"There are two ways for me to pass this gate. One involves you remaining conscious."
—Gerrard of the *Weatherlight*

Abyssal Gatekeeper

When Abyssal Gatekeeper is put into a graveyard from play, each player sacrifices a creature.

The "sacrifice a creature" effect is not targeted. It can affect creatures with protection from black, for example.

The player whose turn it is chooses a creature to sacrifice, then each other player in turn order chooses a creature to sacrifice, then all chosen creatures are sacrificed at the same time.

When Abyssal Gatekeeper dies, each player sacrifices a creature.

To gaze under its hood is to invite death.

Abyssal Specter

Flying
Whenever Abyssal Specter deals damage to a player, that player discards a card.

"Wrath is no vice when inflicted upon the deserving."

Akroma, Angel of Wrath

Flying, first strike, vigilance, trample, haste, protection from black and from red

Every tear shed is a drop of immortality.

Angel of Mercy

Flying
When Angel of Mercy comes into play, you gain 3 life.

Flying
When Angel of Mercy enters, you gain 3 life.

If taken, it cuts the hand that clutches it. If given, it heals the hand that holds it.

Angel's Feather

Whenever a player plays a white spell, you may gain 1 life.

If a player casts a white spell, Angel’s Feather’s ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Angel’s Feather’s ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does.

The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a white spell.

Whenever a player casts a white spell, you may gain 1 life.

"Even in single combat, I am never alone."
—Rafiq of the Many

Angelic Benediction

Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, you may tap target creature.

Exalted abilities will resolve before blockers are declared.

Exalted bonuses last until end of turn. If an effect creates an additional combat phase during your turn, a creature that attacked alone during the first combat phase will still have its exalted bonuses in that new phase. If a creature attacks alone during the second combat phase, all your exalted abilities will trigger again.

If you attack with multiple creatures, but then all but one are removed from combat, your exalted abilities won’t trigger.

If you declare exactly one creature as an attacker, each exalted ability on each permanent you control (including, perhaps, the attacking creature itself) will trigger. The bonuses are given to the attacking creature, not to the permanent with exalted. Ultimately, the attacking creature will wind up with +1/+1 for each of your exalted abilities.

In a Two-Headed Giant game, a creature “attacks alone” if it’s the only creature declared as an attacker by your entire team. If you control that attacking creature, your exalted abilities will trigger but your teammate’s exalted abilities won’t.

Some effects put creatures onto the battlefield attacking. Since those creatures were never declared as attackers, they’re ignored by exalted abilities. They won’t cause exalted abilities to trigger. If any exalted abilities have already triggered (because exactly one creature was declared as an attacker), those abilities will resolve as normal even though there may now be multiple attackers.

The creature you target with the last ability will become tapped before blockers are declared.

If only every message were as perfect as its bearer.

Angelic Page

Flying
{T}: Target attacking or blocking creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

"My family sheltered in her light, the dark was content to wait."
—Crovax

Angelic Protector

Flying
Whenever Angelic Protector becomes the target of a spell or ability, Angelic Protector gets +0/+3 until end of turn.

The ability triggers when Angelic Protector is chosen as a target for a spell or ability. The Protectors ability will be put on the stack above that spell or ability, and so resolve first.

Clash of sword and cry of beast fall mute when angels sound the call to prayer.

Angelsong

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.

Barren Moor

Barren Moor comes into play tapped.
{T}: Add {B} to your mana pool.
Cycling {B} ({B}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Barren Moor enters tapped.
{T}: Add {B}.
Cycling {B} ({B}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

"In the game of conquest, who cares about the pawns if the king yet reigns?"
—Geth, keeper of the Vault

Barter in Blood

Barter in Blood doesn’t target any creatures and may be cast even if a player controls fewer than two creatures.

If a player controls only one creature, that creature is sacrificed.

The active player chooses which creatures will be sacrificed first, then each other player in turn order does the same. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.

The thrulls bred at a terrifying pace. In the end, they overwhelmed the Order of the Ebon Hand.

Breeding Pit

At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Breeding Pit unless you pay {B}{B}.
At the end of your turn, put a 0/1 black Thrull creature token into play.

Breeding Pit must actually be on the battlefield at the beginning of the endstep in order for you to get a Thrull. The getting of the Thrull is not part of paying the upkeep, it is part of having the card on the battlefield.

