Vein Drinker
Creature — Vampire
Flying
, 
: This creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature. That creature deals damage equal to its power to this creature.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BR
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Commander 2017
- Price
- $0.28
- EDHREC rank
- #20928
Vein Drinker lands as a 4/4 flying lifelink that kills any creature it fights — and then replaces itself in the air when that creature dies. Six mana is steep, but you're buying a removal spell stapled to a relevant body with evasion and life gain, which is a real rate in Commander.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Vein Drinker is a Commander card through and through — six mana is simply too slow to matter in Legacy, Vintage, or Modern, where games end before a tap-to-destroy ability sees a second activation. In Commander, the math shifts: a repeatable, untap-trigger-based removal engine on a flying lifelink body is exactly what vampire tribal and black midrange decks want at the top of their curve. The activated ability doubles as a political tool, letting you answer a threat at instant speed during any player's turn without spending a removal spell from hand.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.28 bulk tier
At $0.28, Vein Drinker is deep bulk — easy to pick up in a trade binder or throw into any order as filler. Bulk rares with narrow tribal applications rarely climb, so treat this as a low-risk include rather than a spec.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.