Wall of Blood MTG Card


Leverages life points as an offensive tool, potentially leading to significant combat wins or board advantages. Instant speed toughness adjustment creates unexpected defense, disrupting opponent strategies mid-combat. Resource use is strategic; however, life as a cost can be risky, weighing high reward against potential setbacks.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Wall
Abilities Defender
Power 0
Toughness 2

Text of card

(Walls can't attack.) Pay 1 life: Wall of Blood gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Blood is thicker than mortar.


Cards like Wall of Blood

Wall of Blood stands unique amongst creatures within Magic: The Gathering. This grisly defender distinguishes itself with its life-paying ability, allowing players to boost its toughness at a critical moment. Comparable to Wall of Blood is the card Wall of Hope, which provides a contrasting benefit – granting life each time it blocks. Wall of Hope is a more defensive option, whereas Wall of Blood can become a formidable creature with a health investment.

Another parallel can be drawn with Rimebound Dead, an ice skeleton with the capability to regenerate. Like Wall of Blood, it can withstand lethal damage, but it requires mana rather than life as a resource. This difference shifts the strategy regarding resource management and risk. Similarly, Vampire Outcasts possesses the bloodthirst mechanic, which, although reliant on an opponent’s loss of life, can also become unexpectedly powerful.

Analyzing these creatures showcases Wall of Blood’s unique place in the MTG landscape. It strikes a delicate balance, giving players the power to dictate its toughness while risking their life total. This risk-reward dynamic makes the Wall of Blood a captivating choice for deck builders seeking versatility and surprise within their defensive lines.

Wall of Hope - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Vampire Outcasts - MTG Card versions
Wall of Hope - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Vampire Outcasts - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Wall of Blood by color, type and mana cost

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Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wall of Blood offers a strategic edge by allowing players to convert life into creature strength, potentially enabling explosive plays or surprising combat wins. This can lead to card advantage when used to overcome adversaries’ creatures without spending multiple cards from hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Wall of Blood itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, its ability to grow at instant speed plays a clever part in resource management by empowering players to utilize life as a resource, adjusting the creature’s power according to the situation at hand.

Instant Speed: The ability to pay life and increase Wall of Blood’s toughness at instant speed is a versatile defensive maneuver. It can unexpectedly thwart opponents’ attacks or strategies, forcing them to reconsider their tactics mid-combat or in response to spells and abilities.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Wall of Blood demands a steep trade-off in the form of life points for additional power, which could put players at a significant disadvantage, particularly in close matches or against decks that can exploit life total reductions.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring exclusively black mana makes it less flexible, forcing players to have a strong black mana base, thereby reducing its utility in multicolored decks that might not prioritize black mana generation.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, including two black mana, it may be considered a high investment for an effect that also requires life point payments, especially when other creatures or cards could provide a more stable defense without the additional life cost.


Reasons to Include Wall of Blood in Your Collection

Versatility: Wall of Blood’s ability to adjust its power at will makes it a flexible defender and a surprise attacker, able to fit into various deck strategies that exploit life totals or need a robust blocker.

Combo Potential: This card’s unique ability can fuel powerful synergies, such as with cards that benefit from life payments or high-power creatures. It’s a key player in combos needing a sudden increase in creature power.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where win conditions can often hinge on life point manipulation or unexpected power swings, Wall of Blood has the potential to be a game-changer, adapting well to shifts in competitive play meta.


How to Beat

The card Wall of Blood presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to gain an almost limitless amount of toughness at a moment’s notice. The key to overcoming this defensive behemoth lies in changing our perspective and tools. For instance, utilizing spells that don’t care about creature toughness, like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization, can neatly bypass Wall of Blood’s ability by removing it from play directly or turning it into a creature with less formidable stats.

Another strategy is to attack the resources this card depends on – the player’s life total. Cards that limit life payment abilities, such as Rain of Gore or Tainted Remedy, turn Wall of Blood’s strength into a deadly weakness. Additionally, clever players can opt for spells that prevent damage rather than destroy creatures, such as Holy Day or Ethereal Haze, which nullify the boosted toughness and halt an aggressive strategy that relies on pumping Wall of Blood’s toughness for a crucial turn.

Finally, consider spells that don’t target at all, like Wrath of God or Day of Judgment, which can sweep the board clean, including the mighty Wall of Blood, without the need for targeting. These options ensure that the towering Wall becomes nothing more than a short-lived obstacle on your path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

For MTG enthusiasts who appreciate the cunning use of life totals as a resource, Wall of Blood can be a powerful inclusion in your arsenal. With its instant speed toughness adjustment, it can serve as both a formidable defender and a wildcard in direct damage strategies. If you’re crafting a deck that thrives on surprise and control, or perhaps looking to refine your approach to the meta, consider the dynamic capabilities of Wall of Blood. It opens up numerous pathways for inventive playstyles and unexpected combat twists. Interested in tapping into this card’s full potential? Dive deeper with us and harness the strength of Wall of Blood in your next MTG battle.


Where to buy

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

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Printings

The Wall of Blood Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2003-10-02 and 2003-10-02. Illustrated by Tony Szczudlo.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-10-02MirrodinMRD 822003NormalBlackTony Szczudlo
22020-09-26The ListPLST MRD-822003NormalBlackTony Szczudlo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wall of Blood has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal