Markov Retribution
Sorcery
Choose one or both —
• Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.
• Target Vampire you control deals damage equal to its power to another target creature.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Foundations Jumpstart
- Price
- $0.20
- EDHREC rank
- #20573
Markov Retribution puts a +1/+1 counter on each Vampire you control the turn it resolves, then continues rewarding you with a counter every time a Vampire enters under your control — that's a continuous anthem stapled to a permanent. The cost is tribal commitment: outside a dedicated Vampire shell, it does nothing.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Markov Retribution is a Commander card through and through — the payoff scales with a wide Vampire board over multiple turns, which is exactly the environment a 100-card singleton game provides. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer it is technically legal but competes against formats where tribal synergies need to generate immediate board impact, and a three-mana enchantment that does nothing the turn it enters without existing Vampires in play simply doesn't make the cut. Oathbreaker shares Commander's singleton, multiplayer DNA, so a Vampire-focused Oathbreaker build is the one competitive-adjacent shell where Markov Retribution could see real play. Treat it as an EDH-only inclusion.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.20 bulk tier
At $0.20, Markov Retribution sits firmly in bulk territory — it's an easy pickup with zero budget friction. Bulk rares that fill exactly one tribal niche rarely appreciate, so don't expect the price to move; just sleeve it if you're building Vampires.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.