Drain Life
30th Anniversary Edition 102 • common
- Set
- 30th Anniversary Edition
- Collector number
- 102
- Rarity
- Common
- Mana cost
- X mana 1 generic mana black mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- Black
- Artist
- Douglas Shuler
- Market price
- $1.18
What it does
Spend only black mana on X.
Drain Life deals X damage to any target. You gain life equal to the damage dealt, but not more life than the player's life total before the damage was dealt, the planeswalker's loyalty before the damage was dealt, or the creature's toughness.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperLegal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- 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
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Where it came from
Drain Life was originally featured in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, representing the quintessential black-aligned sorcery of early gameplay. The card was designed to allow players to siphon life from an opponent, establishing a core mechanical identity for the color black that emphasized resource exchange and longevity. Douglas Shuler provided the original, stark illustration, which captured the grim, ethereal nature of the spell and became an iconic visual touchstone for players during the game's formative years.
The 30th Anniversary Edition version of Drain Life was released by Wizards of the Coast in 2022 to commemorate three decades of the franchise. This set was designed as a non-tournament-legal celebration, featuring updated card frames and foil treatments while retaining the classic artwork that defined the card's history. While this specific printing serves primarily as a collector's homage, it honors Shuler’s original aesthetic contribution while introducing it to a modern audience of enthusiasts who value the game’s deep historical lineage.
Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion
Who's collecting this
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About Drain Life
Drain Life is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. 30th Anniversary Edition 102 • common. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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Where does the Drain Life catalog entry come from?
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