz Jedruszek
42020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 832015normalblackMin Yum

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Essence Extraction has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-09-20 If the target creature becomes an illegal target, Essence Extraction doesn't resolve and you don't gain life.

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