At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Breeding Pit unless you pay {B}{B}.
At the beginning of your end step, create a 0/1 black Thrull creature token.

Its laughter drives needles through your mind.

Cackling Imp

"Hope shall be the blade that severs our bonds."

Charging Paladin

Whenever Charging Paladin attacks, it gets +0/+3 until end of turn.

"Your blood, your marrow, your spirit—all are mine."
—Mayvar, minion of Geth

Consume Spirit

Spend only black mana on X.
Consume Spirit deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life.

If the targeted permanent or player is an illegal target by the time Consume Spirit would resolve, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t gain any life.

The amount of life you gain is equal to the number chosen for X, not the amount of damage Consume Spirit deals (in case some of it is prevented).

Spend only black mana on X.
Consume Spirit deals X damage to any target and you gain X life.

There are things beneath the murk for whom the bog is a stew, a thin broth in need of meat.

Corrupt

Corrupt deals damage equal to the number of Swamps you control to target creature or player. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.

The amount of damage dealt to a creature is not bounded by its toughness, and the amount of damage dealt to a player is not bounded by that player's life total. For example, if Corrupt deals 6 damage to a 2/2 creature, you'll gain 6 life.

The life you gain is equal to the damage dealt by Corrupt, not necessarily to the number of Swamps you control (if some or all of the damage is prevented, for example).

Corrupt counts any land you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.

Corrupt deals damage to any target equal to the number of Swamps you control. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.

"Choose your next words carefully. They will be your last."
—Phage the Untouchable

Cruel Edict

The Simic use the claws as scalpels, while the Rakdos use them for tattooing and torture. The Gruul use them to pick their teeth after lunching on the rest of the carcass.

Daggerclaw Imp

"Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say 'death,'
For exile hath more terror in his look,
Much more than death."
—William Shakespeare, *Romeo and Juliet*

Dark Banishing

Destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

"Leshrac, my liege, grant me the power I am due."
—Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer

Dark Ritual

Its curve mimics the twists of life and death.

Demon's Horn

Whenever a player plays a black spell, you may gain 1 life.

If a player casts a black spell, Demon’s Horn’s ability triggers and is put on the stack on top of that spell. Demon’s Horn’s ability will resolve (causing you to gain 1 life) before the spell does.

The ability triggers whenever any player, not just you, casts a black spell.

Whenever a player casts a black spell, you may gain 1 life.

They knock 'em dead, with or without the punch line.

Demon's Jester

Flying
Hellbent — Demon's Jester gets +2/+1 as long as you have no cards in hand.

Liliana learned the secrets she sought, but at a price that was etched on her fate.

Demonic Tutor

Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

This card is put directly into your hand. It is not drawn.

You don't reveal the card to your opponent.

Search your library for a card, put that card into your hand, then shuffle.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to deprive you of all your secrets. Just your most precious one."
—Liliana Vess

Duress

Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a noncreature, nonland card from it. That player discards that card.

Target opponent reveals their hand. You choose a noncreature, nonland card from it. That player discards that card.

Imps are just intelligent enough to have an understanding of cruelty.

Dusk Imp

Faith's Fetters

Enchant permanent
When Faith's Fetters comes into play, you gain 4 life.
Enchanted permanent's activated abilities can't be played unless they're mana abilities. If enchanted permanent is a creature, it can't attack or block.

Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keywords (such as equip) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. Loyalty abilities of planeswalkers are activated abilities.

Faith's Fetters doesn't stop static abilities, triggered abilities, or mana abilities from working. A mana ability is an ability that produces mana, not an ability that costs mana.

If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Faith's Fetters tries to resolve, it doesn't resolve. It won't enter the battlefield, so its enters-the-battlefield ability won't trigger.

Enchant permanent
When Faith's Fetters enters, you gain 4 life.
Enchanted permanent can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated unless they're mana abilities.

"Why do you weep for the dead? I rejoice, for they have died for me."

Fallen Angel

Flying
Sacrifice a creature: Fallen Angel gets +2/+1 until end of turn.

The imp, unaware of its own odor, paused to catch its breath . . . and promptly died.

Foul Imp

Flying
When Foul Imp comes into play, you lose 2 life.

You can cast this if you have less than 2 life, since the life is lost as an effect and not a payment.

Flying
When Foul Imp enters, you lose 2 life.

Healing Salve

Choose one — Target player gains 3 life; or prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.

