Elspeth Conquers Death MTG Card


Grants significant card advantage, disrupts play and revives powerful cards from the graveyard. Provides strategic resource acceleration, albeit with a high mana cost affecting its timing in game. Demands careful resource management and precision in use to avoid impacting your overall game plan.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Saga

Text of card

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.) I — Exile target permanent an opponent controls with mana value 3 or greater. II — Noncreature spells your opponents cast cost more to cast until your next turn. III — Return target creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Put a +1/+1 counter or a loyalty counter on it.


Cards like Elspeth Conquers Death

Elspeth Conquers Death is a powerful saga resonating throughout the planes of Magic: The Gathering. This enchantment parallels with other saga cards, such as The Birth of Meletis, providing incremental value over several turns. Unlike The Birth of Meletis, which focuses on fortifying your defenses, Elspeth Conquers Death disrupts opponents by exiling their key pieces and eventually brings back your champions from the graveyard.

Analogous in functionality is Kaya’s Wrath, which also deals with threats by clearing the board. However, Kaya’s Wrath is a one-off effect, in contrast to the staggered advantages of Elspeth Conquers Death. Meanwhile, Oath of Kaya offers a combination of life gain and targeted damage, yet lacks the recurrent impact and resurrection capability of our thematic saga.

Assessing the strategic depth, Elspeth Conquers Death offers a unique blend of removal, control, and recursion, setting it apart from similar MTG cards. It navigates a fine balance between immediate impact and long-term game plans, securing its place as a formidable card in decks wielding white mana.

The Birth of Meletis - MTG Card versions
Kaya's Wrath - MTG Card versions
Oath of Kaya - MTG Card versions
The Birth of Meletis - MTG Card versions
Kaya's Wrath - MTG Card versions
Oath of Kaya - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elspeth Conquers Death by color, type and mana cost

Safeguard - MTG Card versions
Angelic Chorus - MTG Card versions
Noble Purpose - MTG Card versions
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Mystic Barrier - MTG Card versions
Dictate of Heliod - MTG Card versions
Skybind - MTG Card versions
Safeguard - MTG Card versions
Angelic Chorus - MTG Card versions
Noble Purpose - MTG Card versions
Noble Stand - MTG Card versions
Rabble Rousing - MTG Card versions
Righteous Cause - MTG Card versions
Lucent Liminid - MTG Card versions
Imperial Mask - MTG Card versions
Boon Reflection - MTG Card versions
Mammoth Umbra - MTG Card versions
Commander's Authority - MTG Card versions
Cathars' Crusade - MTG Card versions
Sigil of the Empty Throne - MTG Card versions
Knightly Valor - MTG Card versions
Sphere of Safety - MTG Card versions
Debtor's Pulpit - MTG Card versions
Celestial Archon - MTG Card versions
Mystic Barrier - MTG Card versions
Dictate of Heliod - MTG Card versions
Skybind - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-White MidrangeMono-White Midrange PioneerMono-White MidrangePioneer League 2024-04-02
Abzan PlaneswalkersAbzan Planeswalkers GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Mono-White ControlMono-White Control GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Selesnya AurasSelesnya Auras GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 09 2024
DecklistDecklist Free formMO89#CS
Four-color ControlFour-color Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Orzhov PlaneswalkersOrzhov Planeswalkers GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 08 2024
Esper ControlEsper Control GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League
Five-color MidrangeFive-color Midrange GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 06 2024
Boros ControlBoros Control GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elspeth Conquers Death provides multiple angles for gaining the upper hand in card efficiency. The saga’s second chapter forces the opponent to dispatch a nonland permanent, often leading to a 2-for-1 scenario. In the final chapter, the ability to return a creature or planeswalker from your graveyard to the battlefield can tilt card equity heavily in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Elspeth Conquers Death doesn’t directly produce mana, its third chapter’s cost-reduction effect for your creatures and planeswalkers accelerates your resource capabilities, enabling you to deploy heavy hitters sooner than usual or allowing you to cast multiple spells in a turn where you normally couldn’t.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Elspeth Conquers Death interacts favorably with instant-speed dynamics. It creates a window where opponents must carefully consider playing their own instants and flash creatures, knowing that their actions might be undone during your next chapter. It also sets up your instants and flash creatures by possibly reducing their cost and clearing the way for an unobstructed entrance to the battlefield.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Elspeth Conquers Death can be restrictive as it requires two white mana and three other mana. This specificity might make it less flexible in decks that are not heavily white-oriented or have a challenging mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana value of five, Elspeth Conquers Death sits at a higher casting cost than some other removal options. This could potentially slow down your game plan, especially in formats that demand a faster pace of interaction.

