Blind Zealot MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Human Cleric
Abilities	Intimidate
Released	2011-05-13
Set symbol
Set name	New Phyrexia
Set code	NPH
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	52
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jana Schirmer & Johannes Voss

Key Takeaways

Blind Zealot can control the game by destroying creatures post-combat, optimizing aggressive deck strategies.
Despite being mana-specific, its unique abilities offer significant benefits within certain deck archetypes.
Understanding how to counter it requires strategic play and versatile deck-building to mitigate its threat.

Text of card

Intimidate (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.) Whenever Blind Zealot deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, destroy target creature that player controls.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Blind Zealot provides the potential for direct creature control through its intimidate ability, making it easier to connect with your opponent and trigger its death effect. When Blind Zealot deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it to destroy target creature that player controls, effectively turning the tide of a match by removing a key piece on the opponent’s board.

Resource Acceleration: While Blind Zealot itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its ability to selectively eliminate threats can indirectly accelerate your strategy by clearing the path for your other creatures to attack unabated or protect your valuable assets from potential blockers or attack threats.

Instant Speed: Although Blind Zealot’s abilities do not operate at instant speed, the threat of its activated ability can influence your opponent’s plays, as they must consider the possibility of losing a crucial creature anytime the Zealot could attack. This can grant a strategic upper hand, forcing opponents to play more cautiously or hold back resources which could otherwise be used against you.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of the Blind Zealot card is its inherent reliance on sacrificing a creature. This means you could be at a disadvantage, especially in a crucial stage of the game where every creature on your battlefield is valuable.

Specific Mana Cost: Blind Zealot has a specific mana cost that requires two black mana. This can restrict the card to only black or specific multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for Blind Zealot also leans on the higher side, demanding three mana in total—two of which are color specific. When evaluating resource investment against the card’s abilities, there are alternatives that may offer similar or better effects at a lower or more flexible cost.

Reasons to Include Blind Zealot in Your Collection

Versatility: Blind Zealot offers a unique blend as a creature that can serve multiple roles on the battlefield. With Intimidate, it can slip past many creature types and be a consistent source of damage, complementing aggressive decks neatly.

Combo Potential: When the time is right, sacrificing Blind Zealot can be a perfect way to remove an opponent’s key creature. It combos well with decks that benefit from creature sacrifice and can potentially unlock powerful synergies within those archetypes.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies prevail, having Blind Zealot in your lineup can give you an edge. Its ability to potentially remove creatures each turn it attacks—at no mana cost—can be a game-changer against decks that rely heavily on specific creatures.

How to beat

Blind Zealot holds a unique position in the MTG universe as a creature that leverages its “Intimidate” ability to often evade blockers and potentially destroy target creatures upon dealing combat damage to a player. To successfully navigate a confrontation with this card, it’s essential to neutralize its combat-centric advantage. One effective strategy is to control the board with creatures that share a color with Blind Zealot, thus nullifying its evasion ability and posing a solid defense.

Alternatively, using removal spells before it can land a successful hit ensures that the Zealot’s ability doesn’t trigger. Board wipes are particularly effective here, clearing out multiple threats including the Zealot. Instant-speed removal, such as Path to Exile or Lightning Bolt, provides an immediate response to the summoning of Blind Zealot, precluding its intimidating presence altogether.

Effective planning and versatile deck-building that anticipate such threats can mitigate the potential disruptions caused by Blind Zealot. Including answers to creatures with Intimidate in your sideboard might very well seal your victory against decks that rely on the Zealot’s specific skill set.

Cards like Blind Zealot

In Magic: The Gathering, Blind Zealot stands out as an intriguing creature card. It shares common ground with other assassins, like Royal Assassin, which also boasts the ability to destroy target creatures. However, Blind Zealot requires a successful combat damage strike to a player to earn its kill, whereas Royal Assassin does so with a simple tap action but lacks the same combat orientation.

Moving along, Skirsdag High Priest also captures interest with its ritualistic flavor, enabling the creation of a powerful demon creature token. Despite the difference in mechanics, what Blind Zealot and Skirsdag High Priest share is the need for a specific set of conditions to unlock their lethal potential. In comparison, Nekrataal enters the battlefield with an immediate impact, destroying a nonartifact, nonblack creature, thereby offering a direct and unconditional route to removal.

Overall, Blind Zealot’s role in the pantheon of creature removal is nuanced, involving strategic combat decisions. Its asset lies in the synergy with sacrificial and death-triggered benefits, slotting well in decks that favor aggressive, interactive plays and strategies that revolve around piloting creatures to their demise for a greater goal.

Skirsdag High Priest - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Blind Zealot by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blind Zealot MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Blind Zealot and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blind Zealot has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Blind Zealot card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2011-06-01	You’ll choose the target creature when the ability goes on the stack. You’ll choose whether or not to sacrifice Blind Zealot when the ability resolves.