Choose one —
• Target player gains 3 life.
• Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to any target this turn.

Grelden knelt and felt the cool, dry hand of the priest on his brow. Hours later, when his wits returned, he was covered in his enemies' blood on the field of victory.

Icatian Priest

{1}{W}{W}: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Kuro, Pitlord

At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Kuro, Pitlord unless you pay {B}{B}{B}{B}.
Pay 1 life: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

"My summoning begins your debt, planeswalker."

Lord of the Pit

Flying, trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature other than Lord of the Pit. If you can't, Lord of the Pit deals 7 damage to you.

If Lord of the Pit has gained lifelink, being dealt 7 damage by it doesn’t cause your life total to change, even though you gain and lose life. If your life total is less than 7, you won’t lose the game.

If you control any other creatures as Lord of the Pit’s triggered ability resolves, you must sacrifice one. You can’t choose to be dealt 7 damage instead.

If you have two Lords of the Pit, you can sacrifice them to each other.

"The spread of evil's destruction shall always be matched by the rise of the noble fallen."

Luminous Angel

Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying into play.

Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may create a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.

Marble Diamond

Marble Diamond comes into play tapped.
{T}: Add {W} to your mana pool.

Marble Diamond enters tapped.
{T}: Add {W}.

Oni Possession

Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has trample.
Enchanted creature is a Demon Spirit.

"The landscape shimmered and I felt a chill breeze. When my vision cleared, I found myself alone among the corpses of my fallen friends."
—Journal found in Numai

Otherworldly Journey

Remove target creature from the game. At end of turn, return that card to play under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.

The creature comes back onto the battlefield as a new creature, with one +1/+1 counter on it (plus any other counters that it would normally enter with).

Any Aura attached to the creature is put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action. Equipment attached to the creature become unattached but remain on the battlefield.

If Otherworldly Journey is cast during an end step, the creature won't return until the beginning of the next end step.

Exile target creature. At the beginning of the next end step, return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.

Slow and steady may not always win the race, but at least it doesn't end up splattered on the walls.

Overeager Apprentice

Discard a card, Sacrifice Overeager Apprentice: Add {B}{B}{B} to your mana pool.

Discard a card, Sacrifice Overeager Apprentice: Add {B}{B}{B}.

Even those born to battle could only lay their blades at Akroma's feet.

Pacifism

Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block.

Plains

Promise of Power

Choose one — You draw five cards and you lose 5 life; or put a black Demon creature token with flying into play with power and toughness each equal to the number of cards in your hand as the token comes into play.
Entwine {4} (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)

The power/toughness of the token is set when this spell resolves.

If you pay the entwine cost, you draw five cards, then lose five life, then put the Demon token onto the battlefield. The five cards you draw count toward the Demon’s power and toughness.

The power and toughness of the Demon token are set when Promise of Power resolves. They’re unaffected if the number of cards in your hand changes later.

Choose one —
• You draw five cards and you lose 5 life.
• Create an X/X black Demon creature token with flying, where X is the number of cards in your hand.
Entwine {4} (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)

Reiver Demon

Flying
When Reiver Demon comes into play, if you played it from your hand, destroy all nonartifact, nonblack creatures. They can't be regenerated.

If a creature (such as Clone) enters the battlefield as a copy of this creature, the copy’s “enters-the-battlefield” ability will still trigger as long as you cast that creature spell from your hand.

Flying
When Reiver Demon enters, if you cast it from your hand, destroy all nonartifact, nonblack creatures. They can't be regenerated.

Reya Dawnbringer

Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to play.

Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.

"Until the world unites in vengeful fury and Phage is destroyed, I will not stay my hand."
—Akroma, angelic avenger

Righteous Cause

Whenever a creature attacks, you gain 1 life.

Secluded Steppe

Secluded Steppe comes into play tapped.
{T}: Add {W} to your mana pool.
Cycling {W} ({W}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Secluded Steppe enters tapped.
{T}: Add {W}.
Cycling {W} ({W}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

An angel's blessing prepares a soldier for war better than a thousand military drills.

Serra Advocate

Flying
{T}: Target attacking or blocking creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Her sword sings more beautifully than any choir.

Serra Angel

"The light of an angel's glance is warm, but her fixed stare blinds and burns."
—Calexis, deacon of the New Order of Serra

Serra's Boon

Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+2 as long as it's white. Otherwise, it gets -2/-1.

