Demonic Bargain MTG Card


Instant speed and unparalleled card search make Demonic Bargain a strategic gem in MTG. The need for specific mana and discard costs imply careful deck construction. It’s a double-edged sword; know its risks to maximize its potential in your collection.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Exile the top thirteen cards of your library, then search your library for a card. Put that card into your hand, then shuffle.


Cards like Demonic Bargain

Demonic Bargain is a unique offering in the lineup of MTG’s Library manipulation and card acceleration tools. It’s akin to cards like Pain’s Reward which allows players to bid life in exchange for cards. Unlike Pain’s Reward, Demonic Bargain asks for a steeper price – the exiling of fifteen cards from the top of one’s library. This mechanic presents a calculated risk, akin to playing Russian Roulette with your deck.

Another card worth mentioning is Infernal Contract. While it also costs life, rather than a chunk of your library, the cost is less unpredictable and can be managed within the scope of your life total, not your remaining draw options. Dark Confidant is a more gradual comparison, offering repetitive card advantage but at the potential cost of life each turn, played out over time rather than Demonic Bargain’s immediate and potentially game-ending price.

In evaluating such high-stakes cards, Demonic Bargain stands out for its potential to shift the game’s dynamics immediately. While its cousins dab in the exchange of life for cards, Demonic Bargain goes further, testing the limits of risk and reward in card acceleration.

Pain's Reward - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions
Pain's Reward - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Dark Confidant - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Demonic Bargain by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - 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
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - 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
Pain's Reward - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - 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
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - 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
Pain's Reward - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Demonic Bargain. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
DecklistDecklist Free formHoliday Night Magic
Four-color ComboFour-color Combo GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Esper ControlEsper Control GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Sultai MadnessSultai Madness GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 06 2024
Rogue DecklistsRogue Decklists Legacy98 / The 98th Legacy at Home
Mardu ComboMardu Combo GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 06 2024
BGBG PioneerPioneer Preliminary 2024-02-07
WUBGWUBG PioneerPioneer Challenge 64 2024-02-03
Dimir OracleDimir Oracle PioneerDimir Oracle21Champions Cup Final Season 2 Round 1

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Demonic Bargain provides an unparalleled level of card selection by allowing a player to exile the top thirteen cards of their library in the search for a single, pivotal card. This dramatic delve can pivot the game’s direction by securing a critical piece for a combo or a powerful response to the current board state.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not providing traditional mana acceleration, Demonic Bargain accelerates your resource allocation by bypassing turns worth of drawing to immediately obtain a key card. This can substantially increase the speed at which a player can execute their strategy and overwhelm opponents.

Instant Speed: The fact that Demonic Bargain can be played at instant speed provides significant strategic advantage. Players can wait for the most opportune moment during an opponent’s end phase, or in response to an action that would alter the game’s equilibrium, empowering them with the element of surprise and the ability to react swiftly to shifting game states.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Demonic Bargain demands a steep price from its casters. To bring this card into play, you must discard two cards from your hand. This can be particularly challenging when your hand size is dwindling and each card’s value has amplified. Losing key pieces can sometimes jeopardize your strategy and diminish your ability to react to your opponent’s moves.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes not just one, but two black mana symbols, Demonic Bargain requires a firm commitment to black mana sources within your land base. This requirement can be restrictive and makes the card less flexible in multicolor decks that may have difficulty consistently generating the necessary black mana early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at a total of three mana, with a stringent double black component, Demonic Bargain’s cost is considerable. When evaluating the card against others in its category, the mana investment is significant. There are alternative cards that offer similar or better effects without the stringent discard requirement, potentially making them more cost-effective choices for deck construction.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Demonic Bargain offers a unique option for decks that seek to manipulate their own library. Its capability to exile a significant portion to find key cards can be pivotal in finding the right solutions or combo pieces at crucial moments in a game.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to dramatically thin your deck elevates the consistency of drawing into combos or specific answers you need to outmaneuver your opponents. For combo-centric decks, this creates opportunities to assemble game-winning interactions with greater speed and efficiency.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed and efficiency are paramount, Demonic Bargain might become a game-changer. It can enable strategies that benefit from having fewer cards in the library, possibly synergizing with strategies aimed at leveraging substantial graveyard plays or harnessing the power of predictable draws.


How to beat

Demonic Bargain is a powerful card that can quickly tilt the game in favor of the player who casts it. By allowing the exchange of a large chunk of one’s library for a trio of cards, it presents a unique opportunity to grab precisely what’s needed in a crucial moment. However, its power is not without risk. The loss of a significant portion of the library could lead to decking oneself out if one is not careful. It’s critical to manage resources efficiently and recognize when to take that gamble on Demonic Bargain.

To counteract this card, it’s essential to have strategies that capitalize on the potential downsides of using it. Graveyard manipulation spells, like Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void, can be particularly effective at stripping the benefits of Demon Bargains by removing powerful cards from the equation. Additionally, pressure applied consistently through aggressive creatures or other swift threats can put the Demonic Bargain player in a tight spot, as their limited library size becomes a clear liability.

Studying when and how to disrupt the opponent’s strategy after they have executed a Demonic Bargain can be just as pivotal as knowing the right moment to deploy it, making matchups involving this card a tense and thrilling exchange.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Demonic Bargain MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and The List, 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 Demonic Bargain and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Demonic Bargain Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Sam Guay.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 953472015NormalBlackSam Guay
22020-09-26The ListPLST VOW-1032015NormalBlackSam Guay
32021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 3682015NormalBlackSam Guay
42021-11-19Crimson Vow Art SeriesAVOW 302015Art seriesBorderlessSam Guay
52021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 1032015NormalBlackSam Guay
62022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 3702015NormalBlackSam Guay

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Demonic Bargain has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-11-19 If there are any cards left in your library as you search, you must choose one of them.
2021-11-19 If there are thirteen or fewer cards remaining in your library as this spell begins to resolve, you will exile your entire library. You won't put any cards into your hand.
2021-11-19 The thirteen cards remain in exile. That's part of the bargain.
2021-11-19 You do not have to reveal the card you find. That's not part of the bargain.