Defiant Bloodlord MTG Card


Gains an edge through its life-linked damage ability, enhancing vampire and life-gain deck strategies. Demands specific mana and has a high cost, necessitating careful deck construction and mana balance. While powerful, it is vulnerable to removal and reliant on life-gain triggers to be effective.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Vampire
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 5

Text of card

Flying Whenever you gain life, target opponent loses that much life.

"Despite their bravado, mortals are fragile. If Zendikar is to endure, its lords must save it." —Drana, Kalastria bloodchief


Cards like Defiant Bloodlord

The Defiant Bloodlord is a unique presence in the world of MTG, comparable to certain other high-cost creatures with impactful abilities. Sanguine Bond, for instance, offers a similar ability; it allows you to deal damage to an opponent whenever you gain life. However, Sanguine Bond is an enchantment, which makes it less susceptible to creature removal but also means it can’t act as a sizable blocker or attacker like the Bloodlord.

Vizkopa Guildmage is yet another card that shares an ability reminiscent of the Defiant Bloodlord’s. The Guildmage is much cheaper to cast, granting it an early-game prowess that the Bloodlord lacks due to its higher mana cost. Additionally, the Guildmage’s second ability can significantly amplify the life loss and gain effects on the board. Then there’s Cliffhaven Vampire, weaving the same theme, with a four-mana cost that bridges the gap between the Guildmage and the Bloodlord, presenting a middle-ground option regarding mana efficiency and board impact.

When deciding what to include in a lifegain-themed deck, the Defiant Bloodlord stands out as a heavyweight option. It offers a robust body coupled with a potent ability that can tilt the scales in your favor, especially in prolonged matches.

Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions
Vizkopa Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Cliffhaven Vampire - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions
Vizkopa Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Cliffhaven Vampire - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Defiant Bloodlord by color, type and mana cost

Lord of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Minion of Tevesh Szat - MTG Card versions
Minion of Leshrac - MTG Card versions
Cateran Overlord - MTG Card versions
Deathbringer Regent - MTG Card versions
Black Dragon - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Zombie Brute - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Nezumi - MTG Card versions
Pus Kami - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Skyknight - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl the Necromancer - MTG Card versions
Phage the Untouchable - MTG Card versions
Ebon Dragon - MTG Card versions
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Sutured Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Abhorrent Overlord - MTG Card versions
Fell Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Minion of Tevesh Szat - MTG Card versions
Minion of Leshrac - MTG Card versions
Cateran Overlord - MTG Card versions
Deathbringer Regent - MTG Card versions
Black Dragon - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Zombie Brute - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Nezumi - MTG Card versions
Pus Kami - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Skyknight - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl the Necromancer - MTG Card versions
Phage the Untouchable - MTG Card versions
Ebon Dragon - MTG Card versions
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Sutured Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Abhorrent Overlord - MTG Card versions
Fell Shepherd - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Defiant Bloodlord offers strategic advantages by interacting with life-gain mechanics prevalent within its color identity. This vampire not only presents a significant threat on board but also becomes an indirect source of card advantage. As you gain life, it deters your opponent’s strategy while simultaneously chipping away at their life total without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: While the card itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, it synergizes well with decks that focus on life gain to ramp up their board state. Combining Defiant Bloodlord with such strategies, especially those involving Sanguine Bond or similar effects, can accelerate your win condition significantly, therein acting as a form of resource acceleration pertaining to the victory.

Instant Speed: Although the Defiant Bloodlord operates at sorcery speed, it creates impactful situations where the life gained during your turn has an instant impact by causing immediate life loss to your opponent. This reinforces setup plays during your main phase and leads to significant swings in life totals that can be as decisive as any instant speed interaction in MTG.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Defiant Bloodlord offers a potent effect, it doesn’t come without its drawbacks. One such disadvantage is its synergistic reliance on discard mechanics; to maximize its potential value, you often need to be discarding cards for life loss or other effects, which depletes your hand and limits your options.

Specific Mana Cost: The card demands a hefty amount of specific mana types, requiring two black mana as part of its total cost. This ties the card firmly to black-centric or heavy black-influence decks, potentially restricting its use across the broader scope of deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of seven mana, Defiant Bloodlord strides on the pricier end of the mana curve. Therein lies a risk, as its late entry onto the battlefield can often be overshadowed by lower-cost creatures or removal spells that threaten its longevity and impact on the game.


Reasons to Include Defiant Bloodlord in Your Collection

Versatility: Defiant Bloodlord is not only a formidable figure in vampire tribal decks but also shines as an impactful finisher in life-gain focused builds, thanks to its ability to turn health into direct damage.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with numerous life-gain triggers, which can effortlessly convert into a stream of damage against your opponents, creating the potential for devastating combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where life-gain strategies are effective, Defiant Bloodlord becomes an essential card. Its presence in your deck can give you an edge over opponents by transforming sustained life gains into a consistent offensive threat.


How to beat

Defiant Bloodlord presents an impressive challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This vampiric behemoth carries the capability to deal damage to your opponent equal to the life you gain, creating a daunting two-fold effect that commands attention from the moment it hits the board.

When facing this imposing creature, removal spells are your first line of defense. Targeted removal options such as Murder or Doom Blade can dispatch the Bloodlord swiftly, bypassing its costly seven mana investment with just a few mana. Enchantment-based exile cards like Banishing Light also offer a more permanent solution by keeping the Bloodlord at bay, avoiding graveyard retrieval. Additionally, combat tricks and buffs can turn the tides by empowering your creatures to take on the Bloodlord directly in battle, potentially removing it without the need for spells.

On the flip side, preventing the life-gain trigger is another strategic approach. Cards that restrict life-gain, such as Tainted Remedy, can nullify the Bloodlord’s damaging ability, severely diminishing its board presence impact. By employing these strategies, players can negate the advantages that Defiant Bloodlord brings to the table, maintaining control of the game’s flow and momentum.


BurnMana Recommendations

Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of Defiant Bloodlord, a potent and game-changing card in MTG. Harness its life-gain abilities to turn the tide in vampire tribal or life-gain decks, and compliment it with the right mix of cards for an unstoppable strategy. Manage its high mana cost effectively to uncover its true potential on the battlefield. Ready to create a deck that delivers a relentless assault through life conversion? Delve deeper with us for advanced tactics, card synergies, and the knowledge to leverage Defiant Bloodlord’s strengths to outshine your opponents.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Defiant Bloodlord MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Battle for Zendikar Promos, 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 Defiant Bloodlord and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Defiant Bloodlord Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 582472015NormalBlackBen Maier
22015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 1072015NormalBlackBen Maier
32015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 1072015NormalBlackCraig J Spearing
42015-10-02Battle for Zendikar PromosPBFZ 107s2015NormalBlackCraig J Spearing
52021-04-23Commander 2021C21 1422015NormalBlackCraig J Spearing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Defiant Bloodlord has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-08-25 A creature with lifelink dealing combat damage is a single life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, the ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
2015-08-25 In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause the ability to trigger, even though it causes your team’s life total to increase.
2015-08-25 The ability triggers just once for each life-gaining event, whether it’s 1 life from Drana’s Emissary or 7 life from Nissa’s Renewal.