Wicked Pact MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Enables intentional discard for graveyard synergy, providing a strategic advantage in certain deck types.
  2. Instant speed offers reactive play opportunities, disrupting opponent strategies or optimizing mana usage.
  3. Limited by specific mana requirements and a costlier mana investment compared to similar cards.

Text of card

Destroy two target nonblack creatures. You lose 5 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wicked Pact offers the strategic benefit of card selection, enabling players to intentionally choose and discard two cards from their hand. This can lead to a tailored graveyard setup for strategies revolving around flashback, reanimation, or other graveyard synergies, giving players a significant edge in crafting their game plan.

Resource Acceleration: While Wicked Pact doesn’t directly provide mana, the very act of discarding cards can indirectly boost resource acceleration in decks that thrive on graveyard resources. This synergy creates potential for accelerated gameplay, especially for those who wield decks designed around leveraging the graveyard as a resource.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Wicked Pact at instant speed grants players the flexibility to respond to opponents’ moves during their turn. This level of unpredictability can be a crucial asset, enabling you to disrupt the rhythm of your opponent’s strategy or simply to utilize your mana efficiently by waiting for the most opportune moment to cast it.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Wicked Pact card necessitates discarding two cards upon use, which can be quite detrimental if your hand is already scarce on options, forcing you to sacrifice potentially vital resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Wicked Pact comes with a casting cost that requires both black and red mana, making it less versatile and somewhat restrictive as it primarily fits into a specific color combination deck, limiting its use across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of four, which includes two color-specific mana, Wicked Pact’s casting cost is on the higher side when evaluated against the spectrum of removal options available, potentially slowing down your tempo in-gameplay when facing decks that operate on lower cost spells.


Reasons to Include Wicked Pact in Your Collection

Versatility: Wicked Pact can be a key component in decks that require careful balance between life points and board control. Its ability to serve dual functions as both removal and a controlled life management tool means it can adapt to a variety of in-game situations.

Combo Potential: For players who enjoy crafting decks around life manipulation and loss, Wicked Pact offers exciting synergy. It pairs well with cards that capitalize on life total changes, potentially unlocking powerful combo sequences.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where efficient removal is crucial, Wicked Pact holds its ground. With a meta that’s dense with creature-heavy strategies, having access to a card that can disrupt opponent’s board presence while managing your own life strategically can give you a distinct edge in the match.


How to Beat

Wicked Pact is a card that demands respect on the battlefield due to its power to disrupt an opponent’s game plan in Magic: The Gathering. Overcoming this card hinges on strategic play and foresight. First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand the mechanics of Wicked Pact and its potential impact on the board. Considering its ability to force a player to sacrifice creatures, the optimal strategy is to avoid overcommitting creatures to the board, especially when you anticipate that your opponent might cast it.

To maintain an advantage, prioritize playing creatures with hexproof or those that can regenerate or have indestructible attributes. These characteristics make your creatures less vulnerable to sacrifice effects. Additionally, keeping counter spells handy can neutralize Wicked Pact before it even resolves, preserving your board state. If the pact has already taken effect, cards that allow you to swiftly recover your field presence, like creatures with the ability to return from the graveyard, can quickly mitigate the damage dealt. On top of that, cards that can exile Wicked Pact from the graveyard will prevent any recurrence of its influence.

Being proactive by limiting the availability of targets for Wicked Pact, or reacting with recovery tactics, ensures that this potent card doesn’t dramatically tilt the scales against you.


Cards like Wicked Pact

Wicked Pact carves its niche within the Magic the Gathering universe as a distinctive spell choice for players who aren’t afraid of a double-edged sword. Its closest comparison is with the infamous card Demonic Pact, which also offers a tempting contract with potentially grave consequences. Wicked Pact brings a grim option to the table – a player must either face a loss of life or significant card disadvantage. In contrast, Demonic Pact provides a variety of choices but comes with the ultimate risk of losing the game if not managed correctly.

Delving further into the realm of risky spells, we encounter the card Deadly Designs. Similar to Wicked Pact, it allows a certain level of control over when its effect is triggered but does so in a more controlled and gradual manner. Deadly Designs requires a build-up through investments made over time before unleashing its power. Conversely, Wicked Pact demands an immediate and irreversible resolution.

Bringing this comparative exploration to a close, Wicked Pact stands out for its immediate high-stakes gameplay impact. It offers a unique challenge to MTG players who are willing to dance on the edge for potentially game-winning rewards. Its careful balance of risk versus reward sets it apart in the pantheon of magic spells.

Demonic Pact - MTG Card versions
Deadly Designs - MTG Card versions
Demonic Pact - Magic Origins (ORI)
Deadly Designs - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)

Cards similar to Wicked Pact by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Crippling Fatigue - MTG Card versions
Flaying Tendrils - MTG Card versions
Victimize - MTG Card versions
Ruinous Path - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Demonic Attorney - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Jovial Evil - Legends (LEG)
Infernal Contract - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Touch of Death - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Nature's Ruin - Portal (POR)
Buried Alive - Odyssey (ODY)
Choking Sands - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Brush with Death - Stronghold (STH)
Coercion - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hand of Death - Starter 1999 (S99)
Forced March - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Stupor - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Soul Burn - Invasion (INV)
Noxious Vapors - Planeshift (PLS)
Mind Rot - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Crippling Fatigue - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Flaying Tendrils - Friday Night Magic 2016 (F16)
Victimize - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ruinous Path - Commander 2018 (C18)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wicked Pact MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal, 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 Wicked Pact and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wicked Pact Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-05-01PortalPOR 117s1997normalblack杨光恒
21997-05-01PortalPOR 1171997normalblackAdam Rex
31999-07-01Starter 1999S99 921997normalwhiteAdam Rex
42011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 1021997normalblackAdam Rex

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wicked Pact has restrictions

FormatLegality
PredhLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

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