Lord of Extinction MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Elemental
Power *
Toughness *

Key Takeaways

  1. Grows with graveyards, making it a mighty force in self-mill or high-turnover deck strategies.
  2. Instant-speed synergy turns it into a surprise game-ender with the right deck components.
  3. Challenges include its dual-color mana cost and requirement for a populated graveyard.

Text of card

Lord of Extinction's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in all graveyards.

The forlorn cries of the dead combine to make its laugh.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lord of Extinction’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in all graveyards. This unique ability can dominate late-game scenarios, effectively making it a massive presence on the board that capitalizes on accumulated resources in both players’ graveyards.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana or accelerating resources, Lord of Extinction grows endlessly with each card that hits the graveyard, synergizing with self-mill strategies or high-turnover formats like commander. This growth can turn it into an overwhelming threat that often requires immediate answers, putting pressure on your opponents to expend resources hastily.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Lord of Extinction’s immense power potential makes it an ideal target for spells and abilities that can be activated at instant speed. Imagine utilizing a card that can sacrifice a creature to deal damage equal to its power to any target—Lord of Extinction turns into a game-ending threat that can be unleashed unexpectedly on your opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Lord of Extinction’s power hinges on a graveyard filled with cards. It can be a downside in early gameplay or in decks not focused on self-mill or discard strategies where the graveyard might be scant, underutilizing its potential.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost includes both black and green, which can make it a challenging fit outside of Commander or multicolor decks and limits its inclusion to specific strategies. Moreover, this dual-color requirement may constrain deck flexibility and prompt additional mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, including two specific colors, this creature comes into play significantly later than other creatures. Some players might find it less appealing compared to other options with lower mana costs that provide immediate board presence or effects.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lord of Extinction’s power and toughness are determined by the total number of cards in all graveyards, making it a formidable force in decks centered around self-mill or graveyard strategies across various formats.

Combo Potential: This card scales with the game’s progression and can be the lynchpin in explosive combos, especially with cards designed to exploit high-power creatures for game-ending plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta heavy with graveyard-based tactics, Lord of Extinction becomes an increasingly viable threat due to its ever-growing presence on the battlefield, aligning perfectly with the dynamics of shifting gameplay environments.


How to beat

The Lord of Extinction is a formidable creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, growing in power with each card in all graveyards. Its strength lies in its ability to become overwhelmingly large as the game progresses, making it a daunting obstacle for many decks to overcome. Yet, it is not without weaknesses.

One strategy to counter the Lord of Extinction is to manage graveyard populations actively. Cards like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze can remove the fuel that feeds this colossal beast, shrinking its power and toughness. This approach requires a proactive stance on keeping graveyards in check to ensure the Lord of Extinction never reaches its full potential.

Another method involves utilizing spells that exile creatures regardless of their size. Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshares bypass the creature’s size by removing it from the game entirely, rather than attempting to deal damage. This tactic can neutralize the threat instantly, providing a clear path to victory against decks that revolve around this massive creature.

Ultimately, dealing with the Lord of Extinction requires a combination of preemptive graveyard control and unconditional removal. Leveraging these strategies effectively can transform a daunting match-up into a manageable contest, securing your position in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper and enhance your MTG experience as you master the art of optimizing Lord of Extinction within your deck. Harness its massive potential as you familiarize yourself with the intricacies of graveyard mechanics and learn to unleash surprising combos to astonish your opponents. Whether you’re refining strategies or expanding your collection, this card holds the promise of turning the tide of battle in your favor. If you’re eager to discover comprehensive ways to maximize this behemoth’s impact or counteract its mighty presence in your duels, join us for insightful tips, strategic advice, and more to aid your journey toward becoming an MTG aficionado.


Cards like Lord of Extinction

Lord of Extinction stands out in the landscape of powerhouse creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its strength parallels that of Tarmogoyf, another card celebrated for leveraging the graveyard’s content to scale its power and toughness. While Tarmogoyf counts card types across all graveyards and is typically more cost-efficient, Lord of Extinction counts every card in all graveyards, potentially achieving enormous proportions.

Another comparable monster is Consuming Aberration, which grows with the spells you cast and the cards in your opponents’ graveyards. Unlike Lord of Extinction, it has an additional ability to mill opponents, rewarding you for spellcasting. However, Lord of Extinction’s sheer size can overshadow the Aberration’s mill synergy in a game focused on creature combat.

Conclusively, among creatures that scale with graveyard size, Lord of Extinction’s capacity to swell into an overwhelming threat stands particularly tall. Its lack of additional abilities is offset by its might, which can dominate the battlefield and close out games rapidly if left unchecked. An essential consideration for players running graveyard-centric decks seeking to leverage power directly from their own and opponents’ graveyard volumes.

Tarmogoyf - MTG Card versions
Consuming Aberration - MTG Card versions
Tarmogoyf - Future Sight (FUT)
Consuming Aberration - Gatecrash Promos (PGTC)

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Wormwood Treefolk - Masters Edition III (ME3)
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Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper - Commander Legends (CMR)
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Grave-Shell Scarab - GRN Guild Kit (GK1)
Golgari Rotwurm - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
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Deity of Scars - Eventide (EVE)
Marrow Chomper - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Golgari Longlegs - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Pharika's Mender - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)
Kheru Dreadmaw - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Brood Butcher - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
The Gitrog Monster - Judge Gift Cards 2021 (PJ21)
Ishkanah, Grafwidow - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Decimator Beetle - Amonkhet (AKH)
Underrealm Lich - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Golgari Death Swarm - Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021 (CMB2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lord of Extinction MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Amonkhet Invocations, 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 Lord of Extinction and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lord of Extinction Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 912003normalblackIzzy
22017-04-28Amonkhet InvocationsMP2 522015normalborderlessJason A. Engle
32018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 2032015normalblackIzzy
42020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 2442015normalblackJason A. Engle
52022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 5182015normalblackIzzy
62022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 2442015normalblackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lord of Extinction has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-12-07 If an instant or sorcery spell deals damage to Lord of Extinction or lowers its toughness, that spell is put into its owner’s graveyard before state-based actions are performed. That card will raise Lord of Extinction’s toughness before the game checks to see if it dies.
2018-12-07 The ability that defines Lord of Extinction’s power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. If Lord of Extinction is in your graveyard, it will count itself.

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