Vampire Cutthroat MTG Card


Vampire Cutthroat - Eldritch Moon
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Vampire Rogue
Abilities Lifelink,Skulk
Released2016-07-22
Set symbol
Set nameEldritch Moon
Set codeEMN
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number110
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMatt Stewart

Key Takeaways

  1. Vampire Cutthroat’s skulk and lifelink provide a steady source of advantage and life gain against opponents.
  2. Instant speed interactions allow for surprise plays, increasing its tactical value in matches.
  3. Despite some deck-building constraints, its unique skill set makes it a worthwhile collection addition.

Text of card

Skulk (This creature can't be blocked by creatures with greater power.) Lifelink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)

Not all monsters have tentacles.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the Vampire Cutthroat, stealth and survival are key – slipping past blockers ensures you maintain a lead while continually whittling down your opponent’s life total. Its ability to skirt combat directly translates into sustaining and incrementally growing your in-game resources.

Resource Acceleration: The lifelink ability inherent in Vampire Cutthroat enables a form of resource acceleration that is often overlooked. Each successful attack not only drains your opponent but also bolsters your life total, effectively providing a cushion that allows for more aggressive plays or recovery from setbacks during the match.

Instant Speed: Despite being a creature, the synergy of Vampire Cutthroat with decks that have flash or can grant it instant-speed deployment leads to tactical surprise plays. This ability to sneak into play at the end of your opponent’s turn or during combat can tilt the scales in your favor, making it a versatile tool in your strategic arsenal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Though Vampire Cutthroat itself does not require discard, it’s often included in decks where discard mechanics are prevalent. In such instances, having to get rid of other cards can be detrimental to your hand, especially when you need every card to count.

Specific Mana Cost: Vampire Cutthroat has a black mana cost, which while not a drawback in itself, can be a limiting factor for deck inclusion. If you’re running a multicolored deck, fitting it into your mana base might require some adjustments to ensure you can play it on time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing one black mana can be seen as economical, for a 1/1 creature, some players might expect a more substantial effect or a higher power and toughness. While its abilities like skulk and lifelink do add value, in certain strategies, there could be more impactful cards with similar or lower mana costs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vampire Cutthroat slips easily into a variety of decks due to its evasive abilities. Skulk ensures it remains unblocked by creatures with greater power, and lifelink maintains your health total, proving valuable in both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with synergistic cards that reward you for gaining life or dealing combat damage to a player, often seen in decks that utilize black’s resource-manipulation tactics.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-present threat of creature-heavy decks in the meta, Vampire Cutthroat provides a consistent way to whittle down an opponent while bolstering your life—key for surviving against onslaughts and turning the tides in your favor.


How to beat

Vampire Cutthroat is a deceptively tricky creature to handle in Magic: The Gathering. Its blend of Skulk and Lifelink abilities makes it both a great tool for slipping through defenses and sustaining your life total. Strategically, it’s essential to limit its impact by controlling the battlefield effectively.

To counter this evasive threat, it’s wise to employ removal spells that don’t rely on dealing damage, as its Skulk ability allows it to evade creatures with greater power. Look towards universal removals such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, ensuring that you can answer the Cutthroat without the need for direct combat. Additionally, tactics that manipulate or reset the board, such as board wipes or mass bounce spells like Wrath of God or Cyclonic Rift, can clear the way irrespective of individual creature abilities.

In essence, when faced with the challenge of a Vampire Cutthroat, flexibility and board control are your best assets. Quick response spells and a strategic plan to prevent its Lifelink from altering the race in your opponent’s favor are key to overcoming this silent assassin of the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG collection is a journey that continues with every card you encounter. Vampire Cutthroat may be a small piece of the puzzle, but it’s one that embodies versatility and resilience on the battlefield. Its abilities can give you the edge you need, penetrating defenses and offering valuable life points. Looking beyond the stealthy vampire, remember to consider its interplay within your deck and the larger metagame. Enhance your strategic depth by considering its inclusion carefully—its subtlety could lead to your victory. Join our community of enthusiasts and experts to gain deeper insights and refine your deck-building skills.


Cards like Vampire Cutthroat

Vampire Cutthroat stands out in the roster of creature cards surrounding the elusive Skulk mechanic in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to be unblockable by creatures with greater power combined with lifelink presents an intriguing dynamic not commonly found in MTG. For instance, cards like Shadow Alley Denizen grant evasion, yet lack the built-in lifelink that Vampire Cutthroat offers, which provides both offensive capability and sustainability.

Another card with parallels is Vampire Nighthawk, a perennial favorite among vampire enthusiasts. While the Nighthawk doesn’t have the Skulk ability, it compensates with flying and deathtouch. Both cards share lifelink, yet the Nighthawk’s other abilities allow it to be a threat in the air and a formidable blocker. Nonetheless, the one mana cost of Vampire Cutthroat makes it a more accessible early-game play that can consistently chip away at an opponent’s life total undeterred.

Evaluating these similar cards alongside Vampire Cutthroat, it’s clear that this menacing vampire leverages its unique combination of Skulk and lifelink to offer stealthy life swings that can shape the battlefield in MTG, making it a distinctive choice for players building around themes of evasion and direct life exchange.

Shadow Alley Denizen - MTG Card versions
Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Shadow Alley Denizen - Gatecrash (GTC)
Vampire Nighthawk - Wizards Play Network 2009 (PWP09)

Cards similar to Vampire Cutthroat by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Zodiac Rat - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Will-o'-the-Wisp - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Vampire Bats - Renaissance (REN)
Bog Rats - Chronicles (CHR)
Sewer Rats - Mirage (MIR)
Muck Rats - Portal Second Age (P02)
Vebulid - Urza's Saga (USG)
Zodiac Rat - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Urborg Skeleton - Invasion (INV)
Carrion Rats - Torment (TOR)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dark Supplicant - Legions (LGN)
Bile Urchin - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Rimebound Dead - Coldsnap (CSP)
Plague Beetle - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Festering Goblin - Modern Masters (MMA)
Sleeper Agent - Tenth Edition (10E)
Knucklebone Witch - Lorwyn (LRW)
Nightshade Stinger - Lorwyn (LRW)
Smolder Initiate - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vampire Cutthroat MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon, 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 Vampire Cutthroat and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vampire Cutthroat has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks