Exsanguinate MTG Card


Exsanguinate grants card advantage by draining life from opponents and boosting your own, enhancing your battlefield presence. The spell speeds up your resource accumulation, with each black mana invested exponentially increasing its impact. Despite a sorcery speed, Exsanguinate has game-altering potential, offering defense and offense in one package.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Each opponent loses X life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.

Vampires don't consider patience a virtue nor gluttony a sin.


Cards like Exsanguinate

Exsanguinate is another intriguing type of sorcery card in Magic: The Gathering. It readily draws a comparison with cards such as Debt to the Deathless, with their ability to drain life points from opponents. Nonetheless, Exsanguinate differentiates itself with a cost-effective mana conversion rate, making it relatively cheaper to cast.

In the same context, we see the card named Torment of Hailfire. It boasts the attrition strategy, requiring opponents to lose life, discard a card, or sacrifice a nonland permanent. Although it’s potent, its variable mana cost can be a limiting factor. In stark contrast, Exsanguinate retains a consistent mana-to-damage ratio.

Sanguine Bond is another card worth mentioning in this comparison. It has a life draining mechanic, similar to Exsanguinate, but it works on a conditional basis tied to your life gain. Thus, it could be less consistent in draining life from opponents, especially if your deck isn’t structured around life-gain cards.

All in all, when you compare individual attributes and evaluate the utility of these alternatives, Exsanguinate undoubtedly rises in the ranks of life-drain sorcery cards in Magic: The Gathering, thanks to its dependable mechanics and cost-effective mana utilization.

Debt to the Deathless - MTG Card versions
Torment of Hailfire - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions
Debt to the Deathless - MTG Card versions
Torment of Hailfire - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Exsanguinate by color, type and mana cost

Drain Life - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Sinkhole - MTG Card versions
Word of Binding - MTG Card versions
Soul Exchange - MTG Card versions
Dry Spell - MTG Card versions
Hymn to Tourach - MTG Card versions
Mind Knives - MTG Card versions
Shattered Crypt - MTG Card versions
Disturbed Burial - MTG Card versions
Death Stroke - MTG Card versions
Exhume - MTG Card versions
Imperial Edict - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Intent - MTG Card versions
Decompose - MTG Card versions
Chainer's Edict - MTG Card versions
Walk the Plank - MTG Card versions
Predators' Hour - MTG Card versions
Nausea - MTG Card versions
Hunger of the Nim - MTG Card versions
Drain Life - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Sinkhole - MTG Card versions
Word of Binding - MTG Card versions
Soul Exchange - MTG Card versions
Dry Spell - MTG Card versions
Hymn to Tourach - MTG Card versions
Mind Knives - MTG Card versions
Shattered Crypt - MTG Card versions
Disturbed Burial - MTG Card versions
Death Stroke - MTG Card versions
Exhume - MTG Card versions
Imperial Edict - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Intent - MTG Card versions
Decompose - MTG Card versions
Chainer's Edict - MTG Card versions
Walk the Plank - MTG Card versions
Predators' Hour - MTG Card versions
Nausea - MTG Card versions
Hunger of the Nim - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Exsanguinate is a sorcery card that offers you the advantage in MTG games by reducing your opponents’ life total while increasing yours. This dual-effect also provides a card advantage, as you’re effectively clearing their battlefield while strengthening your own.

Resource Acceleration: This black-mana spell is capable of putting a game in your favor quickly. For each black mana that you tap for casting Exsanguinate, each opponent loses life and you gain that amount of life, efficiently accelerating your resources.

Instant Speed: Although Exsanguinate is not an instant card, its impact can be felt instantly due to its high damage potential. Its versatility in both offense and defense can dramatically shift the tide of a game, making it a must-have in any black deck.

These characteristics make Exsanguinate a powerful choice for both seasoned and new MTG players alike. The versatility and potential of this card make it a popular choice in various formats such as Commander, Modern, and Legacy. Try incorporating it into your deck to experience its game-changing effects firsthand.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Exsanguinate spell in MTG obligates you to release a card from your deck. This acts as a setback for players with minimal cards and restricts strategic gameplay.

Specific Mana Cost: Exsanguinate deserters players by demanding two black and one other mana. This limits its versatility in mixed decks and can upset the balance in mono-color ones.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a Sorcery card, Exsanguinate’s cost is quite steep. Given its mana cost and its additional demands, other cards might provide quicker and more resourceful alternatives.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Exsanguinate, a potent black spell, offers immense flexibility. Its ability to integrate into almost any type of deck, particularly those emphasizing card advantage and life total control, enhances its diversified appeal. The more mana you can invest, the more game-changing this card can be.

Combo Potential: Exsanguinate shines in combination with other cards that provide surplus mana or amplify spell effects. By strategizing wit its X cost, you can optimize its use, draining life from your opponents while bolstering your own, turning the tide of the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where life gain and drain strategies wield significant authority, Exsanguinate can prove invaluable. Even beyond specific metas, this potent spell, with its broad influence on life totals, can be a game-changer.


How to Beat

Exsanguinate is a potent addition to the vast universe of cards in Magic: The Gathering. With its life-draining abilities and potential for a game finisher, it could be a significant threat. Nonetheless, just like any other card in MTG, there are strategies on how to beat its potential onslaught. An evident weakness is its need for substantial mana requirements.

The most effective countermeasures are ones that target its casting cost. Mana denial methods like Armageddon or land destruction spells can set back Exsanguinate’s massive mana requirement. Denying the mana reservoir impedes its ability to swing the game, much like how Winter Orb effectively pinches off mana flow. Countermagic is also beneficial; Spell Pierce or Mana Leak can leave your opponent mana-drained and unable to cast other spells after attempting an Exsanguinate.

Understanding how to handle the power of Exsanguinate, we acknowledge its potency but also reveal its vulnerabilities. It serves as an engaging example of how Magic: The Gathering is not just a game about building strengths, but also about exploiting weaknesses. With right disruptions and checks in place against such formidable cards, victories are within reach even amidst seemingly insurmountable odds.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deciphering the strengths and weaknesses of Exsanguinate is crucial in leveraging its potential in your MTG gameplay. The card’s dual-edged power, which can replenish your life while depleting your enemies’, is a compelling reason to include it in your deck. Understanding how to maximize its benefits as well as counteract its power in opponents’ hands is key to dominating the match. Whether you’re devising new strategies or seeking out robust cards for your collection, consider Exsanguinate’s vast capabilities. Dive deeper with us into the strategies that make the most of Exsanguinate’s unique properties for a more triumphant deck construction.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Exsanguinate MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin 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 Exsanguinate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Exsanguinate Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 612003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 6512003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
32020-09-26The ListPLST SOM-612003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
42022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4132015NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6382015NormalBorderlessScott M. Fischer
62023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 172015Art seriesBorderless
72023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 372015Art seriesBorderless
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1562015NormalBlackMarie Magny

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Exsanguinate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-01-01 Players can lose more life than they have. For example, say you’re playing a multiplayer game in which one of your opponents has 3 life and your other opponent has 10 life. If you cast Exsanguinate with X of 4, your opponents will wind up at -1 life and 6 life, respectively. You’ll gain 8 life.