Rush of Dread
Sorcery
Spree (Choose one or more additional costs.)
+ 
— Target opponent sacrifices half the creatures they control of their choice, rounded up.
+ 
— Target opponent discards half the cards in their hand, rounded up.
+ — Target opponent loses half their life, rounded up.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Outlaws of Thunder Junction Promos
- Price
- $0.75
- EDHREC rank
- #4670
Rush of Dread hits every opponent with a forced sacrifice and a discard on the same turn, and the Ward 2 stapled to the front makes it stick long enough to matter. At five mana in mono-black, that's a clean rate — pair it with Bloodletter of Aclazotz and each opponent takes that sacrifice trigger at double pain, or run it under Astarion, the Decadent to convert the life loss into a resource advantage immediately.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Astarion, the Decadent
Astarion, the Decadent turns life loss into card advantage, and Rush of Dread drains every opponent simultaneously — that's three triggers off a single spell in a four-player pod.
Zevlor, Elturel Exile
Zevlor, Elturel Exile copies spells that target a single opponent and redirects them to all others, but Rush of Dread already hits the table — the real pull is that Zevlor decks are built around high-impact black instants and sorceries where Rush of Dread earns its slot on raw power alone.
Tinybones, the Pickpocket
Tinybones, the Pickpocket rewards opponents having empty hands, and Rush of Dread forces a discard across the board in one shot — that's a reliable setup for Tinybones to go fishing on the following attack.
Gisa, the Hellraiser
Gisa, the Hellraiser generates Zombie tokens when opponents sacrifice creatures, and Rush of Dread forces a sacrifice from each player — landing it on Gisa's turn translates directly into a wide board.
Tergrid, God of Fright
Tergrid, God of Fright steals permanents opponents sacrifice or discard, and Rush of Dread triggers both effects at once — one five-mana spell can hand you multiple permanents while stripping hands clean.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Rush of Dread is legal across every major Constructed format but sees play almost exclusively in Commander, where its effect scales with the number of opponents. In 1v1 formats like Legacy, Modern, or Pioneer, forced sacrifice plus discard for five mana is too slow and too replaceable — there are cheaper, more consistent pieces that do either job better. In Commander, three opponents magnify the effect into a three-for-one at minimum, and the Ward 2 gives it enough protection to resolve against decks without instant-speed interaction. Oathbreaker can support it in the right black shell, but the smaller life totals and faster pace make five mana a tougher ask.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Bloodletter of AclazotzRush of Dread
Infinite lifeloss for target opponent; Target opponent loses the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.75 bulk tier
At $0.75, Rush of Dread sits in bulk rare territory, which undersells the effect relative to comparable black sorceries. The price is stable — it's not a card chasing a reprint spike, and at this rate it's an easy include without budget considerations.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Bloodletter of Aclazotz
- Astarion, the Decadent
- Zevlor, Elturel Exile
- Tinybones, the Pickpocket
- Gisa, the Hellraiser
- Tergrid, God of Fright
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.