Pretty good representation of one of black's core flavor aspects. It's all about risk. You bring him out on turn three or even earlier, you have a gigantic, terrifying threat that will end the game in no time. If he gets Pathed, you just lost all your creatures and took a 6-life hit. Is it worth it? I think so. So he gets Pathed every once in a while and you lose. So what? If he survives, you win, most likely. Talk about a fun card.
jonboyjon
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(9 votes)
@Temple Garden
You're right about the removal - but the Mythic Rarity on this card is more to do with keeping him rarer in limited .....plus he's just BADASS!
HairlessThoctar
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This WILL see play. All things with alternate costs are very very good, even if they're not.
GruesomeGoo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think the steep price is easiliy worth it to be able to rip almost half of my opponent's life out in one blow with this anti-Doomblade monstrosity.
Andon_A
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(4 votes)
If you have this, a Dark Ritual, a Swamp, and 3 1-mana black creatures in your opening hand, you can get this guy out first turn. A deck built around that would be rather nasty. Granted, there are still things such as Path to Exile or, since we're using the Dark Ritual, Force of Will and the like, but a 9/9 trample flyer first turn is nothing to scoff at.
LTJZamboni
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Should have had Blample
VirtueVsVice
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Temple_Garden
Um, same as pretty much any card, right? That includes Baneslayer. Except that DoDG is {B}, making him impervious to much {B} removal at least.
You have to remember, even if removal is used on DoDG, that means that there's one less removal spell to use on any of your other creatures (although, admittedly, you lose not only the demon, but also three other {B} creatures and six life). Duress could possibly be used to thin any would-be removal in your opponent's hand?
Wratharrow
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
ye know.... uhm.... ... uhhh..... just... ... great card.... really... just... great... badas$... the alternate cost to cast this spell makes it one of the mascots of classic MTG black's theme.
Kryptnyt
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(9 votes)
Flying and Trample should be combined into the new Keyword Frampleand the reminder text should be This creature is badass and dies to duh
akantor
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
i wanna run this so bad in a mono black aggro deck but dark tutelage wont let me:(
He so screams, build your deck around me! Plus if you dont have him in your opening hand, your beetles can win it for you. A dream hand would be t1 lacerator, t2 skellytons, t3 drop beetles, any other 1 drop, and duress, then summon your demon and pump your beetles. True you could have gotten him out on t2, but its safer to duress right before you drop him. Another good combo is chump block with your skellytons, then sac then before combat damage is dealt with seer to pump up your beetle for a card and creature atv. Remeber to Duress to remove a removal before you summon him if you have one. Dont sit on duress in your hand and have him get blasted. Also, if you have DoDG in your hand with Duress, dont drop Duress t1, wait until right before you summon him. You got to many other one drops for that and they could always draw a removal away from DoDG. Disemtomb works nicely to get him back if they do take him out, and you can get 3 more creatures easy. With the tutors it ups your chances from 4 cards to 7, plus 3 sign in bloods to help you draw either, and it gos nicley with his cost. Tutor him right onto the field. The one Corrupt is our trump card, and if you draw either that or a tutor when the game gos into extra innings it could win it for you. Not to mention the minimum life you get from corrupt is 6 in this deck, and it can completly negate the casting cost of this beast. Besides the 4 mythics, this deck is cheap and affordable and very fun to play. Im liking the sacrificial black back in standard. Good playing and have fun!
Tobinator
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(8 votes)
very very black. I love the flavor, but would never run it, too big of a risk :P
watched someone cheat this in at the pre-release and get it act of treasoned and flinged back at them.
it was a glorious play.
CJM2
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I imagine if you have Sun Titan out, you don't really need this guy, but it would make for a nice combo.
18scsc
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
OENOTHOPTER , phrexian waler preiest of gixs and dark rituals
UltimaCenturion
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(7 votes)
@Temple_Garden JUST LIKE ALMOST EVERY SINGLE GOOD CREATURE OUT THERE. But this is black, which runs graveyard recursion, and loves sacrificing and paying life, as well as being impervious to half the removal out there. That he can be killed by some removal cards means those removal cards are really good, not the he is really terrible. (In fact, the removal cards are made all the more great by his greatness.)
Ah. At last they printed a playable demon.
*Gets playset*
Guest2097890101
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I think this card is AWESOME!!!! It allows for a potential (albeit an ungodly amount of luck) 2nd turn win. In Standard!! Turn 1) Forest bird of paradise Turn 2) Tap bird for blue mana-> tome scour yourself and hopefully you get 3 Bloodghasts Play a Scalding Tarn or a Arid Mesa to return the 3 Bloodghasts to play. Sac them and the life to play the demon leaving you a 14 Pay the life and dig out a mountain, bringing the Bloodghasts back into play! Do it again leaving you at 7. But we're talking demons here...of course there are risks involved. Use the Mountain to play a Burst of Speed and Good Game my friend. Good game.
Sure they COULD do something about it. But that's assuming they didn't play anything on their 1st or 2nd turn. Even Still it is a 9/9 flier with trample. But even still...on YOUR 2nd turn, this is nasty...if not ridiculously hard to pull off...assuming ever. Just saying. I like combos and this is a nice one.
Jonnythekid107
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I believe my trading away Abyssal Persecutor has been justified, as long as I can get my hands on a couple of these, because honestly? I'd much rather pay this "steep" price than be unable to win. Still. I might have to get another Abyssal P, just to play both him and this guy in the same deck, and use Abyssal P as one of the sacrifices for this guy.
SorianSadaskan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Like most Demons, the price for playing him always have something to do with gambling your life. Whether you can use it well depends on your intuition and tactics.
LiXinjian
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best part about this demon's alternative cost is that you can leave mana open to protect him and still cast him in the early turns of the game.
i play him in my vamp.deck..
and if u control Kalastria Highborn and two Bloodghast this creature only cost ur kalastria and u can make ur oponent pay for u..drain back ur loss life with kalastria abbility and drop a land to back ur bloodghast..
in earlier game..only need to sac 3 little vamps (Lacerator,guul dras,bloodghast)
This guy is full of flavour and I love it. I'm a casual only player and would play this just for the look on my opponent's face, and so they could laugh at my face if they exile or confiscate it. Demons are supposed to involve risk and who wants to play a game that is 100% predictable?
WaffleCop
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(8 votes)
Represents black perfectly: making sacrifices for power.
Eved
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(27 votes)
-Design Team-
Member1- I have an Idea for a new demon.
Member2- We're not going to make a Demon version of Baneslayer Angel.
Member1- No, no, not making that mistake again. Besides, we're already reprinting Baneslayer. I was just going to suggest a 9/9 for 9cmc that has flying, trample, no drawbacks, and an alternative cost so people can cheat him into play as early as turn one.
Member2- ...fine, but make it mythic and give it some kickass art.
cloneffect
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(6 votes)
Very cool, but not really all that useful in today's metagame. He gets mana leaked? Oh, great, goodbye your board position and a bunch of your life. Aether adept? Into the roil? Jace the mind sculptor's unsummon? Go, on do it again. I dare you. I dare you to guess that I don't have another bounce spell. Please. Anyone seriously tries to run this in type 2 constructed, I will laugh.
That's not to deny the cool mythic factor though, because this is very flavourfull and very awesome.
jsmith87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@NeoSin...No one wants to think anymore when comes to constructing decks. Most players want the quick kill decks. They believe that any deck that takes longer than four turns to win a game is TOO long.
NeoSin
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(7 votes)
Reassembling Skeletons, Bloodghast...and with Shard Rotating Condemn will be the new removal for a bit..I dont see why people dont see the potential. Oh no, hes at the bottom of my Library. Diabolic Tutor, Liliana Vess, can get him right back! THINK PEOPLE!
Put the deck together, it struggles with white (Path to Exile), but in all it isnt TERRIBLE. Tournament worhty? Probably not. Massive fun in casual? Heck yes!
n00bmag1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I never thought I'd say this, but this makes Baneslayer Angel look like Serra Angel.
This comes out just fine 2nd turn in a standard black deck, or 3rd turn with mana leak protection in black/blue. Ugh.
TraRobins
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
me: what do i do with this
Demon of deaths gate: play me with abyssal prosecutor
me: okay
demon of deaths gate: now use quag sickness on abyssal prosecutor
me: okay
demon of deaths gate: now sell me your soul
me: no. i will not sell myself to pure epicness
U-caster
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Psssssst...you should play that titan thingy there...then pay 6 life and sac them to get me on the field...*EDIT One of my friends suggested playing this card with reassembling skeletons. Its simple, yet elegant.
MrBarrelRoll
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(24 votes)
In a mock draft, on turn 2: Me: Play these 2 1-drops, sac all 3 for my Demon of Death's Gate! *maniacal laughter* Them: End of turn, Unsummon. Me: *SADDEST PANDA*
Jake1991
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Worried about removal? Use Duress and other one-drop discard spells to make your demon nice and safe :)
allmighty_abacus
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I'd love to see someone respond with plummet after this guy came into play via his alternate cost.
Athinor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm hoping 2 of these Demons puts some much needed kick into my Vampire build. I like this card because whatever the original theme of the black deck, this demon adds a new and simple strategy of last resort. Whispersilk Cloak seems a good choice in a deck with the Demon of Death's Gate.
