Drain Life
Unlimited Edition 106 • common
- Set
- Unlimited Edition
- Collector number
- 106
- Rarity
- Common
- Mana cost
- X mana 1 generic mana black mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- Black
- Artist
- Douglas Shuler
- Market price
- $1.14
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 first appeared in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, designed by Richard Garfield to capture the flavor of black mana's predatory nature. As a card that both damages an opponent and restores the player's life total, it became a cornerstone of the 'Black Control' archetype. The Unlimited Edition release, which followed in late 1993, retained the original artwork by Christopher Rush, who was instrumental in defining the early visual identity of the game.
The design of the card emphasizes a stark, gothic aesthetic typical of the game's initial phase. Christopher Rush, one of the most prolific early illustrators for Wizards of the Coast, utilized a minimalist and evocative style that resonated with players and contributed to the game's rapid rise in popularity. By the time the Unlimited print run was produced, Drain Life was already well-regarded by the nascent competitive community for its utility and the thematic consistency it brought to deck building.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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. Unlimited Edition 106 • 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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