Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem MTG Card
2012-07-13 - Number 11
2013-07-19 - Number 12
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Type | Emblem — Liliana |
Key Takeaways
- Emblem’s card advantage enables Swamps to become potent threats or useful answers in-game.
- Resource acceleration is significantly enhanced, allowing early play of high-cost spells.
- Flexibility with instant speed mana from Swamps can dynamically counter opponents’ moves.
Text of card
Swamps you control have ': Add .'
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Liliana of the Dark Realms’ ultimate ability, once achieved, sets you up for consistent card advantage. Every Swamp you draw into turns into a potential threat or answer, due to the emblem’s ability to grant your Swamps the power to boost your creatures or drain life from your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: The emblem also provides unparalleled resource acceleration in mono-black decks. It effectively quadruples your mana output from each Swamp, allowing for high-cost spells to be played much earlier than usual or enabling massive mana-intensive abilities to dominate the battlefield.
Instant Speed: While the emblem itself is not an instant, it allows you to use the mana ability of Swamps at instant speed. This is significant because it gives you the flexibility to react to your opponents’ moves by casting spells during their turn or using activated abilities of your creatures or other permanents without having to commit mana during your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the pressing downsides is the necessity of discarding cards to activate key abilities. This can put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand size is already dwindling, compromising your ability to respond to future threats or hindering your strategic options.
Specific Mana Cost: Although potent in the right setting, this emblem requires a deck heavily focused or solely based on black mana, which can restrict deck-building flexibility. Players who favor multi-colored decks might find integrating this emblem challenging, as it necessitates a commitment to black mana resources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Obtaining the emblem comes with a substantial mana cost. Considering the pace of competitive play, spending four mana to achieve this later-game advantage can be less efficient compared to cards with lower mana requirements that provide immediate impact or contribute to board presence.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The emblem granted by Liliana of the Dark Realms becomes an incredible asset in any black-centered deck, offering an unwavering and unstoppable source of mana acceleration and land consistency.
Combo Potential: This emblem synergizes with strategies that exploit large mana pools, enabling explosive plays and facilitating combos with high-cost creatures or spells, dramatically shifting the dynamics of the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: Given the constantly shifting MTG play environment, an emblem like Liliana of the Dark Realms ensures that your deck can adapt and thrive, particularly against control decks that struggle to deal with a persistent advantage that cannot be easily removed from the game.
How to beat
Liliana of the Dark Realms’ emblem is a formidable and game-warped ability in Magic: The Gathering that can overwhelm opponents with a relentless tide of Swamp-based power. Confronting this emblem requires a proactive and strategic approach. Crucial to this is prevention – disrupting Liliana’s presence on the battlefield before her ultimate ability can be activated is the surest way to avoid the emblem’s oppressive effect. Countermeasures such as counter spells, direct damage, and abilities that remove or exile planeswalkers are your first line of defense.
Tackling the emblem once it’s in play is more challenging but not impossible. A focus on enchantment removal strategies, such as running cards that can destroy or exile enchantments, can eliminate the emblem threat directly from the battlefield. Otherwise, shifting towards an aggressive deck strategy that reduces your opponent’s life total before they stabilize with the emblem’s power can outrace the ‘Swamp synergy.’ Encompassing ways to maneuver around the emblem’s effects or attacking an opponent’s card advantage and resources will remain vital in tipping the scales in your favor.
Liliana’s ultimate emboldens mono-black decks, but it doesn’t make them invincible. A well-prepared deck, featuring appropriate disruption and removal tactics, can safeguard your game from becoming overshadowed by the looming darkness of Liliana’s emblem.
Cards like Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem
The emblem from Liliana of the Dark Realms is a powerful tool for those who dive into the depths of black mana in Magic: The Gathering. As emblems are a rare and enduring advantage, Liliana’s emblem, which grants you the ability to add BBBB to your mana pool from each swamp you control, is a unique asset that has few rivals. One related card is Cabal Coffers, a notable land with the capability to generate a vast amount of mana based on the number of swamps you control.
Cabal Stronghold is another land card that follows a similar theme, designed to provide an exponential increase in black mana, though it’s limited to basic swamps and scales slightly differently. Nirkana Revenant also amplifies your mana production, doubling the output of your swamps, much like Liliana’s emblem, albeit being more vulnerable as a creature.
Although emblems cannot be removed and offer a consistent advantage, these similar cards offer versatility within deck strategies that can leverage significant mana bonuses. When considering their impact and permanency, Liliana’s emblem holds a distinctive place in the pantheon of game-changing MTG effects, supplying an unmatched boost to swamp-oriented decks.
Cards similar to Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013 and Magic 2014, 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 Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem 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 Liliana of the Dark Realms Emblem Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-07-13 and 2013-07-19. Illustrated by D. Alexander Gregory.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-07-13 | Magic 2013 | M13 | 11 | 2003 | emblem | black | D. Alexander Gregory | |
| 2 | 2013-07-19 | Magic 2014 | M14 | 12 | 2003 | emblem | black | D. Alexander Gregory |
