Empty the Pits MTG Card
2014-09-26 - Number 72y
2014-09-26 - Number 72
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Delve |
Key Takeaways
- Empty the Pits converts graveyard cards into zombie tokens, enhancing player board states significantly.
- Offering flexibility, the card can be cast at instant speed, allowing for surprise tactics and plays.
- Despite its mana demands, its synergy with graveyard-stocking strategies justifies inclusion in specialized decks.
Text of card
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for .) Create X tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Empty the Pits provides a unique opportunity to turn a flooded graveyard into a formidable army of zombies. As you delve cards from your graveyard to help pay for its mana cost, you’re effectively converting those spent resources into creature tokens that can pressure opponents or defend against attacks.
Resource Acceleration: Although Empty the Pits itself does not directly generate additional mana, the zombies it creates can be instrumental for decks that benefit from sacrificing creatures for mana or other effects. In this way, it can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by enabling synergistic interactions within your deck.
Instant Speed: One of the key strengths of Empty the Pits is the ability to cast it at instant speed. This allows for end-of-turn plays that can surprise an unprepared opponent, potentially swinging the game in your favor. Whether it’s during the end step of your opponent’s turn or in response to a board wipe, the timing flexibility offered by Empty the Pits can be a game-changer.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the more challenging aspects of Empty the Pits is its exile clause, forcing you to remove numerous cards from your graveyard. While fueling the delirium mechanic or working in tandem with other graveyard synergies, it restrains your potential to utilize those cards as resources for other strategies or reanimation effects.
Specific Mana Cost: Empty the Pits has a demanding color weight, requiring four black mana. This can pose a constraint on deck construction, especially in multicolored decks where mana bases must cater to a variety of casting costs, potentially causing inconsistency in being able to cast it when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The total cost to cast Empty the Pits effectively can be steep. Even though the card offers flexibility through its delve ability, the initial quadruple black mana plus additional costs for zombie creation make it a hefty investment. Comparatively, other spells or creature summons might achieve similar board presence or game impact at a lower total casting cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Empty the Pits offers a unique late-game threat that can adapt to various board states. With its delve ability, it allows players to utilize cards from their graveyard to summon multiple Zombies, making it a fitting addition to strategies that stockpile the graveyard.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes exceptionally well with decks that fill the graveyard quickly. The instant speed also enables surprise end-of-turn plays, setting up potential game-winning scenarios with untapped Zombie tokens ready to attack.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where games are drawn out and graveyards become packed with resources, Empty the Pits capitalizes on this accumulation. It offers a significant power swing, especially in formats like Commander, where long, intricate games are common.
How to beat
Empty the Pits is a formidable late-game finisher in Magic: The Gathering that can overwhelm opponents with a horde of Zombie tokens. To counter this powerful black delve card successfully, one must adopt a proactive approach. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can preemptively neutralize the critical delve resource, thereby crippling Empty the Pits’ efficacy. Including instant speed removal spells like Wrath of God or Damnation can also be a game-changer, allowing players to clear the board of tokens immediately after they are created, maintaining control over the battlefield.
Another efficient strategy is utilizing counter spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak which, when reserved for key moments, can prevent Empty the Pits from ever resolving. For decks not running blue, having access to discard spells like Thoughtseize can be equally crucial, as they can strip this threat from the opponent’s hand before it significantly impacts the game. Moreover, enchantments like Grafdigger’s Cage restrict creatures from being cast from graveyards, effectively rendering Empty the Pits obsolete.
Ultimately, awareness and preparedness against powerful delve cards like Empty the Pits will determine your ability to maintain dominance over the game. Smart deck building and strategic plays are your keys to outmaneuvering this high-impact spell.
Cards like Empty the Pits
Empty the Pits finds its unique space among the plethora of delve cards in Magic: The Gathering. Like other delve cards, it allows players to use their graveyard as a resource, reducing the spell’s cost by exiling cards. Tombstalker, a creature card offering a similar mechanic, also benefits from the graveyard, yet it differs by providing a singular, powerful flying threat. Empty the Pits, in contrast, can flood the board with multiple Zombie tokens, potentially shifting the game’s dynamics in a single turn.
Comparatively, cards like Dig Through Time leverage delve for card selection rather than directly impacting the board state. Although it can provide a significant card advantage, it lacks the immediate board presence that Empty the Pits delivers. Tasigur, the Golden Fang is another card worth mentioning. It provides an efficient creature body that, while facilitating a form of card advantage, doesn’t offer the same swarm strategy that Empty the Pits can potentially unleash.
Each of these cards uses the graveyard to their advantage, yet the strategic deployment and outcomes are as varied as the cards themselves. However, for those who seek to exploit every card in the graveyard to fuel a game-winning army, Empty the Pits stands as a compelling option in comparison to its counterparts.
Cards similar to Empty the Pits by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Empty the Pits MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Empty the Pits and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Empty the Pits Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2014-09-26. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir | KTK | 72y | 2015 | Normal | Black | Danny Schwartz | |
| 2 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir | KTK | 72 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Alexander Lee |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Empty the Pits has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Empty the Pits card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-09-20 | Because delve isn’t an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs. |
| 2014-09-20 | Delve doesn’t change a spell’s mana cost or converted mana cost. For example, Dead Drop’s converted mana cost is 10 even if you exiled three cards to cast it. |
| 2014-09-20 | The rules for delve have changed slightly since it was last in an expansion. Previously, delve reduced the cost to cast a spell. Under the current rules, you exile cards from your graveyard at the same time you pay the spell’s cost. Exiling a card this way is simply another way to pay that cost. |
| 2014-09-20 | You can’t exile cards to pay for the colored mana requirements of a spell with delve. |
| 2014-09-20 | You can’t exile more cards than the generic mana requirement of a spell with delve. For example, you can’t exile more than nine cards from your graveyard to cast Dead Drop. |
