Cruel Ultimatum
Breaking News 40 • rare
- Set
- Breaking News
- Collector number
- 40
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- blue mana blue mana black mana black mana black mana red mana red mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- Black · Red · Blue
- Artist
- Michal Ivan
- Market price
- $0.32
What it does
Target opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice, discards three cards, then loses 5 life. You return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand, draw three cards, then gain 5 life.
Rage on the Omenport Express! Cramped Dragon Takes Matter into Own Claws
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlLegal
- HistoricLegal
- TimelessLegal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
Search for Cruel Ultimatum on the marketplaces collectors use.
Listings from external marketplaces. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
Where it came from
Cruel Ultimatum was originally introduced as a mythic rare card in the 2008 Magic: The Gathering set Shards of Alara, designed by the game's development team to represent the apex of Grixis-aligned spellcasting. The card was crafted to embody the flavor of the Grixis shard—a world defined by rot, ambition, and cruelty—by forcing an opponent to sacrifice their resources while simultaneously restoring the caster's own. It became an instant staple of competitive play for its high-impact, game-altering efficiency.
The Breaking News variant, appearing in the 2024 Outlaws of Thunder Junction set, reimagines the card through a stylized, vintage tabloid aesthetic. Part of a specialized 'bonus sheet' within the set, this version features an illustrative style reminiscent of mid-century pulp crime novels. The artistic direction for this series sought to contrast the high-fantasy nature of the game's spells with the gritty, noir-inspired visual language of headlines and investigative journalism, and it has been well-regarded by collectors for its distinct departure from traditional fantasy art conventions.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
Real cards collectors on collecto.rs who have this in their public collection.
About Cruel Ultimatum
Cruel Ultimatum is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Breaking News 40 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
How many collectors track Cruel Ultimatum on collecto.rs?
Cruel Ultimatum doesn't have any public collectors on collecto.rs yet. Sign up to add it and become the first.
Can I track my own copy of Cruel Ultimatum?
Yes. collecto.rs is free — sign up to log your card, upload photos, record condition, edition, and acquisition cost, and connect with other magic: the gathering collectors. Your collection stays private by default.
Where does the Cruel Ultimatum catalog entry come from?
The catalog entry for Cruel Ultimatum is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.
Is collecto.rs cards tracking free?
Yes. Tracking your cards is free — no paid tier required to catalog items, upload photos, or share your collection.
Track every card you own
Free. Fun. Collection photos, notes, organization, value tracking, friends — all in one place.
Sign up free
