Vicious Betrayal
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice any number of creatures.
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each creature sacrificed this way.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Fifth Dawn
- Price
- $0.14
- EDHREC rank
- #28179
Vicious Betrayal converts sacrifice fodder into a massive power boost at instant speed — the kind of swing that ends a game on the spot. The cost is real: you're trading creatures for raw damage, so it only earns its slot in decks that already want those creatures dead.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Vicious Betrayal is a finisher in sacrifice-heavy black decks — Judith, Gyome, Teysa Karlov builds that generate disposable tokens and want a sudden lethal burst. Pauper is where it has seen the most competitive attention, slotting into mono-black aristocrats shells that close games before opponents stabilize. Legacy and Vintage allow it but offer cleaner, faster win conditions that make Vicious Betrayal redundant. Oathbreaker mirrors the Commander use case at a tighter game size, which can make the burst effect even more decisive.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.14 bulk tier
At $0.14, Vicious Betrayal is deep bulk — grab a playset for pocket change. Bulk rares with narrow applications rarely climb, so don't expect movement unless a future sacrifice commander pushes the archetype into the spotlight.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.