Jovial Evil
Sorcery
Jovial Evil deals X damage to target opponent, where X is twice the number of white creatures that player controls.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Legends
- Price
- $25.70
- EDHREC rank
- #30576
Jovial Evil deals damage to each opponent equal to the number of white permanents they control — in a Commander pod loaded with Plains, mana rocks, and tokens, that number climbs fast. It's a narrow card, but in the right black shell against white-heavy tables, it punches well above its mana cost.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Jovial Evil is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but the only format where it realistically sees play is Commander. Legacy and Vintage have no interest in a sorcery that does nothing against non-white decks. In Commander, the four-player dynamic is what makes Jovial Evil viable — at least one opponent running white permanents is nearly guaranteed in any pod, and multiplying that damage across three targets can mean a surprising life-swing. Oathbreaker is technically an option, but the smaller player counts and faster pace make the card too situational to rely on.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Jovial Evil has no true budget equivalent — its effect is unique enough that nothing else maps cleanly onto it. Exsanguinate and Torment of Hailfire cover the role of 'black sorcery that drains the table,' and both are cheaper in price while being more reliably impactful, since they don't depend on opponents playing white permanents.
Price Context
Current price
$25.70 premium tier
At $25.70, Jovial Evil sits in premium territory for a card with extremely narrow application — that price is driven by age and scarcity, not competitive demand. It holds collector value but is unlikely to appreciate further, and there's no gameplay reason to pay that rate unless you're specifically building around white-permanent-heavy metas.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.