Erebos, Bleak-Hearted MTG Card


Erebos offers efficient card draw by sacrificing creatures or enchantments, maintaining a strong hand. Activating at instant speed, Erebos provides strategic flexibility during any phase of the game. While advantageous, Erebos’s abilities come with specific mana and life cost considerations.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Enchantment Creature — God
Abilities Indestructible
Power 5
Toughness 6

Text of card

Indestructible As long as your devotion to black is less than five, Erebos isn't a creature. Whenever another creature you control dies, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card. , Sacrifice another creature: Target creature gets -2/-1 until end of turn.


Cards like Erebos, Bleak-Hearted

Erebos, Bleak-Hearted asserts its unique position among the pantheon of indestructible deities within Magic: The Gathering. Drawing comparisons, Athreos, God of Passage offers a different take on controlling the game’s mortality rhythm. While Erebos allows players to draw a card at the expense of life whenever another creature dies, Athreos poses a challenge to opponents – asking whether they would pay life to prevent a creature from returning to its owner’s hand.

Tymaret, the Murder King also shares a kinship with Erebos through their synergy with sacrifice. Tymaret may lack indestructibility, but compensates by granting players the ability to directly deal damage to an opponent or creature. Another deity of note is Pharika, God of Affliction, who interacts with graveyards by giving players the power to create deathtouch tokens, albeit without the card draw capability that Erebos offers.

When evaluating Erebos, Bleak-Hearted’s strategic value in MTG, his dual ability to draw cards and serve as a sacrifice outlet solidifies his role in any black-commander deck that aims to capitalize on creature control and life manipulation, distinguishing him as a compelling choice for deck builders.

Athreos, God of Passage - MTG Card versions
Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Pharika, God of Affliction - MTG Card versions
Athreos, God of Passage - MTG Card versions
Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Pharika, God of Affliction - MTG Card versions

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Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Takklemaggot - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Vile Requiem - MTG Card versions
Parasitic Bond - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Strands of Night - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Erebos, Bleak-Hearted. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Black MidrangeMono-Black Midrange PioneerMono-Black MidrangePioneer Challenge 96 2023-12-02 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Delving into the depths of devotion, Erebos Bleak-Hearted offers continuous card draw with its ability to sacrifice another creature or enchantment, allowing players to replace resources efficiently and maintain a robust hand throughout the match.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing mana, Erebos’s sacrifice mechanic can indirectly speed up your gameplay by fueling graveyard strategies or triggering death-related abilities, paving the way for powerful plays and increased board state influence.

Instant Speed: Flexibility is key in any game of MTG, and Erebos’s ability to activate at instant speed gives players the leeway to respond adeptly to an opponent’s moves by strategically sacrificing creatures or enchantments at the most opportune moments, maximizing both surprise factor and resource management.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Erebos Bleak-Hearted’s ability necessitates the sacrifice of another creature or paying 2 life, which could be a steep price when you’re trying to maintain board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Erebos requires both black mana and generic mana, which may not always be readily available when you need to summon this deity onto the battlefield, especially in a multicolored deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three and one black mana, Erebos can seem cost-prohibitive given the other potential plays at this stage of the game, such as lower-cost creatures or game-changing removal spells.


Reasons to Include Erebos Bleak-Hearted in Your Collection

Versatility: Erebos Bleak-Hearted offers a unique blend of life-loss and card advantage mechanics. This makes it a valuable asset for control and midrange decks that excel in grindy, longer games where incremental advantage is key.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that can consistently lose life or sacrifice other permanents, Erebos becomes an engine for card draw and battlefield presence. Its synergy with sacrifice strategies can help fuel powerful combos in various deck archetypes.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Erebos serves as a useful tool. Not only can it discourage opponents from attacking, but its ability to draw more cards can help find answers to threats or further your own game plan.


