Despondent Killbot MTG Card


Despondent Killbot - Unstable
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Killbot
Released2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set nameUnstable
Set codeUST
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number145c
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Bordersilver
Illustred byAlex Konstad
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Despondent Killbot ensures card advantage through deck sifting and maintains hand size upon entry.
  2. Its instant speed provides strategic flexibility, adapting to game conditions for a tactical edge.
  3. While potentially high mana costs could deter use, its battlefield influence justifies inclusion.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Despondent Killbot is a potent arsenal for players looking to maintain a healthy hand size. Its ability to let you sift through your deck and draw into more options provides a tactical edge. As it allows you to replace itself when entering the battlefield, you are assured not to lose card presence, thus bolstering your chances of having the right answer at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: Although Despondent Killbot doesn’t directly generate additional mana, it can contribute to resource acceleration by efficiently cycling itself from the battlefield back into your library. This ensures that your engine keeps running smoothly, and you might effectively draw into spells or lands that accelerate your game further.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Despondent Killbot at instant speed cannot be understated. This gives you the strategic advantage of playing it reactively, ensuring you make the most informed decisions possible without committing prematurely. In the fast-paced game of MTG, being able to adapt and respond in real time with a useful creature like Despondent Killbot can vastly shift the tide of a match in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Despondent Killbot card mandates that a player discards another card to enable its special abilities. In gameplay, this requirement can be restrictive and disadvantageous when hand size is critical, particularly during the late game where each card in hand could be vital.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation is tied to a particular mana configuration, necessitating a dedicated color commitment in your deck. Players that favor a multicolor deck might find it challenging to consistently meet the mana requirements, which could reduce the versatility of their overall strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively steep mana cost to cast, the Despondent Killbot could be seen as an inefficient allocation of resources, especially when compared to other options available in the game. As efficiency is often key in a match, its casting cost may deter players from including it in their decks, preferring creatures or spells of lower cost that yield comparable or better utility.


Reasons to Include Despondent Killbot in Your Collection

Versatility: Despondent Killbot is a flexible addition to any deck requiring stalwart blockers or artifact synergy. Its inherent neutrality allows it to blend seamlessly with various color schemes and strategies.

Combo Potential: For enthusiasts looking to exploit artifact interactions, this card can be a linchpin. Its existence on the battlefield can synergize with abilities that activate upon artifact entrance or departure, potentially unlocking new tactical avenues.

Meta-Relevance: Given its sturdy nature as a potential defender, Despondent Killbot is well-suited for the current meta that favors resilience against aggressive decks. Its mere presence can deter onslaughts and provide the necessary reprieve to set up for the win.


How to beat

Confronted with the robust Despondent Killbot, MTG players often seek effective strategies to outmaneuver this formidable card. While the Killbot may not boast high damage output, its resilience makes it a challenging obstacle to bypass. To gain the upper hand, it is crucial to deploy removal spells that can dispatch creatures irrespective of their toughness. Cards such as Murder or Doom Blade serve as prime examples, offering a swift and unobtrusive removal option.

Furthermore, strategies incorporating bounce spells that return creatures to hand, like Unsummon or Cyclonic Rift, can help mitigate the board presence of Despondent Killbot, momentarily easing the pressure. However, an approach that capitalizes on -1/-1 counters, like those imposed by cards such as Grasp of Darkness, can be especially detrimental to the Killbot over time, weakening it progressively until it is no longer a threat.

In essence, while Despondent Killbot presents a daunting barrier, tactical use of targeted removal and counterplay tactics can effectively neutralize its intimidating stance, enabling players to maintain control over the game flow and ultimately steer towards victory.


Cards like Despondent Killbot

Within the broad spectrum of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, Despondent Killbot has peers that share traits yet differ in subtle, impactful ways. Take Myr Enforcer, for instance. It also boasts an affinity that potentially reduces its cost, though it does not have Despondent Killbot’s unique ability to gain power when controlled by another player. Contrastingly, Frogmite, another artifact creature in affinity decks, comes down easily like Despondent Killbot, but it does not offer the same interaction with opponents’ strategies.

Looking at another comparison, Spire Golem comes to mind. Designed with an affinity for islands, it can easily fit into mono-blue control decks. While its cost can be reduced like Despondent Killbot’s, Spire Golem also provides flying defense, something the Killbot lacks. Lastly, we could mention Frost Walker – while not an artifact creature, it’s a low-cost creature that presents a threat opponents must respond to, yet, unlike Despondent Killbot, it sacrifices itself when targeted, offering a different tactical consideration.

Each of these cards carves a niche within their respective strategies, but Despondent Killbot’s specific blend of potential cost reduction and interactive gameplay gives it an idiosyncratic role in MTG’s artifact-centered decks.

Myr Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Frogmite - MTG Card versions
Spire Golem - MTG Card versions
Frost Walker - MTG Card versions
Myr Enforcer - Mirrodin (MRD)
Frogmite - Mirrodin (MRD)
Spire Golem - Darksteel (DST)
Frost Walker - Fate Reforged (FRF)

Cards similar to Despondent Killbot by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Jandor's Saddlebags - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Mask of Intolerance - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Ankh of Mishra - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Jandor's Saddlebags - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Amulet of Kroog - Renaissance (REN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Mask of Intolerance - Apocalypse (APC)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Swiftfoot Boots - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Despondent Killbot MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Despondent Killbot and other MTG cards:

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