Chrome_Coyote
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I remember when I thought Lord of the Pit was the best. Stupid power creep. I'm getting old.
darkhissatsu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not of this world. . . nuff said.
LarsBM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So awesome art...
brownkidd
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(6 votes)
Pulled a foil version of this dude from a booster the other day. He'll be perfect for my new black deck!
Swamp, Dark ritual, three one drop black creatures, demon of death's gate, tainted strike 1. Swamp 2. Dark ritual 3. drop three creatures 4. play demon 5. swing with a 10/9 flying trample infect on turn 2 (dead) 6. Laugh
Pros: Make opponent very angry Weaknesses Unsummon, counter, and almost anything else blue. Also a chump blocker with flying could ruin the whole 10 poison idea, therefore hope for another tainted strike or equip with grafted exoskeleton later.
All you need is seven cards really and you have a magic hand that kills on turn 2 unless countered or removed, then you finished.
Great card anyway
Kindulas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
i thought tounament players were obsessed with getting things out early, why is this card not like $100!?
ChampionofSquee
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
yeah he would be so much easier to get out if Dark Ritual were in standard. Drop 3 meaningless 1/1's and then get this guy out. I run him in my vamp deck though. Kalastria Highborn with him reads, Sac 3 vamps, pay BBB, get a 9/9 flying trampler, target opponent loses 6 life. It takes a few more turns to get him out than it would normally, but i think it's worth it.
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
dies to removal? Just duress or mind sludge before you cast him. That's black's version of counter spells, always run a few.
rinoh20
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
menonites and onmithropters ftw
Stray_Dog
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
NEIN NEIN NEIN
Andromeiylochk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I imagine casting Duress before using his sac ability can be really, really nice.
Dragon23
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled him in 2 drafts going B and B/U, respectively. Never saw play once, either by them ruining my creatures or just from the lack of him actually being in hand at the right time. Fun card, yes. Worth printing in my mind?... Nope. May be the Spike part of me saying that, but really....
Pokeher
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have pulled this out on a booster during a draft. Foiled.. Oh yeah.. I was thinking about the same problem as you: how to keep it alive? or even how to make sure it makes it to the game. Well I have my own ways to solve the problem. I have got a blue-black pack right now. 1) Save mana and get it into game by alternative cost. If opponents try to counter it, or afterwards control it: Negate or Cancel
2) If they manage to get it into my graveyard, it won't stay there for long: Rise from the grave, Gravedigger, Dead reckoning (my favorite. You can get 9 damages to opponent who got it into agraveyard) or one of my three Disentomb
Any questions, my opponents?
metalmisty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If I unearth 3 monsters and sac them using this do they go back to the graveyard? or exile
Robert_G
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
A very underated card that is finally starting to see some respect. Every standard vampire deck in the worlds tournament this past weekend sideboarded this...the price is going back up too.
It blew me away at the release of M11 that people snubbed this card. I was able to pick up my playset of 4 for $6. If you want a playset now, you're looking at 20 bucks from CF. I think the price may continue to go up too. How many 9/9 flying trample creatures can you get on the table at turn 2 in STANDARD? I believe that DODG is the only one. People need to start thinking outside of Titans and Jace realizing there are other cards that can win tournaments too.
steez4days
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
3 creatures... 6 life... 666?
Morppi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Costly, but you could theoretically run this baby in any deck that has 3 Nim Deathmantles, as they make their wielders black. Adding insult to injury, they wouldn't even let the sacrificed creatures die. :D
xsuperdude18x
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Turn one: swamp, dark ritual, 3 1/1's, sac, demon of deaths gate... i love this card
Toversnol
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
There are just too many ways that this fatty comes back in your own face... each possible removal is gonna be: 6 Life + 4 Cards away for 1 removal spell. or something worse, you run into a Mark of Mutiny/Act of Treason + Viscera Seer.
Cancel or Mana Leak do just the same great job to ruin your day when playing this.
How awesome this guy looks, most of the time your opponent just wins after you playing it.
Maybe a sidebord card vs Eldrazi, or some Green Beatdown deck. *and pray they dont play plumment!*
Demonic_Math_Tutor
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Awesome! YEAH DEMONS!
Totobean
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
So with Mirrodin Besieged out soon, I'm gonna be making an awesome deck with this guy to get him out on turn two often enough to make it worth it.
Starting Hand: 3 Flayer Husk(these besieged cards are what make this shine), 1 Demon of Death's Gate, 2 land, other (cards can be made up slightly by drawing, which will make this more possible)
Turn 1: land, Flayer Husk. Turn 2: land, 2 more Flayer Husk, pull out your pretty new demon by sacing the 0/0 germs and paying 6 life. Turn 3: land, equip a Flayer Husk to Demon of Death's Gate, swing for 10 in the air. Turn 4: land, equip the other two Flayer Husks to him, swing for 12 in the air. victory unless trampling over fliers first. Turn 5: victory.
