Baleful Ammit MTG Card


Baleful Ammit enhances your life total while impacting the board with a lifelink ability during combat. Negative counter distribution can be strategic, pairing well with certain cards and abilities. Its specific mana requirements and discard condition may pose slight deckbuilding challenges.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Crocodile Demon
Abilities Lifelink
Power 4
Toughness 3

Text of card

Lifelink When Baleful Ammit enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature you control.

"Not all in our crop deserve the afterlife. We must leave the unworthy behind, Samut." —Djeru, initiate of Tah crop


Cards like Baleful Ammit

Baleful Ammit slots into decks that revolve around the mechanics of life loss and benefit gains. When considering this creature card’s impact in MTG, one can see parallels with Gifted Aetherborn. While the Aetherborn also brings lifelink to the battlefield, unlike Baleful Ammit, it doesn’t have the liability of placing a -1/-1 counter on another creature you control. This makes Baleful Ammit a card with a potential downside, yet it’s balanced with the upside of its higher power.

Comparably, the Ammit Eternal shares more than a name with Baleful Ammit, showcasing another angle of the -1/-1 counter gameplay. The Eternal, however, accumulates these counters as part of the opponent’s actions, potentially weakening itself unless strategically managed. In contrast, Baleful Ammit’s counters are a one-off cost, with the upside of life gain whenever it deals damage.

These synergies put Baleful Ammit in an interesting spot among its counterparts. Its combination of abilities can be harnessed in decks that manipulate -1/-1 counters or where the lifelink trait is pivotal to sustain in the game, offering a unique mix that’s tailored for niche strategies.

Gifted Aetherborn - MTG Card versions
Ammit Eternal - MTG Card versions
Gifted Aetherborn - MTG Card versions
Ammit Eternal - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Baleful Ammit by color, type and mana cost

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Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - 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

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Integrating the Baleful Ammit into your gameplay can subtly shift the card advantage in your favor. With its Lifelink ability, this creature ensures you are not only advancing your board presence but also gaining valuable life points with each skirmish it survives — an indirect method of gaining the upper hand over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Baleful Ammit does not directly generate mana or tokens, placing a -1/-1 counter on another creature you control can work as acceleration. This is especially true when it turns a dying creature into an immediate benefit for you, effectively minimizing resource losses and maintaining the pace of your play.

Instant Speed: The ability for Baleful Ammit to interact at instant speed is not inherent to the card itself. However, coupling this creature with instant-speed spells or abilities that can exploit its entry to the battlefield can indeed boost your overall strategy, allowing for a surprise Lifelink blocker or a quick shift in the state of the board during your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Baleful Ammit demands a card be discarded upon entering the battlefield if looking to exploit its lifelink ability to the fullest. This can be a drawback when your hand is already depleted or the cards remaining are critical to your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one black and two other mana types might not seem too restrictive, but for multicolored decks focusing on a different primary color, fitting Baleful Ammit seamlessly into the curve might prove challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 3-drop 4/3 lifelink creature sounds appealing, Baleful Ammit competes in a slot crowded with impactful, game-changing cards. Its cost effectiveness may diminish when compared to other creatures or spells that offer more flexibility or immediate board presence for the same, or lesser, mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Baleful Ammit offers flexibility as it can seamlessly integrate into life gain and counter-centric decks. Its ability to enter play and immediately impact life totals makes it a strong choice in various strategic settings.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with strategies involving -1/-1 counters. It pairs with cards that benefit from or mitigate negative counters, magnifying its utility across multiple game scenarios.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to disrupt creature-based strategies by distributing -1/-1 counters and the prevalent use of such strategies, Baleful Ammit maintains relevance within the current competitive arena. Its lifelink trait adds a layer of survivability, making it beneficial in protracted matches.


How to beat

Baleful Ammit is an intriguing creature card that blends lifelink with an ability to place a -1/-1 counter on another target creature you control. This can be looked at as a strength or a vulnerability. To effectively navigate around this creature, consider using cards that can bypass lifelink, such as those that deal direct damage to players or cause loss of life without engaging in combat.

Control decks that use spells such as Shock or Lightning Strike can remove Baleful Ammit before it becomes a substantial threat. Moreover, evasion tactics like flying creatures can overtake the Ammit, as it does not come with inherent flying or reach abilities. Lastly, the -1/-1 counter it distributes upon entering the battlefield can be exploited—cards that benefit from or remove these counters can turn the tide against an Ammit-user and swing the game in your favor.

To sum up, while Baleful Ammit has the potential to be a resilient force on the battlefield, it can be managed with precision. Deck builders should consider including direct damage spells, flying creatures, and counter manipulation strategies to gain the upper hand against this lifelinking creature.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Baleful Ammit MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Mystery Booster, 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 Baleful Ammit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Baleful Ammit Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Seb McKinnon.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-04-28AmonkhetAKH 792015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 5692015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
32020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 922015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon
42020-09-26The ListPLST AKH-792015NormalBlackSeb McKinnon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Baleful Ammit has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal