Gray Merchant of Asphodel

Secret Lair Countdown (SLC) #34 · Rare · Creature — Zombie

Mana cost: {3}{B}{B}

When this creature enters, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)

They say you can't take it with you, but he's out to prove them wrong.

Power/toughness 2/4 · Illustrated by Jack Hughes · Released November 3, 2025

Prices

Printings

  1. Foundations Commander #105 (FDC) · Uncommon · 2026 · $0.63 USD
  2. The Zeta Set #164 (SLZ) · Common · 2026
  3. The Zeta Set #285 (SLZ) · Common · 2026
  4. The Zeta Set #43 (SLZ) · Common · 2026
  5. Secret Lair Countdown #34 (this printing) · Rare · 2025 · $83.51 USD foil
  6. Secret Lair Countdown #7 (SLC) · Rare · 2025 · $9.63 USD
  7. Duskmourn: House of Horror Commander #142 (DSC) · Uncommon · 2024 · $4.47 USD
  8. Starter Commander Decks #80 (SCD) · Uncommon · 2022 · $1.95 USD
  9. Time Spiral Remastered #323 (TSR) · Special · 2021 · $8.09 USD
  10. Theros Beyond Death #355 (THB) · Uncommon · 2020 · $7.63 USD
  11. Theros Beyond Death #99 (THB) · Uncommon · 2020 · $1.06 USD
  12. The List #C14-146 (PLST) · Common · 2019 · $0.96 USD
  13. Commander 2014 #146 (C14) · Common · 2014 · $1.18 USD
  14. Theros #89 (THS) · Common · 2013 · $0.90 USD

Legality

Rulings

  1. 2020-01-24 · wotc — If you put an Aura on an opponent's permanent, you still control the Aura, and mana symbols in its mana cost count towards your devotion.
  2. 2020-01-24 · wotc — Colorless and generic mana symbols ({C}, {0}, {1}, {2}, {X}, and so on) in mana costs of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
  3. 2020-01-24 · wotc — If an activated ability or triggered ability has an effect that depends on your devotion to a color, you count the number of mana symbols of that color among the mana costs of permanents you control as the ability resolves. The permanent with that ability will be counted if it's still on the battlefield at that time.
  4. 2020-01-24 · wotc — Hybrid mana symbols, monocolored hybrid mana symbols, and Phyrexian mana symbols do count toward your devotion to their color(s).
  5. 2020-01-24 · wotc — Mana symbols in the text boxes of permanents you control don't count toward your devotion to any color.
  6. 2021-03-19 · wotc — The amount of life you gain is the total amount of life lost, not simply the value of X.

Played in these commander decks

  1. Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver · in 67% of 45 decks
  2. Syr Konrad, the Grim · in 65% of 40 decks
  3. Meren of Clan Nel Toth · in 56% of 48 decks
  4. Massacre Girl, Known Killer · in 50% of 46 decks
  5. Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls · in 38% of 50 decks
  6. Temmet, Naktamun's Will · in 28% of 39 decks
  7. Marrow-Gnawer · in 28% of 47 decks
  8. Liesa, Shroud of Dusk · in 23% of 48 decks

All cards in Secret Lair Countdown (SLC)