Obviously, he is vulnerable to white or blue removal, but even if you only get him to survive for one swing it is worth it.
DacenOctavio
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Probably the coolest abuse of Bloodghast I've ever seen.
@Artan: riiight .. dunno what I was thinking there..
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
On magiccards.info on 4/10/2011, a high quality version of this costs $6.66! Kreappy!
Gahoojin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love playing this on turn one (even though It gives my opponent the chance to 5 for 1 me)
theakuoverlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this guy + dark ritual + 3 deathgreeter. no life lost tainted strike turn 2 win :P
Jokergius
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
@Temple_Garden Oh, BOO~HOO, REMOVAL... EVERYTHING (and I do mean, EVERYTHING) will die to removal. HELL, PROGENITUS dies to Wrath of God/ Day of Judgement, Big ol' Darksteel Colossus, being the indestructible bully he is, can be Oblivion Ringed or (name exiling card here), Shrouded creatures (i.e. Sphinx of Jwar Isle) ALSO dies to Day of J, and so on, and so on, and so on. And DON'T get me started with "being countered..." d-_-b
Besides, it IS black. Things DIE in Black. It is its nature. Move along.
ClockworkSwordfish
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've said it before and I'll say it again; good black creatures are GOOD. Second only to green.
Paleopaladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(3 votes)
About a 2.5/5--especially considering that he's a mythic. Might be good to sideboard if facing mono-red, but white removal (and Pacifism), green flyer-hate, blue bounce/counter, and even some black removal (Go for the Throat) mean that this guy can often cost you the game. I'm not saying it's a knock on a creature that it dies to removal and is vulnerable to bounce, but only if it creates horrible card disadvantage in the process--as this does.
Fun and flavorful, but the alt cost for this is a tactical abortion. Like the fans of Lord of Tresserhorn who got all butt-hurt about me bashing it, don't get me wrong, it is "cool," but "cool" really doesn't cut it.
That's one of the saddest things in MtG--that cards that are fun, flavorful, or have awesome art are so often basically unplayable. Would have been bad-ass and still not OP if they'd given him haste and split second (neither of these abilities are unprecedented for black) and powered him down to 8/7.
jkt3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is classic Black embodied. Sure, it isn't the single best card ever printed, but that's no reason to knock it. It is an extremely flavorful cards for sure. It's really viable too, especially early game. Just because you wouldn't use its alternate cost halfway through the game doesn't make it a bad card.
EpicBroccoli
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(4 votes)
I'm thinking this guy is excellent in the sideboard especially when you know your opponent only uses removal in the form of Dismember or Lightning Bolt. It's considerably worse atm due to all the Into the Roil's running around.
Orenjipinku
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Bad-A looking card, bad-A stats too. Sure he's vulnerable to spells, but if your so worried about it, just give him a Darksteel Plate, or protection from that color. I'd say he's probably worth it 90% of the time.
JackofAntioch
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(6 votes)
I love that half the comments go to the tune of "2.5/5, dies to removal, unplayable"
It's true you know. This format has no place for a 9/9 trampling flyer for 0. Yeah, I know that's kind of cool, but it's just not enough. Perhaps if he was completely uncounterable, then he would be worth the 0.
T1: Swamp, Dark Ritual, three black creatures each costing 1 mana, sac them for this.
I remember when black cards weren't so OP like they are today. Demons revolved around ogres. That was cool. Now you can play a Lord of the pit mimic on turn 4. That's just ridiculous.
Aun
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Thats what happens when a Painters Servant and two Ornithopters have a threesome.
Three_Toe
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
he looks so small in the art for a 9/9
ironic_lettuce
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I only ever play casual and this card is just so much fun to play in that format! You never know whether or not it's going to blow up in your face, but when it does go right, it goes sooooooo right! :D First two games I played with him in my deck I managed to get him out in first 3 turns. Lost the first one, won the second, but loved managing to get him out so early both times :D As others have already said, it combos so well with other cards as well :)
Love this card to pieces!! :)
Aaoam5
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
You can use this guy to some great effects in the standard metagame right now. Combine him with Nim Deathmantle and watch your opponent suffer. In a good vamp deck, you could swing with three guys on turn 4, drop him, and have enough mana left to deathmantle if necessary. Plus, you'd actually WANT him deathmantled, as an 11/11 flyer tramply unabled to be blocked by that annoying 3/3 hawk with a sword is awesome. Talk about a clock.
JFM2796
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
they need to make more Demons like this with alternate costs rather than absurd drawbacks.
Cheza
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
A new Delraich. It get's closer to the black 'vibe' than most of the usual black cards. However I don't understand why you have to sacrifice black creatures. Are demons so specific... no damsels appreciated?
By the way, I think a sorcery would be great. Instead of a demon, you can search your library (or cards outside the game) for a demon card an cast it without paying the mana cost. That spell forces you to sacrifice 3 creatures.
Edit: I wouldn't try any turn 1 thing, but in my opinion, it's one of the best black Demons. Sadly, he wasn't reprinted and sadly, there wasn't any black demon with in it's cost in New Phyrexia. But what I really miss in black are mana-producing 1-drops. They wouldn't make him better, but it would feel great to tap some of them, add the mana and then cast a demon that has a sacrifice cost when he comes into play.
To make this card a bit better, I would suggest the following:
"Name it!" Instant Counter target spell unless its controller pays half of his or her life, rounded up.
DarthParallax
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
You may also attack with Kaalia of the Vast and play Demon of Death's Gate without paying it's mana cost. PS it gets haste just for lolz
Gatsumon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This and Rune-Scarred Demon are tied for my favorite demons in Magic. Rune-Scarred has better artwork imo, along with being a no draw back demon. But this one is the personification of black pretty much. Black is suppose to be about using everything, including your own life and creatures, in order to win. This card embodies that perfectly.
You can't sac white solider tokens, you must sac black creatures.
Zorgrath
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This and three Memnites (Or similar) turn one 9/9 Flying, Trample.
blurrymadness
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
A very cool card. Style points up the yin yang. Awesome art, flavorful, a "drawback" that no one sees as a draw back! Very great way to print demons. I think they deserve drawbacks but the ability to slam into people like a ton of bricks. Well done DoDG...
SgtSwaggr
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Swamp Dark Ritual Three 1 drop black creatures of your choice Turn 1 Demon of Deaths Gate
Best bet is to drop him fourth turn with Sengir Autocrat tokens, then immediately equip with Lightning Greaves. Demon of Death's Gate is a huge investment and requires protecting as such, it's far too tempting a target for removal (puts your opponent massively ahead due to the three creatures and 6 life you paid) or even just bounce (turn 1 combos get foiled by Unsummon or even Silent Departure!). Against a prepared opponent, this is best used as a consistent threat: "Tap out ever and this thing is really going to ruin your day". Being able to cast it for free means you can cast whatever else you like. If they counterspell it, down comes the Demon!
@SgtSwagger: Opponent hits it with Unsummon. Sadface.
Oh, and it says sac BLACK creatures. BLACK. No Memnites.
adrian.malacoda
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey guys
Last I checked Memnites weren't black creatures. Unless you've got a painter's servant, of course.
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Perfect design for a mythic rare card, equal parts memorable and overcosted.
"What? Flying, Trample,17/17 ... no biggie." (-_-)
poolboywax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this card plus tainted strike and Electropotence for the win. just need a decoy deck. something that looks like a black/red rush with some draw and instant red mana cards like Pyretic Ritual.
Turn 2: Play another land which produces {B}, return the two Bloodghasts to play, tap both lands to cast the third, sac 'em, pay six life, bring out the Demon which has haste thanks to Anger and Bandlands. :|
Play this on turn one with a Dark Ritual and three black 1 drops..
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Comboes nicely with Breeding Pit (before it's cast).
MojoVince
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
*** he's just missing shroud to be a real bad ass ! C-Rod358 Read The Mimeoplasm , it doesn't fuse the two creatures in one but becomes a copy of one with the power of the other one , you've been fooled by you girlfriend. Best target for this : not an agressive one drop and two black cats that can keep themselfs alive as a threat.
MetalMike558
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great attacker in Kaalia EDH, 9/9 Flying Trample without having to pat its mana cost through Kaalia.
Cygore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you want to curb some of the pain and give yourself some advantage when cheating him out, try using him with Blood Artist and Grave Pact for some real hate.
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MojoVince
Which makes it exactly what he said - a 9/9 flample with 8 1/1 counters - what's the problem?
Tamerlein
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This guy has so much flavor I think I might have to go and cry in a corner.
5/5
Degeh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
"I was searching for years, for a solution. Desperate to avoid my debt with Griselbrand. Hearing whispers of his advocates. I knew my time was near. I searched for holes in his contract. The Infernal Contract. My study brought me nothing! I knew i shouldn´t have listened to the Demonic Tutor. The price i should eventually pay for that Black Lotus was too high. I write this, in a last ditch effort to avoid my eternal debt. I shall sacrifice myself and my friends to summon forth a great Demon. The Demon of Death´s Gate! GHAHRAGHRAGGH"
Sac 3 of Grave Titan's produced zombie tokens, each other player sacs 3 creatures from Grave Pact (ouch). pay 6 life. Consuming Vapors yourself, sac Demon of Death's Gate, each other player sacs an additional creature, you gain 9 life to counter the 6 paid. Recurring Nightmare, sac another token, each other player sacs yet another creature, return Demon of Death's Gate to the battlefield. Ultimate win. Especially if you have TWO Grave Pacts out.
Bonus points if Sol Ring was used during the game.
orzhov20
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ degeh you gave it shroud, it couldn't be murdered.
SirLibraryEater
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You may sac 3 black creatures and pay 6 life to skip his mana cost? Or you can attack once with Rakdos, Lord of Riots and pay 3 mana. You're welcome. Or you can play 2 Dark Rituals turn 1 into a Gilded Lotus, another Swamp into another Gilded Lotus, and hardcast this turn 3. @Degeh Lightning Greaves gives shroud. No Murder to be seen there.
AshToMoutHound
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Tamerlein:
Indeed he has. My friend was really scared once when I reanimated this, his hands were shaking and all.
Silver-Paladin
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Whenever my first land drop is a swamp, I always make a big deal about it, telling people that their doom is sealed now, that its the best card in the game, etc.
Someday I really want to have T1 go "Swamp. Dark Ritual. Dark ritual dark ritual dark ritual. Demon of Death's Gate. Pass turn." so people would understand that.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Have Sword of Vengeance on the field and he's ready for action. Also, are you happy people? He has DRAWBACKS
Comments (129)
Am I the only one who thinks this guy is a generic enough black demon that he shouldn't be a mythic?
turn 3 death
You're right about the removal - but the Mythic Rarity on this card is more to do with keeping him rarer in limited .....plus he's just BADASS!
All things with alternate costs are very very good, even if they're not.
Um, same as pretty much any card, right? That includes Baneslayer. Except that DoDG is {B}, making him impervious to much {B} removal at least.
You have to remember, even if removal is used on DoDG, that means that there's one less removal spell to use on any of your other creatures (although, admittedly, you lose not only the demon, but also three other {B} creatures and six life). Duress could possibly be used to thin any would-be removal in your opponent's hand?
uhm....
...
uhhh.....
just...
...
great card.... really... just... great... badas$...
the alternate cost to cast this spell makes it one of the mascots of classic MTG black's theme.
Creatures- 24
x4 Viscera Seer
x4 Rea$$embling Skeleton (sorry no autocard, they need to fix cencor badly)
x4 Death Cultist
x4 Mortician Beetle
x4 Vampire Lacerator
x4 Demon of Death's Gate
Others- 14
x4 Duress
x3 Disentomb
x3 Diabolic Tutor
x3 Sign in Blood
x1 Corrupt
Lands- 22
x22 Swamp
He so screams, build your deck around me! Plus if you dont have him in your opening hand, your beetles can win it for you. A dream hand would be t1 lacerator, t2 skellytons, t3 drop beetles, any other 1 drop, and duress, then summon your demon and pump your beetles. True you could have gotten him out on t2, but its safer to duress right before you drop him. Another good combo is chump block with your skellytons, then sac then before combat damage is dealt with seer to pump up your beetle for a card and creature atv. Remeber to Duress to remove a removal before you summon him if you have one. Dont sit on duress in your hand and have him get blasted. Also, if you have DoDG in your hand with Duress, dont drop Duress t1, wait until right before you summon him. You got to many other one drops for that and they could always draw a removal away from DoDG. Disemtomb works nicely to get him back if they do take him out, and you can get 3 more creatures easy. With the tutors it ups your chances from 4 cards to 7, plus 3 sign in bloods to help you draw either, and it gos nicley with his cost. Tutor him right onto the field. The one Corrupt is our trump card, and if you draw either that or a tutor when the game gos into extra innings it could win it for you. Not to mention the minimum life you get from corrupt is 6 in this deck, and it can completly negate the casting cost of this beast. Besides the 4 mythics, this deck is cheap and affordable and very fun to play. Im liking the sacrificial black back in standard. Good playing and have fun!
watched someone cheat this in at the pre-release and get it act of treasoned and flinged back at them.
it was a glorious play.
JUST LIKE ALMOST EVERY SINGLE GOOD CREATURE OUT THERE.
But this is black, which runs graveyard recursion, and loves sacrificing and paying life, as well as being impervious to half the removal out there.
That he can be killed by some removal cards means those removal cards are really good, not the he is really terrible. (In fact, the removal cards are made all the more great by his greatness.)
*Gets playset*
Turn 1) Forest bird of paradise
Turn 2) Tap bird for blue mana-> tome scour yourself and hopefully you get 3 Bloodghasts
Play a Scalding Tarn or a Arid Mesa to return the 3 Bloodghasts to play. Sac them and the life to play the demon leaving you a 14
Pay the life and dig out a mountain, bringing the Bloodghasts back into play! Do it again leaving you at 7. But we're talking demons here...of course there are risks involved.
