Deadly Dispute is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact or creature. Draw two cards and create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Complete guide
Deadly Dispute is a cornerstone of black utility decks, offering a powerful way to turn your resources into fresh cards. By trading in a disposable creature or artifact, you not only refill your hand but also ramp into your next big play. This instant speed spell is a masterclass in making the most out of every permanent on your board.
Understanding the Additional Cost
To even put Deadly Dispute onto the stack, you must pay its mana cost and sacrifice either an artifact or a creature. Because this sacrifice is an additional cost, your opponents cannot respond by destroying the permanent you intend to sacrifice; it is already in the graveyard by the time they can react. However, if the spell is countered, you do not get your sacrificed permanent back.
Resolving the Spell
When Deadly Dispute resolves, you perform two actions in the order listed: first, you draw two cards from your library. Immediately after, you create a Treasure token. This token enters the battlefield untapped, meaning you can use it right away to produce mana or save it for a future turn to enable artifact synergies.
Timing and Strategy
Since this is an instant, the best time to cast it is often in response to an opponent's removal spell. If your opponent targets your creature with a destruction effect, you can cast Deadly Dispute, sacrificing that creature to draw cards before the removal spell can resolve. This effectively negates their card advantage while boosting your own.
Interaction examples
Dark RitualCast Dark Ritual to add three black mana to your pool. Use two of that mana to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrificing an artifact or creature. You draw two cards and gain a Treasure token. This sequence allows you to dig through your deck while maintaining mana to cast the cards you just drew.
Vampiric TutorDuring your opponent's end step, cast Vampiric Tutor to search for a specific card and put it on top of your library. Then, still in the end step, cast Deadly Dispute by sacrificing a permanent. Because you draw two cards, you immediately draw the card you tutored for plus one additional card, ensuring your next turn begins with exactly what you need.
TreasureIf you have an existing Treasure token, you can cast Deadly Dispute and sacrifice that very Treasure as the additional cost. The spell will resolve, drawing you two cards and creating a fresh Treasure token. This is a great way to 'cycle' an artifact into new cards without losing your total count of permanents.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Deadly Dispute
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Use the creature copy effect to make an additional copy of Academy Manufactor.
- 2Activate Isochron Scepter by paying
and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost. - 3As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 4Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating three Food tokens, three Clue tokens, and three Treasure tokens due to the two Academy Manufactors.
- 5Activate two of the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add two mana.
- 6Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 7Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating a Food token, a Clue token, and two Treasure tokens.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping the Clue token and the Food token to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens due to Academy Manufactor and Mondrak.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens due to Academy Manufactor and Exalted Sunborn.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Deadly Dispute + Academy Manufactor + Isochron Scepter + Clock of Omens
- 1Activate Isochron Scepter by paying and tapping it to cast a copy of Deadly Dispute without paying its mana cost.
- 2As an additional cost to cast Deadly Dispute, sacrifice a creature or artifact.
- 3Resolve Deadly Dispute, drawing two cards and creating two Food tokens, two Clue tokens, and two Treasure tokens.
- 4Activate the Treasure tokens by tapping and sacrificing them to add .
- 5Activate Clock of Omens by tapping two untapped artifacts you control to untap Isochron Scepter.
- 6Repeat.
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Deadly Dispute
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