Doom Blade
Instant
Destroy target nonblack creature.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- The List
- Price
- $2.02
- EDHREC rank
- #2127
Doom Blade kills any nonblack creature at instant speed for two mana — that's the whole story. The nonblack restriction is a real constraint in pods running black goodstuff, but Toshiro Umezawa turns that liability into a recurring engine, and outside that specific blind spot this card does exactly what cheap removal is supposed to do.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Toshiro Umezawa
Toshiro Umezawa triggers off any instant that kills a creature, and Doom Blade is one of the cheapest ways to pull that trigger — casting it means you can immediately flashback another instant from your graveyard, turning a two-mana removal spell into a chain.
Zenos yae Galvus
Zenos yae Galvus wants opponents' creatures dead to fuel his combat and copy triggers, and Doom Blade's instant speed lets you clear a blocker or answer a threat at the end of the turn before Zenos swings.
Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine's damage-doubling and transformation mechanics reward efficient removal that keeps the board clear at low cost, and Doom Blade slots in as a cheap, reliable answer that doesn't strain a curve already top-heavy with threats.
Tinybones, the Pickpocket
Tinybones, the Pickpocket wants opponents' hands empty and creatures out of the way so stolen cards can be cast freely, and Doom Blade handles blocking creatures cleanly at a mana cost that leaves resources open for the theft payoffs.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Doom Blade is a solid role-player — instant-speed, two mana, unconditional against most of the threats you'll face, though the nonblack clause occasionally bites in black-heavy metas. In Pauper, it's a format staple: cheap removal at common is always at a premium, and the restriction matters less when the most dangerous creatures are often green or red. Modern and Pioneer have moved past it — Fatal Push and Unholy Heat answer more and cost the same or less — so Doom Blade is outclassed there outside of budget builds. Legacy and Vintage have zero interest; the power level floor is too high for a conditional two-mana sorcery-speed-style card with no upside beyond the effect itself.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$2.02 cheap tier
At $2.02, Doom Blade sits at the high end of what a common removal spell should cost — functionally identical effects like Go for the Throat are in the same range, and budget alternatives like Victim of Night can be found for less. It's not a price that should stop anyone, but there's no reason to pay a premium reprint if a cheaper copy is available.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Toshiro Umezawa
- Zenos yae Galvus
- Vincent Valentine
- Tinybones, the Pickpocket
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.