Use the Mountain to play a Burst of Speed and Good Game my friend. Good game.
Sure they COULD do something about it. But that's assuming they didn't play anything on their 1st or 2nd turn. Even Still it is a 9/9 flier with trample. But even still...on YOUR 2nd turn, this is nasty...if not ridiculously hard to pull off...assuming ever. Just saying. I like combos and this is a nice one.
and if u control Kalastria Highborn and two Bloodghast
this creature only cost ur kalastria and u can make ur oponent pay for u..drain back ur loss life with kalastria abbility and drop a land to back ur bloodghast..
in earlier game..only need to sac 3 little vamps (Lacerator,guul dras,bloodghast)
(reassembling skeleton its a good card too)
Member1- I have an Idea for a new demon.
Member2- We're not going to make a Demon version of Baneslayer Angel.
Member1- No, no, not making that mistake again. Besides, we're already reprinting Baneslayer. I was just going to suggest a 9/9 for 9cmc that has flying, trample, no drawbacks, and an alternative cost so people can cheat him into play as early as turn one.
Member2- ...fine, but make it mythic and give it some kickass art.
That's not to deny the cool mythic factor though, because this is very flavourfull and very awesome.
Put the deck together, it struggles with white (Path to Exile), but in all it isnt TERRIBLE. Tournament worhty? Probably not. Massive fun in casual? Heck yes!
This comes out just fine 2nd turn in a standard black deck, or 3rd turn with mana leak protection in black/blue. Ugh.
Demon of deaths gate: play me with abyssal prosecutor
me: okay
demon of deaths gate: now use quag sickness on abyssal prosecutor
me: okay
demon of deaths gate: now sell me your soul
me: no. i will not sell myself to pure epicness
Me: Play these 2 1-drops, sac all 3 for my Demon of Death's Gate! *maniacal laughter*
Them: End of turn, Unsummon.
Me: *SADDEST PANDA*
1. Swamp
2. Dark ritual
3. drop three creatures
4. play demon
5. swing with a 10/9 flying trample infect on turn 2 (dead)
6. Laugh
Pros: Make opponent very angry
Weaknesses Unsummon, counter, and almost anything else blue. Also a chump blocker with flying could ruin the whole 10 poison idea, therefore hope for another tainted strike or equip with grafted exoskeleton later.
All you need is seven cards really and you have a magic hand that kills on turn 2 unless countered or removed, then you finished.
Great card anyway
1) Save mana and get it into game by alternative cost. If opponents try to counter it, or afterwards control it: Negate or Cancel
2) If they manage to get it into my graveyard, it won't stay there for long: Rise from the grave, Gravedigger, Dead reckoning (my favorite. You can get 9 damages to opponent who got it into agraveyard) or one of my three Disentomb
Any questions, my opponents?
It blew me away at the release of M11 that people snubbed this card. I was able to pick up my playset of 4 for $6. If you want a playset now, you're looking at 20 bucks from CF. I think the price may continue to go up too. How many 9/9 flying trample creatures can you get on the table at turn 2 in STANDARD? I believe that DODG is the only one. People need to start thinking outside of Titans and Jace realizing there are other cards that can win tournaments too.
666?
Cancel or Mana Leak do just the same great job to ruin your day when playing this.
How awesome this guy looks, most of the time your opponent just wins after you playing it.
Maybe a sidebord card vs Eldrazi, or some Green Beatdown deck. *and pray they dont play plumment!*
Starting Hand: 3 Flayer Husk(these besieged cards are what make this shine), 1 Demon of Death's Gate, 2 land, other (cards can be made up slightly by drawing, which will make this more possible)
Turn 1: land, Flayer Husk.
Turn 2: land, 2 more Flayer Husk, pull out your pretty new demon by sacing the 0/0 germs and paying 6 life.
Turn 3: land, equip a Flayer Husk to Demon of Death's Gate, swing for 10 in the air.
Turn 4: land, equip the other two Flayer Husks to him, swing for 12 in the air. victory unless trampling over fliers first.
Turn 5: victory.
Obviously, he is vulnerable to white or blue removal, but even if you only get him to survive for one swing it is worth it.
tainted strike turn 2 win :P
Oh, BOO~HOO, REMOVAL...
EVERYTHING (and I do mean, EVERYTHING) will die to removal.
HELL,
PROGENITUS dies to Wrath of God/ Day of Judgement, Big ol' Darksteel Colossus, being the indestructible bully he is, can be Oblivion Ringed or (name exiling card here), Shrouded creatures (i.e. Sphinx of Jwar Isle) ALSO dies to Day of J, and so on, and so on, and so on.