The touch of Serra's angels bears hopes aloft and empowers noble causes.

Serra's Embrace

Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying and vigilance.

"If one gets in your chimney, you're going to need a long wick and a barrel of bangstuff to get it out."
—Hob Heddil

Soot Imp

Flying
Whenever a player plays a nonblack spell, that player loses 1 life.

A hybrid spell that’s black and another color is *not* a nonblack spell. Since it’s black, it can’t be nonblack!

This ability affects all players, including you.

Flying
Whenever a player casts a nonblack spell, that player loses 1 life.

Souldrinker

Pay 3 life: Put a +1/+1 counter on Souldrinker.

Stinkweed Imp

Flying
Whenever Stinkweed Imp deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature.
Dredge 5 (If you would draw a card, instead you may put exactly five cards from the top of your library into your graveyard. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, draw a card.)

Notably, Stinkweed Imp's ability isn't deathtouch. It's a triggered ability that triggers only on combat damage.

Dredge can replace any card draw, not only the one during your draw step.

If an effect puts a card into your hand without specifically using the word "draw," you're not drawing a card. Dredge can't replace this event.

If you're drawing multiple cards, each draw is performed one at a time. For example, if you're instructed to draw two cards and you replace the first draw with a dredge ability, another card with a dredge ability (including one that was milled by the first dredge ability) may be used to replace the second draw.

Once you've announced that you're applying a card's dredge ability to replace a draw, players can't take any actions until you've put that card into your hand and milled cards.

Flying
Whenever Stinkweed Imp deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature.
Dredge 5 (If you would draw a card, you may mill five cards instead. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand.)

Card (62)	Type	^{$40.66 (79.51)} Price
Abyssal Gatekeeper - 2003	Creature	$0.15 ^(0.90)
Abyssal Specter - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Akroma, Angel of Wrath - 2003	Creature	$2.00 ^(5.50)
Angel of Mercy - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Angel's Feather - 2003	Artifact	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Angelic Benediction - 2003	Enchantment	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Angelic Page - 2003	Creature	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Angelic Protector - 2003	Creature	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Angelsong - 2003	Instant	$0.15 ^(0.17)
Barren Moor - 2003	Land	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Barter in Blood - 2003	Sorcery	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Breeding Pit - 2003	Enchantment	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Cackling Imp - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Charging Paladin - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Consume Spirit - 2003	Sorcery	$0.05 ^(0.05)
Corrupt - 2003	Sorcery	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Cruel Edict - 2003	Sorcery	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Daggerclaw Imp - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Dark Banishing - 2003	Instant	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Dark Ritual - 2003	Instant	$2.50 ^(4.50)
Demon's Horn - 2003	Artifact	$0.15 ^(0.15)
Demon's Jester - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Demonic Tutor - 2003	Sorcery	$30.00 ^(60.00)
Duress - 2003	Sorcery	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Dusk Imp - 2003	Creature	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Faith's Fetters - 2003	Enchantment	$0.00 ^(0.00)
Fallen Angel - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Foul Imp - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Healing Salve - 2003	Instant	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Icatian Priest - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Kuro, Pitlord - 2003	Creature	$0.08 ^(0.16)
Lord of the Pit - 2003	Creature	$0.10 ^(0.25)
Luminous Angel - 2003	Creature	$0.15 ^(0.30)
Marble Diamond - 2003	Artifact	$0.05 ^(0.00)
Oni Possession - 2003	Enchantment	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Otherworldly Journey - 2003	Instant	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Overeager Apprentice - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Pacifism - 2003	Enchantment	$0.05 ^(0.07)
Plains - 2003	Land	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Plains - 2003	Land	$0.15 ^(0.15)
Plains - 2003	Land	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Plains - 2003	Land	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Promise of Power - 2003	Sorcery	$0.15 ^(0.30)
Reiver Demon - 2003	Creature	$0.15 ^(0.25)
Reya Dawnbringer - 2003	Creature	$2.50 ^(3.00)
Righteous Cause - 2003	Enchantment	$0.15 ^(0.30)
Secluded Steppe - 2003	Land	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Serra Advocate - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.04)
Serra Angel - 2003	Creature	$0.02 ^(0.02)
Serra's Boon - 2003	Enchantment	$0.02 ^(0.04)

Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic