Deathmark MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Deathmark offers cost-effective removal against prevalent green or white creatures, influencing the board state positively.
  2. Its instant speed and low mana cost provide significant flexibility and resource control during gameplay.
  3. While restrictive in target scope, its metagame relevancy can make it a decisive sideboard option.

Text of card

Destroy target green or white creature.

"I hope it's true that every snowflake is unique, because I never want to see one like this again. Now clean up that body." —Thangbrand Gyrdsson, Kjeldoran patrol


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deathmark’s targeted removal is highly efficient against creatures of the most prevalent colors in opponents’ decks, making it a prime candidate for swinging the board state in your favor without losing card equity.

Resource Acceleration: By eliminating key threats for just one mana, you free up resources to develop your board or hold up mana for other disruptive plays. This economical cost helps you stay ahead in the resource game.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Deathmark at instant speed provides flexibility. You can react to your opponents’ plays, potentially removing a creature before it can be used in combat or in response to an opposing spell or ability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some other removal spells, Deathmark does not impose a discard requirement on the player, allowing them to maintain card advantage while dealing with a threat.

Specific Mana Cost: Deathmark’s casting cost is quite restrictive, necessitating one black mana, which can limit its integration in multicolored decks not heavily focused on black.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Deathmark’s mana cost is low, it’s important to recognize that its usability is hindered by its narrow focus, only targeting green or white creatures, which could be considered a higher cost for its specificity compared to more flexible removal options.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Deathmark is a valuable addition, as it’s effective removal for green or white creatures, which are common in various formats. Its low mana cost allows it to slip easily into black-based control or aggressive decks, maintaining tempo while dealing with threats.

Combo Potential: Within decks that capitalize on creature death, such as those using graveyard mechanics or Morbid triggers, Deathmark becomes more than just removal—it’s a strategic play that can turn the tides by interacting with other cards that benefit from creatures dying.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where green ramp or white-token strategies are prevalent, Deathmark shines as an efficient answer. Its targeted removal is significantly relevant against decks that hinge on powerful green or white creatures, ensuring that your deck can keep pace with those dominant strategies.


How to beat

Understanding your opponent’s cards is key in any game of Magic: The Gathering, and knowing how to counteract the spell Deathmark can give you a significant advantage. Deathmark, a sorcery that can obliterate a green or white creature for just one black mana, is particularly potent considering its cost-effectiveness. These colors often boast formidable creatures, and having this removal at such a low cost can swing the tides of battle quickly.

To navigate around Deathmark, consider timing the play of your high-value green or white creatures. Waiting until you have protection, such as counterspells or abilities like hexproof or indestructible, can mitigate the risk of losing them to Deathmark. Also, diversifying your creature color types in your deck construction can decrease the potential impact of targeted removal spells like this. Another strategy is baiting out the Deathmark with less critical creatures before playing your key pieces, thereby managing the threat preemptively.

Ultimately, every card has its foil, and in Deathmark’s case, it’s about strategic play and deck flexibility. By taking these measures, you maintain the upper hand against such targeted removal, ensuring your creatures live to see another turn.


Cards like Deathmark

Deathmark stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as a targeted removal option for creatures. It has parallels to other destruction spells like Doom Blade, which also serves to remove creatures from the field. Nevertheless, Deathmark is particularly specialized, as it exclusively targets green or white creatures, making it highly effective in certain matchups. Unlike Doom Blade, which can’t hit black creatures, Deathmark’s restriction is on two specific colors, making it an optimal sideboard card in a meta with dominant green or white creatures.

Considering Dark Betrayal as another comparable card, we find that it’s exclusively designed to destroy black creatures at a lower cost. This can be an advantage or drawback depending on the prevalent deck colors in play. Deathmark’s low cost and sorcery speed are akin to Go for the Throat, a spell capable of destroying non-artifact creatures. While Go for the Throat offers more flexibility, Deathmark’s color restrictions can render it more powerful versus decks that rely heavily on green or white creatures.

Ultimately, Deathmark may find its niche in specific tournament metas. Players will weigh the benefits of its targeted removal capabilities within the scope of the current playing environment, potentially gaining an edge against certain deck archetypes in competitive Magic: The Gathering play.

Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Dark Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - Magic 2010 (M10)
Dark Betrayal - Theros (THS)
Go for the Throat - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Deathmark by color, type and mana cost

Raise Dead - MTG Card versions
Mind Twist - MTG Card versions
Contract from Below - MTG Card versions
Spoils of War - MTG Card versions
Tendrils of Despair - MTG Card versions
Mind Peel - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdling Scream - MTG Card versions
Organ Harvest - MTG Card versions
Duress - MTG Card versions
Unearth - MTG Card versions
Bubbling Muck - MTG Card versions
Chorus of Woe - MTG Card versions
Reanimate - MTG Card versions
Soul Strings - MTG Card versions
Skull Fracture - MTG Card versions
Tombfire - MTG Card versions
Innocent Blood - MTG Card versions
Restless Dreams - MTG Card versions
Cabal Therapy - MTG Card versions
Confront the Past - MTG Card versions
Raise Dead - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Mind Twist - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Contract from Below - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Spoils of War - Ice Age (ICE)
Tendrils of Despair - Weatherlight (WTH)
Mind Peel - Stronghold (STH)
Bloodcurdling Scream - Portal Second Age (P02)
Organ Harvest - Unglued (UGL)
Duress - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Unearth - Historic Anthology 7 (HA7)
Bubbling Muck - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Chorus of Woe - Starter 1999 (S99)
Reanimate - Jumpstart (JMP)
Soul Strings - Prophecy (PCY)
Skull Fracture - Odyssey (ODY)
Tombfire - Odyssey (ODY)
Innocent Blood - The List (PLST)
Restless Dreams - Torment (TOR)
Cabal Therapy - Premium Deck Series: Graveborn (PD3)
Confront the Past - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deathmark MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap and Tenth Edition, 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 Deathmark and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deathmark Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2006-07-21 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-07-21ColdsnapCSP 542003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1342003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
32009-07-17Magic 2010M10 902003normalblackSteven Belledin
42010-07-16Magic 2011M11 912003normalblackSteven Belledin
52011-07-15Magic 2012M12 902003normalblackSteven Belledin
62015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 772015normalblackSteven Belledin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deathmark has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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