And DON'T get me started with "being countered..."
d-_-b
Besides, it IS black.
Things DIE in Black.
It is its nature.
Move along.
Fun and flavorful, but the alt cost for this is a tactical abortion. Like the fans of Lord of Tresserhorn who got all butt-hurt about me bashing it, don't get me wrong, it is "cool," but "cool" really doesn't cut it.
That's one of the saddest things in MtG--that cards that are fun, flavorful, or have awesome art are so often basically unplayable. Would have been bad-ass and still not OP if they'd given him haste and split second (neither of these abilities are unprecedented for black) and powered him down to 8/7.
It's true you know. This format has no place for a 9/9 trampling flyer for 0.
Yeah, I know that's kind of cool, but it's just not enough.
Perhaps if he was completely uncounterable, then he would be worth the 0.
Only timmies play creatures without shroud.
I remember when black cards weren't so OP like they are today. Demons revolved around ogres. That was cool. Now you can play a Lord of the pit mimic on turn 4. That's just ridiculous.
Love this card to pieces!! :)
By the way, I think a sorcery would be great. Instead of a demon, you can search your library (or cards outside the game) for a demon card an cast it without paying the mana cost. That spell forces you to sacrifice 3 creatures.
Edit: I wouldn't try any turn 1 thing, but in my opinion, it's one of the best black Demons. Sadly, he wasn't reprinted and sadly, there wasn't any black demon with
To make this card a bit better, I would suggest the following:
"Name it!"
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays half of his or her life, rounded up.
You can't sac white solider tokens, you must sac black creatures.
Dark Ritual
Three 1 drop black creatures of your choice
Turn 1 Demon of Deaths Gate
Pass turn
@SgtSwagger: Opponent hits it with Unsummon. Sadface.
Oh, and it says sac BLACK creatures. BLACK. No Memnites.
Last I checked Memnites weren't black creatures. Unless you've got a painter's servant, of course.
"What? Flying, Trample,17/17 ... no biggie." (-_-)
Turn 1: Badlands, Dark Ritual, Buried Alive, toss two Bloodghasts and an Anger into the graveyard.
Turn 2: Play another land which produces {B}, return the two Bloodghasts to play, tap both lands to cast the third, sac 'em, pay six life, bring out the Demon which has haste thanks to Anger and Bandlands. :|
ATTACK!
"T1: I play 4 Dark Rituals, and Phage the Untouchable with Fear!"
Very unimaginative. Dark Ritual is broken. If you use it, it means you are a bad person, and should feel bad.
9/9 Flying Trample turn one using Dark Ritual and three cmc 1 black creatures? Are you INSANE!?
Dark Ritual
Three Deathgreeter
Demon of Death's Gate
Have fun!
C-Rod358
Read The Mimeoplasm , it doesn't fuse the two creatures in one but becomes a copy of one with the power of the other one , you've been fooled by you girlfriend.
Best target for this : not an agressive one drop and two black cats that can keep themselfs alive as a threat.
Which makes it exactly what he said - a 9/9 flample with 8 1/1 counters - what's the problem?
5/5
Demon of Death's Gate enters the battlefield!
Player attached Lightning Greaves to Demon of Death's Gate.
Demon of Death's Gate attacks Opponent!
...
...
Opponent casts Murder.
...
...
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Sac 3 of Grave Titan's produced zombie tokens, each other player sacs 3 creatures from Grave Pact (ouch). pay 6 life. Consuming Vapors yourself, sac Demon of Death's Gate, each other player sacs an additional creature, you gain 9 life to counter the 6 paid. Recurring Nightmare, sac another token, each other player sacs yet another creature, return Demon of Death's Gate to the battlefield. Ultimate win. Especially if you have TWO Grave Pacts out.
on the other side of the Mosswort Bridge, stands Apprentice Wizard, ready to face the evil. The demon tries to kill the wizard with it's Doom Blade, but he protects himself to Emerge Unscathed.
Next, the foul beast equips Demonspine Whip. The demon attacks full with Hatred but runs directly into Sandstone Deadfall. The wizard turns around relieved, but is caught by a tragic slip. Now both are falling into the Dark Depths.
Bonus points if Sol Ring was used during the game.
Or you can attack once with Rakdos, Lord of Riots and pay 3 mana.
You're welcome.
Or you can play 2 Dark Rituals turn 1 into a Gilded Lotus, another Swamp into another Gilded Lotus, and hardcast this turn 3.
@Degeh
Lightning Greaves gives shroud. No Murder to be seen there.
Indeed he has. My friend was really scared once when I reanimated this, his hands were shaking and all.
Someday I really want to have T1 go "Swamp. Dark Ritual. Dark ritual dark ritual dark ritual. Demon of Death's Gate. Pass turn." so people would understand that.