Ghosts of the Damned MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Power 0
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Ghosts of the Damned enhances hand options, allowing players to draw additional cards and stay ahead.
  2. Flexibility to cast at instant speed provides a significant advantage by disrupting opponent strategies.
  3. It’s balanced by requiring specific mana and potential card disadvantage due to discard costs.

Text of card

oc T: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn.

The voices of the dead ring in the heart long after they have faded from the ears.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ghosts of the Damned excels in providing card advantage as it enables a player to draw additional cards under certain conditions. This helps maintain a strong hand and outpace the opponent in terms of options and strategies.

Resource Acceleration: Part of the strength of Ghosts of the Damned lies in its ability to potentially accelerate resources. Whether it’s through mana production or allowing for faster deployment of other cards, this can give a player a critical edge during the game.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Ghosts of the Damned at instant speed means players can make strategic moves during the opponent’s turn. This adaptability can catch an adversary off guard and significantly shift the momentum of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ghosts of the Damned requires you to discard a card to activate its abilities. This can be a steep price to pay, especially if you’re already struggling to maintain card advantage over your opponent or in need of specific answers to their threats.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost necessitates a specific combination of black mana, which could potentially restrict its inclusion to mono-black or two-colored decks. Decks that run three or more colors might find the mana requirements for Ghosts of the Damned too rigid, limiting its overall adaptability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment needed to play Ghosts of the Damned might not always align with the tempo of your game plan. For the cost, there may be other cards available that provide more immediate impact or value, leaving Ghosts of the Damned overshadowed in a competitive environment where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ghosts of the Damned offers flexibility in deck design, seamlessly integrating into control or midrange decks that require a robust defense strategy. Its spectral nature can often be a surprise element on the battlefield, adapting to various in-game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in synergistic play. Ghosts of the Damned’s abilities may complement strategies focused on graveyard recursion or benefit from spirit tribal themes, setting up powerful combo plays that can swing the game’s momentum.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with creature-heavy decks, Ghosts of the Damned provides a tactical advantage. Its haunting presence on the board can deter opponents from aggressive plays, making it a viable option against prevalent creature-based strategies.


How to beat

Ghosts of the Damned brings a chilling presence to Magic: The Gathering gameplay. With abilities that can haunt a player’s strategy, overcoming this specter requires a considered approach. To navigate around Ghosts of the Damned, consider cards that negate abilities or remove creatures from the game without triggering death-related effects.

Utilizing cards like Banishing Light or Oblivion Ring can exile Ghosts of the Damned, bypassing graveyard-based triggers. These enchantments are simple yet highly effective tools that can neutralize this eerie apparition. Alternatively, employing instant-speed removal spells can catch an opponent off guard, preventing them from leveraging any advantages provided by their ghostly card, especially during crucial moments in the game.

Defeating Ghosts of the Damned hinges on precision and timing. Having the right answers at the opportune moment can shift the tides in your favor, turning what might seem like an ominous threat into an advantage. Keeping a versatile set of answers in your deck will prepare you not only for Ghosts of the Damned but for a variety of challenges you may face on the battlefield.


Cards like Ghosts of the Damned

Ghosts of the Damned joins the pantheon of intriguing spirit creatures within Magic: The Gathering. It shares thematic and functional similarities with cards like Phantasmal Bear, another low-cost spirit entity that players can deploy early in the game. Ghosts of the Damned, however, provides additional utility beyond mere presence on the battlefield, offering strategic advantages that can shift the tide of a game.

Comparatively, Apparition slyly fits into a deck centered around specters and phantoms. Though not as directly comparable to Ghosts of the Damned, it offers its own set of benefits, such as evasion techniques that could make it a thorn in the side of your opponent. Moreover, Drogskol Captain gives a boost to spirit creatures, including our ghostly card of interest. While Drogskol Captain doesn’t have the same cost-efficiency as Ghosts of the Damned, it strengthens your spectral forces and shields them from targeted spells.

Evaluating the different characteristics, roles in play, and synergies among these spectral offerings, Ghosts of the Damned positions itself as a versatile and potentially game-altering creature for those who wish to master the craft of spirit-based MTG decks.

Phantasmal Bear - MTG Card versions
Drogskol Captain - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Bear - Magic 2012 (M12)
Drogskol Captain - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Ghosts of the Damned by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ghosts of the Damned MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Masters Edition III, 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 Ghosts of the Damned and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Ghosts of the Damned Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Edward P. Beard, Jr..

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 981993normalblackEdward P. Beard, Jr.
22009-09-07Masters Edition IIIME3 681997normalblackEdward P. Beard, Jr.

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ghosts of the Damned has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks