I wouldn't mind a turn-three (or even turn-two) 20/20 Marit Lage token courtesy of this and Dark Depths. Very cool card, and not a design space that we've seen in-depth before. 4/5
makochman
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Yeah, kill a planeswalker... or disable any enchantment of the Ascension/Expedition/Quest cycle... she's amazing, at the very least she's gonna be in every vampire deck's sideboard.
JosirisDavid
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Good-bye planeswalkers =)
Pantheon
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This is a crazy, flexible utility creature! Black is getting stronger and stronger. Nice how it's mana cost is to prevent it from being splashed in many decks.
Lestat13
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Good sideboard card good power mixed with first strike, and relevant creature type - also cheap so it's a great worker in any vampire deck.
sir_dwar
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
For that matter, goodbye any of the rare quests. This is amazing.
madformedusa
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This honey is the shiznit! Vampires FTW!
shiana
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(52 votes)
She can kill SORIN MARKOV. Maybe she's sorin's ex-girfriend.
Volcre
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This + Dark Depths...
Adren
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Here's something for ya... Bolas! She can kill NICOL BOLAS!!!
touchdown
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(7 votes)
Allies will hate this. She can deal first strike damage, then sac to remove the counters.
DominusNox
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Touchdown, she can't deal FS damage then sack. all damge, even FS damage, is done in an uninteruptible sequence.
Grimn777
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
Actually, DominusNox, Touchdown is right. She can absolutely deal first strike damage (assuming she doesn't die to something else's first strike damage) and then sac before regular combat damage is dealt. there is an intermediate step.
mkniffen
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(3 votes)
*** this, not only did wizards build the vampire deck for you, they also build your sideboard too. At least 5 color control was creative.
As an added bonus, she's a decently powered creature.
Evil_Tactics
★★☆☆☆ (2.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Another random thing she stops cold is Darksteel Reactor, and most of the modular creatures. She can also keep persist creatures alive if you wanted to.
A 2/1 firststrike body for 2 black, with the bonus ability to wipe out planeswalkers, 5/5.
Turn one play Forest, cast Sakura-Tribe Scout.
Turn two play Twilight Mire, tap for 2 black cast Vampire Hexmage.
Any time during your opponent's turn 2 you can tap the scout to instantly put Dark Depths into play, and instant sac Hexmage to bring out the 20/20 indestructible flyer to block a Darksteel Colossus even.
Turn three, attack with the 20/20 flyer.
Champion_Kitsune
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Just a beautiful card. She hoses planeswalkers, allies, the rare quests (since removing counters is part of the cost of cracking the common/uncommon ones, you can't respond by Hexmaging them), and makes Dark Depths more than just a casual Johnny card. Plus, she's a 2/1 first striker for BB in a color that rarely gets first strike. LOVE IT.
Gezus82
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(2 votes)
did the magic design team think about dark depths when they designed this card? there's the new tournament combo for you. indestructible 20/20 s on turn 2 wtf? THank god for path to exile
professornutbutter
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(8 votes)
I'd like to know if the artist Eric Deschamps had a model for this art, because that is one good lookin' bloodsucker. Is that weird to say? Feels weird... and I'm evidently the first one here to say it... so yeah I guess it's weird. Color me weird then I suppose.
GrimGorgonBC
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
With this card they have made mon black casual incedibly powerful. You would be a fool not to use this with dark depths,even if the token gets pathed,or boomeranged....they printed grim discovery in the same set.....this may have been done to push vamps big time....not only are the new vampire decks fast and deadly, but throwing out 20/20 fly/indest avatars T1--T3 is crazy awesome for my fav color.
AlexDu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wow! If you are a vintage player like myself, you are gonna fall in love for a short time and get real bored out of your skull with that hot little shorty (yes... she's gonna be in all your black decks because she's just that strong!! For those who are not convinced, you will be soon enough, no matter how stubborn you could be). She's the best thing that came out since "Power Artifact + Grim Monolith", Tinker or Channel to my opinion. Allright, I'm not gonna say anything that has'nt been said yet so, here goes:
1. Dark Depths is a land, so it comes in free and Vampire Hexmage is 2 black mana to cast and her ability does'nt require her to tap which makes it avoid the "summoning sickness" rule in regards to her ability. Now, that's some pretty cheap explosive material and everybody knows that.
2. Next, you are going to create an explosive device to make this 20/20 bomb material explode on turn one... See where I'm getting at? Fling will do the trick! Soul's fire will keep the flames alive... But my favorite, like the Hulk, is to absorb the nucklear bomb's radiations as you cast Rite of Consumption!!!
...Come to think of it... Lightning greaves is the best choice... PERIOD (it's not as flashy though!)
3. Last but not least... We need a detonator! Something that can harnest enough energy to trigger it off. You will only need 4 or 5 mana without a land to make the "Marit Lage Nuke Bomb" happen... Too easy if you own a Black lotus, a sol ring, moxens (including diamond) and lotus petal to name a few. You might need to throw in a dark ritual or a seething song to give it the extra boost depending on your budget. A fastbond or an exploration could solve the "land" issue if you decide to play with a Green/Black deck full of rancors and berserks (overrun if you are poor and Garuk if you are flashy)... :P
Voila!! Your own wonderfull Nuke bomb on turn one! ... Just hope your apponent does'nt pop out a Force of Will or a Mindbreak Trap to ruin your fun!
Cheers!
Batstewart
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Love having this on the field when my opponent has Eternity Vessel out. Especially when they forget about her and activate its Landfall ability.
Laguz
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(11 votes)
A 2 power first striker for two would be good enough on its own, especially with the vampire creature type. Throw in an unimaginably useful utility and you've got an obvious winner. 4.5/5
ClowWizardEriol
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I think this works on suspended cards, since the Exiled zone is a game zone.
In any case, this will cause the metagame to change and make opponents stock counter ability or Meddling Mage type cards.
PhagePoker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This won't work on suspended cards because they're not permanents yet, but still, awesome card.
nineyears
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
dude BB mana cost for a 2/1 first strike vampire that can be sac to destroy a planeswalker. no bad at all.
AbyssalManZero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Vampires are quickly becoming Black's greatest strength!
As for the combo of VAMPIRE HEXMAGE and DARK DEPTHS omg! That was a mistake.... All the sudden type 1 doesn't feel like an appealing game play type lol.
Demonic_Angel13
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kill a planeswalker or stop a pesky Mycoloth from generating tokens for only two black. I love using its abillity to prevent a planeswalker from unleashing hell. Crazy good.
Annorak
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Can Vampire Hexmage target a Suspended card? such as Phthisis?
Quang
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(7 votes)
Bella is Vampire Hexmage and Edward Cullen is Markov Sorin rofl xD
... exiled cards are damn sure not permanents... no reality strobe love for you. so much exploitation, still.
dchamber26
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Vampire Hexmage + Dark Depths, then play Grim Discovery to bring them back.
Teakon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I don't believe you can deal damage then sacrifice because damage is no longer on the stack. Once combat damage is being done you can't stop it, even with dealing damage first.
Gaussgoat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The more I see this card in action, the better it gets. It is so flexible; kills planeswalkers, accelerates counters, clears enemy counters on quests, etc.... crazy.
The fact that she is a 2/1 first strike vampire for only 2 is exceptional.
5/5
krazypunk1018
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i got a question...can she be used against the level creatures coming out in RoE? i mean the level creatures do say put a level counter, hence the counter part.
MadHermit
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Wow!
2/1 first-striker for 2=awsome
double black: not soo good....
wait! it can kill planeswalkers!
and neutralize quests!
and send level-uppers back to square one!
a griefer card.
PaladinOfSunhome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This card is so strong in any block which deals with counters (i.e Time Spiral, Zendikar). If they had not changed the rules a while ago saying how you can't sacrifice creatures inresponce to going to the graveyard, then this would be broken.
4.5
Bluehero
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
An efficient creature plus a fun ability that kills planeswalkers, combos with dark depths, and who knows what else. A cool card overall!
Ezenthar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Probably the best way to deal with Jace the Mind Sculptor
Sorin__Markov
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I think this can be very overestimated, especially against jund. I mean a spawning breath can kill this thing. The thing is, with a dec kthat doesnt run planeswalkers, late game, this card is absolutly uselss. I run 3 of her and 4 of child of night. At least the child will gain some life as a late game chump blocker.
Ladnarud
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Wow, this is the kind of overpowered vampire/black crap that zendikar will forever be known for.
2 mana for a 2/1 with first strike is already a good deal. Add a free "Destroy target Planeswalker" effect, and you've just broken the entire game.
springles
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
how does this kill plainswalkers if they can't be targeted?
Enchantment_Removal
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If it sits on the board and people do stuff with it, then its a permanent. Hexmage's ability targets any permanent.
Why did they give Hexmage First Strike? If they're tacking on random abilities, why didn't they give it Flash and Protection from White? If they're tacking on random abilities, Rhox Meditant could use one a lot more than a creature that already belongs to a powered-up tribe. We're basically being told what to play (if we want to win).
persecutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is an obvious Vampire staple. Kills planeswalkers, allies and quests. Not to mention a 2/1 first striker for
sancrosact
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Let me clarify that question: if there are no creatures in play with any counters on them, can hexmage still be sac'd?
Serberus_08
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If its no6t in a vamp deck then its gotta be sideboarded
MiniWraith
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(17 votes)
Who cares about the abilities ? Just look at those boo....I mean artwork !
InternetNinjacy
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Seriously, pound for pound this is one of the best cards in black I've seen in a while that wasn't totally broken. Unless you have absolutely no use for counter removal. Then it's still a great card, just not awesome.
First 5/5 I've ever rated.
Boday1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Amazing artwork, amazing body, and possibly the best ability in limited. 5/5
Chrome_Coyote
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Dear Vampire Hexmage: Thank you for causing my Dark Depths to soar in value. Vampires FTW! Now my Sengir Vampires have friends to play with! Awesome artwork, too!
RazzmatazzTheGreat
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(5 votes)
The fact that it has First Strike makes it quite useful beyond just killing Planeswalkers. Slap an equipment on and swing away, then sac when she's spent.
Nagoragama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Anything that kills planeswalkers is alright in my book.
Even better because it can do other useful things as well.
BegleOne
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Reminds me of Floor Jansen, in terms of sex appeal, aesthetics and power. HOT.
Tommy9898
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
To bad it doesn't target players too. Then it would have great cross block synergy with poison counters.
Carnophage_4ever
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kills planeswalkers, weakens Allies, pops out Marit Lage on turn 2, and can bring a lot of Susepended spells to play way before they should. First strike and a vampire on top of that. What more can you possibly want for BB?
RPJesuzz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
5/5 for a planeswalker killer, AND the ability to unlock dark depths turn three. 100% Dangerous
Anggul
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
2 mana for a 2/1 first strike vampire is pretty good anyway, but the ability is so useful in so many situations. Level-ups, planeswalkers, pseudo-level-ups such as Sphinx of Magosi, Protean Hydra, and many others all screwed over spectacularly!
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pros: Art is. . . um. . . artful. First strike places her on par with Black Knight. She's a vamp. Nocturnus is a great combo with all vamps. She murders walkers. Nuff said.
rinoh20 what no broken first or secant turn combos?
Angry_Puppy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The card does not place itself on the battlefield and win the game for me while I'm watching TV. .5/5 for making me perform the physically exhausting motion of drawing it, then placing it into play.
rinoh20
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(14 votes)
they should have a from the vaults: combos
MyrBattlecube
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(8 votes)
@ratchet1215 How about turn 1?
Play the Depths, Lotus Petal or some other free way to add B to your mana pool, Dark Ritual, Hexmage, sacrifice.
Congratulations. You now have a game ender on the first turn. Heck, if you use that leftover B on Sol Ring and tap that for a Lightning Greaves and attack for game.
SIlverSkyz
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Oh, those are bugs... WHAT THE HELL MAN!
MatsuzoSF
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Whoops, don't know why I thought that. Stupid moment right there. Carry on.
This is badass. Not only combos with many things but can actually get rid of planeswalkers (loyalty COUNTERS :S)
Above that, it's a 2/1 first striker vampire shaman for BB. Not bad under any point of view.
TherealphatMatt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card. GREAT utility effect, and when that's not useful, a 2/1 first strike for , and a vampire? I'll take at least three. And when that utility effect does need to go boom, ho boy, does it go BOOM. Why, that's a nice Planeswalker you have there. Shame to see it die immediately. And shut downs a lot of combos that rely on counters.
Condor_96
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm not sure they could make a more johnny card if they tried.
igniteice
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I've yet to kill a planeswalker with this, but I still run it. It comes out early and first strike helps keep it alive on offense or defense. Great card.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Any medicinally trained person can tell she has Smallpox.
H.R.Pufnsting
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So many uses, easily a 5.
Arachnos
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
I like to call her Vampire HAXmage. Few cards have abilities that at first sound so specific, but are actually so versatile. She doesn't even need to tap to activate her ability, so summoning sickness doesn't hold her back.
Crack open Dark Depths for a 20/20 indestructible flyer on turn 2 or less? Hell yeah!
Strip Mycoloth or any other +1/+1 counter-based creature naked? Hell yeah!
Kill a Modular on the spot without letting him buff others? Hell yeah!
Distrupt Myojins with divinity counters? Hell yeah!
Reset age counters on cumulative upkeep? Hell yeah!
Blow away quest counters from Ascension enchantments? Hell yeah!
Slaughter planeswalkers for (B)(B)? Hell to the yeah!
Also, she's a 2/1 first strike, so she handles herself in combat fairly well for a turn 2 drop with an amazing ability.
Also, if that counts for something, she's fairly hot. You know, if you can look past the bugs squirming all over her, or maybe if you're into that sort of things.
veracusse
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Played in a deck vs. a deck with many planeswalkers, easily she was a win condition for me. 5/5 for her great utility.
Honestly, before tonight I didn't think much of her, but now she has gone way up on my list of good cards.
Cygore
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Easily a 5/5. It combos with so many things, for example: Etched Monstrosity and Dark Depths. Now, it also is instant removal for Planeswalkers, or even getting poison/wither/-1 counters off creatures you need. It doesn't end here either, in vampire tribals, she is epic. A two drop 2/1 with first strike is good anyways, especially getting bosuses from Captivating Vampire, Vampire Nocturnus, and Bloodline Keeper. Her ability doesn't make her tap or cost anything so it can be used right away. Such a good card. The only downside is the bb cost. I've had to adjust entire mana-scapes just to be sure to always be able to get her out in decks she's in-but it's always worth it :)
Removing loyalty =/= killing planeswalkers. They just bounce the hell away from the plane. In Hexmage's case, it would probably be something akin to convincing the planeswalker that they shouldn't follow the player's orders anymore.
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
In game format, however...
azure_drake222222
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
▁▁ / \ / COM \ \ BO / \ / ▔▔
Zefyrus
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Nice rack. (Sorry, I had to)
Pick15
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
At the prerelease, my opponent played an Eternity Vessel, to which I then played this lovely girl. He played a land and put the trigger on the stack, to which I promptly responded with the sacrifice. Luckily, neither of us knew about the 'you may', because that would make this story much less funny.
Comments (95)
As an added bonus, she's a decently powered creature.
A 2/1 firststrike body for 2 black, with the bonus ability to wipe out planeswalkers, 5/5.
Turn one play Forest, cast Sakura-Tribe Scout.
Turn two play Twilight Mire, tap for 2 black cast Vampire Hexmage.
Any time during your opponent's turn 2 you can tap the scout to instantly put Dark Depths into play, and instant sac Hexmage to bring out the 20/20 indestructible flyer to block a Darksteel Colossus even.
Turn three, attack with the 20/20 flyer.
1. Dark Depths is a land, so it comes in free and Vampire Hexmage is 2 black mana to cast and her ability does'nt require her to tap which makes it avoid the "summoning sickness" rule in regards to her ability. Now, that's some pretty cheap explosive material and everybody knows that.
2. Next, you are going to create an explosive device to make this 20/20 bomb material explode on turn one... See where I'm getting at? Fling will do the trick! Soul's fire will keep the flames alive... But my favorite, like the Hulk, is to absorb the nucklear bomb's radiations as you cast Rite of Consumption!!!
