Skip to content
    Community

    Cruel Ultimatum

    Sorcery

    Cruel Ultimatum

    Illustrated by Todd Lockwood

    EDHREC Rank #5,876
    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.

    There is always a greater power.

    Rulings (4)

    If the target opponent is an illegal target as Cruel Ultimatum tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. (I'm not going to list them all here because it would just be disappointing to hear all of the things you won't get to do.)

    Apr 12, 2024

    If, as Cruel Ultimatum begins to resolve, your opponent's life total is 5 or less and you have two or fewer cards in your library, the game will result in a draw. Your opponent's life total will drop to 0 or less, but Cruel Ultimatum must finish resolving completely before state-based actions are performed. You'll then be forced to draw three cards and fail to draw one. When state-based actions are finally performed, you and your opponent will both lose the game at the same time, which means the game is a draw.

    Mar 14, 2017

    Cruel Ultimatum's only target is an opponent. You don't choose which creature card in your graveyard you'll return to your hand until Cruel Ultimatum resolves.

    Mar 14, 2017

    Legality

    Formats by platform

    Commander

    Competitive

    Digital

    Community & retro

    Printings (7)

    Cruel Ultimatum — Modern Masters 2017
    MM3#158$0.50
    Modern Masters 2017
    Cruel Ultimatum — Breaking News
    OTP#40$0.30
    Breaking News