How to beat Erebos Bleak-Hearted

Erebos Bleak-Hearted is a formidable opponent in MTG, known for its ability to draw cards while simultaneously creating a life-draining effect that can profoundly impact the game. To effectively counter this deity from Theros, players need to consider strategies that limit its activation or remove it from the battlefield entirely.

Dealing with Erebos means addressing its indestructibility. One way to bypass this trait is by using exile effects. Cards like Path to Exile or Exiling Cling to Dust can remove Erebos from play without triggering its indestructible nature. Remember, as Erebos only becomes a creature under certain conditions, some removal spells can’t target it unless the opponent controls enough devotion to black.

Another tactic is to manage your opponents’ creature count, keeping it low enough that Erebos can’t become a creature and therefore more susceptible to direct removal. Sacrifice prevention effects are also key as they inhibit the advantage your opponent gains from Erebos’s sacrifice ability. In conclusion, while Erebos presents a challenge, thoughtful deck building and strategic plays can keep this dark-hearted god at bay.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving into the MTG arena with the knowledge of Erebos Bleak-Hearted’s strengths and weaknesses can significantly improve your gameplay. The versatility of this card as both a source of card advantage and a combo-enabler makes it a noteworthy addition to black-commander decks. Whether you’re tailoring your strategy to suppress your opponents with superior board control or seeking to fortify your defenses against creature-oriented adversaries, Erebos stands as a robust ally. For those who aim to refine their collections and tactics, understanding Erebos’s potential and counters is paramount. Learn more with us and enhance your MTG strategies for triumph in the most challenging duels.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Erebos, Bleak-Hearted MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online 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 Erebos, Bleak-Hearted and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Erebos, Bleak-Hearted Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 798512015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
22020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 93p2015NormalBlackChase Stone
32020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 2622015NormalBlackJason A. Engle
42020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 932015NormalBlackChase Stone
52020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 93s2015NormalBlackChase Stone
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8682015NormalBlackChase Stone

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Erebos, Bleak-Hearted 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 Erebos, Bleak-Hearted 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 As a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color will determine whether any replacement effects that affect creatures entering the battlefield apply to that God. Because replacement effects are considered before the God is on the battlefield, the mana symbols in its mana cost won’t be counted when determining this.
2020-01-24 Colorless and generic mana symbols (, , , , , and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don’t count toward your devotion to any color.
2020-01-24 Counters put on a God remain on it while it’s not a creature, even if they have no effect.
2020-01-24 Erebos’s last ability can target the creature you’ll sacrifice to pay its cost. In this case, the ability won’t resolve, but Erebos’s triggered ability will trigger.
2020-01-24 Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
2020-01-24 If a God is attacking or blocking and it stops being a creature, it will be removed from combat. It won’t rejoin combat if it resumes being a creature later during that combat.
2020-01-24 If a God stops being a creature, it loses the type creature and the creature type God. It continues to be a legendary enchantment.
2020-01-24 If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it’s still on the battlefield at that time.
2020-01-24 If an effect causes a God to lose all abilities, its ability that causes it to stop being a creature still applies if appropriate.
2020-01-24 If one or more creatures you control die at the same time as Erebos, its triggered ability triggers for each of those creatures.
2020-01-24 If you put an Aura on an opponent’s permanent, you still control the Aura, and mana symbols in its mana cost count towards your devotion.
2020-01-24 Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don’t count toward your devotion to any color.
2020-01-24 The abilities of Gods function as long as they’re on the battlefield, regardless of whether they’re creatures.
2020-01-24 The type-changing ability that can make a God not be a creature functions only on the battlefield. It’s always a creature card in other zones, regardless of your devotion to its color. It’s always a creature spell while it’s on the stack.
2020-01-24 When a God enters the battlefield, your devotion to its color (including the mana symbols in the mana cost of the God itself) will determine if a creature entered the battlefield or not for abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield.
2020-01-24 While resolving Erebos’s triggered ability, you can’t pay more than 2 life to draw more than one card.