Discard Requirement: Although Elspeth Conquers Death doesn’t directly require you to discard, its high mana cost can indirectly pressure your hand. Saving up mana to cast it may force you to hold back other cards, potentially leading to a less optimal hand management.


Reasons to Include Elspeth Conquers Death in Your Collection

Versatility: Elspeth Conquers Death is a saga that serves multiple functions in gameplay. Its ability to exile permanent cards with high converted mana costs in its first chapter makes it a flexible removal option. The second chapter offers a blanket effect to tax opponents’ strategies, and the final chapter provides an opportunity to return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to the battlefield, setting the stage for a game-changing comeback.

Combo Potential: This powerful enchantment can be synergized with cards that manipulate or refresh saga counters, allowing you to maximize its impact on the game. Reviving key creatures or planeswalkers at critical moments can turn the tide of battle and contribute to intricate combo chains that solidify your position or lead to a decisive victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where midrange and control decks are prevalent, the disruptive capabilities of Elspeth Conquers Death can disturb your opponent’s game plan while offering a steady progression toward a powerful effect. As the meta shifts, its enduring utility ensures that it remains a relevant and worthwhile addition to any collection.


How to beat Elspeth Conquers Death

Elspeth Conquers Death is a formidable saga in Magic: The Gathering, frowned upon by many when it hits the table. Its progressive abilities control the battlefield by exiling a powerful opponent’s permanent, reducing their stack, and ultimately bringing back a high-value card from the graveyard. Agility becomes your ally when strategizing against this card.

Utilizing instant speed removal to respond to the first chapter trigger can save your valuable threats from exile. Similarly, counterspells effectively neutralize this saga before its powerful chapters unfold. Efficient graveyard management is crucial—destroying it or exiling cards from your own graveyard can disrupt the third chapter’s return mechanic. Lastly, incorporating enchantment removal into your deck grants you the ability to dismantle Elspeth Conquers Death before it fully activates its chapters, preserving your battlefield advantage.

Spotting the right opportunity to negate Elspeth’s impact requires vigilance. A calculated approach with the aforementioned tactics offers a robust defense, letting you maintain control and turn the tides in your favor in the intricate dance of strategy that is Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the depths of MTG, Elspeth Conquers Death stands as a beacon of strategic finesse for players who appreciate layered gameplay and the art of recovery. Its multifaceted capabilities—in removal, tax, and rebirth—enhance both white-centric and varied decks alike, promising to alter the tides of any match. With careful navigation through its pros, cons, and tactical counters, this saga could bolster your arsenal. Eager to discover how Elspeth Conquers Death can redefine your play style and strengthen your deck’s resilience? Continue your journey with us and unravel the wisdom behind this pivotal card’s inclusion and mastery in your MTG collection.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elspeth Conquers Death MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death Promos and Theros Beyond Death 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 Elspeth Conquers Death and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elspeth Conquers Death Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by Ryan Yee.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 13s2015SagaBlackRyan Yee
22020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 13p2015SagaBlackRyan Yee
32020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 132015SagaBlackRyan Yee
42020-09-26The ListPLST THB-132015SagaBlackRyan Yee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elspeth Conquers Death has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-01-24 A chapter ability doesn’t trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter’s number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the III chapter ability to trigger, but I and II won’t trigger again.
2020-01-24 As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn’t use the stack.
2020-01-24 Each symbol on the left of a Saga’s text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to or greater than the ability’s chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to.
2020-01-24 If a creature on the battlefield has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2020-01-24 If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve.
2020-01-24 In a multiplayer game, if you leave the game after this Saga’s second chapter ability resolves but before your next turn begins, its effect lasts until your next turn would have begun. It neither expires immediately nor lasts indefinitely.
2020-01-24 Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won’t be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield.
2020-01-24 Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities, the Saga’s controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack.
2020-01-24 Removing lore counters won’t cause a previous chapter ability to trigger. If lore counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives lore counters.
2020-01-24 The effect of the second chapter lasts until your next turn even if this Saga leaves the battlefield before then.
2020-01-24 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you’re paying, add any cost increases (such as that of this Saga’s second chapter), then apply any cost reductions. The converted mana cost of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
2020-01-24 You choose which kind of counter to put on the returned permanent after it has entered the battlefield. You may put a +1/+1 counter on a planeswalker or a loyalty counter on a creature, but this isn’t normally going to have any effect.