Dread Reaper

Creature — Horror

Flying
When this creature enters, you lose 5 life.

CMC
6
Mana cost
{3}{B}{B}{B}
Color identity
B
Rarity
rare
Set
Starter 1999
Price
$0.95
EDHREC rank
#30210
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Dread Reaper card art
Dread Reaper enters and each opponent loses life equal to the number of creatures they control — in a four-player game, that triggers three times and frequently represents 10–20 damage before it ever attacks. The cost is seven mana and zero protection, so if it doesn't close the game on the spot, it's a slow-roll threat that eats a removal spell.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander
legacy
modern
pioneer
standard
vintage
pauper
oathbreaker

Commander is where Dread Reaper does its best work — three opponents means three separate life-loss triggers on entry, and any shell that blinks or reanimates it turns a single copy into a repeatable drain engine. In Legacy and Vintage it's theoretically legal but seven mana is unplayable in those formats without an explicit reanimation plan, and even then there are more efficient finishers. Oathbreaker shares Commander's multiplayer structure, so the same math applies at a slightly compressed power level.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

$0.95 bulk tier

At $0.95, Dread Reaper sits at the top of the bulk tier — inexpensive enough to slot in without budget anxiety. The price is stable for now, but it's not a card that holds or climbs value; treat it as a cheap roleplayer, not a spec.

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Mentioned

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    Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.