Slaughter Pact MTG Card


Slaughter Pact allows powerful plays while managing other cards, improving your board state immensely. Instant speed makes Slaughter Pact a formidable tool for unpredictability and tactical advantage. Deferred mana payment restricts its use and demands careful future turn planning.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Text of card

Slaughter Pact is black. Destroy target nonblack creature. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay . If you don't, you lose the game.

Death is only the beginning of the end.


Cards like Slaughter Pact

Slaughter Pact stands out in the realm of Magic: The Gathering due to its unique ‘pay later’ mechanic. It’s an instant card that doesn’t require mana to cast, allowing you to destroy a target non-black creature without upfront cost. This feature makes Slaughter Pact akin to cards like Fatal Push, which also provides inexpensive creature removal. However, unlike Fatal Push that demands a specific condition for hitting larger creatures, Slaughter Pact offers removal of any non-black creature with no immediate payment.

A card reminiscent of Slaughter Pact’s delayed payment is Delay, a card that doesn’t remove but temporarily suspends a spell. While Delay affords you two extra turns before your opponent’s spell takes effect, Slaughter Pact gives you a turn before needing to satisfy its mana cost or lose the game. Comparatively, another similar spell is Terminate. This card does require mana for casting but it doesn’t have the perilous risk of possibly losing the game on your next upkeep if you can’t pay the cost, a critical factor to consider when opting to wield Slaughter Pact in your deck.

Hence, Slaughter Pact’s potential for strategic depth is clear among creature removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, offering immediate impact without initial mana investment yet introducing a gamble that demands careful play.

Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Delay - MTG Card versions
Terminate - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Delay - MTG Card versions
Terminate - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
UU LegacyLegacy Preliminary 2024-03-25
Hive MindHive Mind Legacy2023 NA Legacy Champs

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Slaughter Pact excels in tactical flexibility without immediately impacting your mana resources. This allows you to eliminate a threatening creature and still deploy other cards from your hand, maintaining or even improving your board presence. This can be a significant swing in power during a tightly contested game.

Resource Acceleration: While Slaughter Pact itself doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration, its zero initial casting cost could be considered a form of tempo acceleration. It enables you to manage your resources effectively, dealing with an imminent threat while still keeping mana available for other critical actions within the same turn cycle.

Instant Speed: The true power of Slaughter Pact lies in its ability to be cast at instant speed. This means you can wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to deal with a creature. This unpredictability can give you a significant tactical advantage, as your opponent must always consider the potential for their creature to be removed on the spot without warning.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Slaughter Pact’s zero mana cost at the time of casting can mislead players about its actual cost. It requires a specific payment of {2}{B} on your next upkeep or you lose the game, which can be a severe penalty, especially if you’re caught without the necessary resources.

Specific Mana Cost: While free to cast initially, this card’s mandatory future cost includes black mana, which restricts its inclusion to decks running black mana sources. Deck building becomes less flexible as you must ensure the mana will be available on the next turn.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not paid upfront, the deferred payment of three mana—two generic and one black—for the next turn can be quite steep considering other removal options in the game. This can hinder your development play on the following turn, placing you at a strategic disadvantage in tempo-focused matches.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Slaughter Pact offers an immediate removal solution without the need for mana at the moment of casting. This allows the card to be seamlessly incorporated into a wide array of decks, particularly those needing to preserve resources while maintaining board control.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in complex interactions, especially in decks that operate on a tight mana curve. Its ability to take out a creature without upfront investment can enable surprising win conditions or disrupt opponents’ combos on their critical turn.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of powerful creatures in many competitive formats, Slaughter Pact has consistent relevance. Its presence in your arsenal ensures a safeguard against game-changing threats without allocating mana that could be used for other pivotal plays within the same turn.


How to beat

Slaughter Pact is a powerful instant in the world of Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to destroy a non-black creature with no immediate cost, shaking the battlefield dynamics. Despite its might, overcoming this card is a strategy within reach for savvy players. The key is to be aware of your opponent’s potential to play a ‘free’ removal and not overcommit key creatures when they have untapped mana. Utilizing cards with hexproof or shroud can render Slaughter Pact ineffective, as it cannot target them.

Carefully timing your plays can also counteract the Pact’s delayed payment mechanic which requires the caster to pay {2}{B} during their next upkeep or lose the game. Forging an aggressive strategy that pressures your opponent’s life total can exploit their lower defenses as they allocate mana for the Pact. Being prepared with counterspells or abilities that can deny the upkeep cost—such as stifle effects or taxing enchantments—adds another layer of protection. Thus, a combination of strategic creature deployment, life total pressure, and potential control elements offers a solid game plan against the threat of Slaughter Pact.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the intricate art of MTG gameplay demands not only knowledge of potent cards like Slaughter Pact but also an understanding of their strategic applications and limitations. As we’ve explored the card’s pros, cons, and its position within the broader MTG meta, the compelling dynamics of instant-speed removal with delayed cost become evident. Diligent deck builders and tacticians alike can find Slaughter Pact a fascinating addition. Are you considering incorporating it into your deck or eager to learn the best methods to counteract its threat? We encourage you to dive deeper into the synergies and tactics that can turn this card into a formidable tool or a setback to navigate around. Enhance your MTG prowess with us as we dissect more strategies, deck builds, and gameplay tips tailored to your journey toward dominance at the table.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Slaughter Pact MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Modern Masters, 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 Slaughter Pact and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Slaughter Pact Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-05-04Future SightFUT 782003NormalBlackKev Walker
22013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 972003NormalBlackKev Walker
32017-04-28Amonkhet InvocationsMP2 442015NormalBorderlessJosh Hass
42021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 1382015NormalBlackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Slaughter Pact has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-06-07 Although originally printed with a characteristic-defining ability that defined its color, this card now has a color indicator. This color indicator can’t be affected by text-changing effects (such as the one created by Crystal Spray), although color-changing effects can still overwrite it.
2021-03-19 If Slaughter Pact is countered or otherwise doesn’t resolve (perhaps because its target became illegal), the delayed triggered ability that threatens you with a game loss won’t trigger at the beginning of your next upkeep.
2021-03-19 If Slaughter Pact resolves with a legal target but the target is not destroyed (perhaps because it has indestructible or regenerated), the delayed triggered ability will still trigger at the beginning of your next upkeep and you will have to pay the cost or lose the game.