...Come to think of it... Lightning greaves is the best choice... PERIOD (it's not as flashy though!)
3. Last but not least... We need a detonator! Something that can harnest enough energy to trigger it off. You will only need 4 or 5 mana without a land to make the "Marit Lage Nuke Bomb" happen... Too easy if you own a Black lotus, a sol ring, moxens (including diamond) and lotus petal to name a few. You might need to throw in a dark ritual or a seething song to give it the extra boost depending on your budget. A fastbond or an exploration could solve the "land" issue if you decide to play with a Green/Black deck full of rancors and berserks (overrun if you are poor and Garuk if you are flashy)... :P
Voila!! Your own wonderfull Nuke bomb on turn one! ... Just hope your apponent does'nt pop out a Force of Will or a Mindbreak Trap to ruin your fun!
Cheers!
In any case, this will cause the metagame to change and make opponents stock counter ability or Meddling Mage type cards.
As for the combo of VAMPIRE HEXMAGE and DARK DEPTHS omg! That was a mistake.... All the sudden type 1 doesn't feel like an appealing game play type lol.
The fact that she is a 2/1 first strike vampire for only 2 is exceptional.
5/5
2/1 first-striker for 2=awsome
double black: not soo good....
wait! it can kill planeswalkers!
and neutralize quests!
and send level-uppers back to square one!
a griefer card.
4.5
2 mana for a 2/1 with first strike is already a good deal. Add a free "Destroy target Planeswalker" effect, and you've just broken the entire game.
Why did they give Hexmage First Strike? If they're tacking on random abilities, why didn't they give it Flash and Protection from White?
If they're tacking on random abilities, Rhox Meditant could use one a lot more than a creature that already belongs to a powered-up tribe. We're basically being told what to play (if we want to win).
First 5/5 I've ever rated.
Even better because it can do other useful things as well.
First strike places her on par with Black Knight.
She's a vamp. Nocturnus is a great combo with all vamps.
She murders walkers. Nuff said.
Play the Depths, Lotus Petal or some other free way to add B to your mana pool, Dark Ritual, Hexmage, sacrifice.
Congratulations. You now have a game ender on the first turn. Heck, if you use that leftover B on Sol Ring and tap that for a Lightning Greaves and attack for game.
WHAT THE HELL MAN!
Above that, it's a 2/1 first striker vampire shaman for BB. Not bad under any point of view.
Crack open Dark Depths for a 20/20 indestructible flyer on turn 2 or less? Hell yeah!
Strip Mycoloth or any other +1/+1 counter-based creature naked? Hell yeah!
Kill a Modular on the spot without letting him buff others? Hell yeah!
Distrupt Myojins with divinity counters? Hell yeah!
Reset age counters on cumulative upkeep? Hell yeah!
Blow away quest counters from Ascension enchantments? Hell yeah!
Set back a Helix Pinnacle or a Darksteel Reactor? Hell yeah!
Slaughter planeswalkers for (B)(B)? Hell to the yeah!
Also, she's a 2/1 first strike, so she handles herself in combat fairly well for a turn 2 drop with an amazing ability.
Also, if that counts for something, she's fairly hot. You know, if you can look past the bugs squirming all over her, or maybe if you're into that sort of things.
Honestly, before tonight I didn't think much of her, but now she has gone way up on my list of good cards.
just to be a jerk start with Leyline of Punishment
turn 1: Mountain
turn 2: Mountain
turn 3: Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Vampire Hexmage
turn 4: Dark Depths, Sac VH for Marit Lage then Fling Marit Lage
C-c-c-c-counterspell
/ \
/ COM \
\ BO /
\ /
▔▔
He played a land and put the trigger on the stack, to which I promptly responded with the sacrifice. Luckily, neither of us knew about the 'you may', because that would make this story much less funny.
Turn 1: Swamp, Dark Ritual, Exile Elvish Spirit Guide from hand, Vampire Hexmage, Explore, Dark Depths, sac Hexmage.
Turn 2: Swing for game with Marit Lage
You MAY..... and he DID. It was too late when he decided he would add it to the stack.
This concludes the list of things that are bad about this card.
Same. I searched for gatherer's top rated first strikers and saw this and was like wtf? And she even has 2 power.