<p>Technically, there appear to be only three black creatures that deal damage when they enter the battlefield, and for color pie reasons they're all black/red: <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Anathemancer">Anathemancer</a>, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hellhole%20Rats">Hellhole Rats</a>, and <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Murderous%20Redcap">Murderous Redcap</a>.  However, if, as your example indicates, you're also after creatures that cause loss of life (which doesn't count as damage; this matters for things like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Curiosity">Curiosity</a>), you also have available:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>&quot;When ~ enters the battlefield, target player/opponent loses X life.&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Geralf%27s%20Messenger">Geralf&#39;s Messenger</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Inquisitor%20Exarch">Inquisitor Exarch</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Laquatus%27s%20Champion">Laquatus&#39;s Champion</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maga%2C%20Traitor%20to%20Mortals">Maga, Traitor to Mortals</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Singe-Mind%20Ogre">Singe-Mind Ogre</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Soul%20Scourge">Soul Scourge</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent loses X life and you gain X life.&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bleak%20Coven%20Vampires">Bleak Coven Vampires</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bloodhunter%20Bat">Bloodhunter Bat</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dakmor%20Ghoul">Dakmor Ghoul</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ghost%20Council%20of%20Orzhova">Ghost Council of Orzhova</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Highway%20Robber">Highway Robber</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Obzedat%2C%20Ghost%20Council">Obzedat, Ghost Council</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;When ~ enters the battlefield, each player/opponent loses X life.&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Blood-Toll%20Harpy">Blood-Toll Harpy</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Howling%20Banshee">Howling Banshee</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maggot%20Carrier">Maggot Carrier</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rathi%20Fiend">Rathi Fiend</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Netherborn%20Phalanx">Netherborn Phalanx</a></p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;When ~ enters the battlefield, each opponent loses X life.  You gain life equal to the life lost this way.&quot;</p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gray%20Merchant%20of%20Asphodel">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a></p>
</li>
<li><p><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Malakir%20Bloodwitch">Malakir Bloodwitch</a></p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T02:13:26.577Z
2013-11-18T02:13:26.577Z
jwodder
<p>You can used the Gatherer's Advanced search to find cards. <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;color=+@%28+%5bB%5d%29&amp;text=+%5b%22enters%20the%20battlefield%22%5d+%5blose%5d+%5blife%5d" rel="nofollow">Gatherer-Black, EtB+Lose+Life</a> will find you all Black cards that aren't any other color, that contain the words "enters the battlefield", "lose", and "life" in the rules text. The URL contains variables after the '?', and are separated from each other by the '&amp;'. </p>

<ul>
<li><p>action=advanced :  Use the advanced search instead of the basic search.</p></li>
<li><p>color=+@(+[B]) : The cards color is black and no other.</p></li>
<li><p>text=+[%22enters%20the%20battlefield%22]+[lose]+[life] : The cards rules text includes EtB, lose, and life. Certain characters are encoded so they can appear in the URL, like  and .</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T06:18:50.870Z
Do you really construct these as URLs instead of just using the advanced search form?
Cascabel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T06:34:16.193Z
@Neřekli, no. I was just explaining what the parameters that I passed, and therefore the search URL that returns. In general, I use the search form, unless I want to do something strange and the form is making it difficult (I.e. wanting cards with rules text that is ((destroy && creature) ¦¦ (exile && permanent)) is difficult to do from the form.)
user1873
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T06:39:48.887Z
Who's Neřekli? Anyway, I see - just surprised to see an explanation of the URL instead of how to do it with the form.
Cascabel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T17:06:14.457Z
Possibly worth noting for advanced users: Gatherer supports regular expression searches. (Although it doesn't seem to support character classes, unfortunately; this is likely due to the URL encoding more than anything else.)
Brian S
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T01:41:40.617Z
2013-11-18T01:41:40.617Z
user1873
<p>I'm looking for creatures that cause loss of life when they enter the battlefield, can you recommend any? </p>

<p>So far I've found <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=373645" rel="nofollow">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a> and would love to find more like it. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T01:24:15.860Z
Technically, Gray Merchant doesn't do any damage; it just causes loss of life.  This matters for things like [Curiosity](http://magiccards.info/isd/en/49.html); does it matter to you?
jwodder
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-18T02:47:01.453Z
sorry, loss of life is more what i'm looking for
user1305
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T07:52:10.977Z
[Blood Artist](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=240178) sounds like a good card in a deck with this theme. 
You might also want to check out [Blood Clock](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=84709) and [Umbilicus](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=8810)
AndSoYouCode
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T07:56:03.637Z
@AndSoYouCode Nice suggestions. Blood Clock would be great. (this will be a modern deck)
user1305
<magic-the-gathering>
Black creatures that cause loss of life when they enter the battlefield?
user1305
# Black creatures that cause loss of life when they enter the battlefield?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-18)

I'm looking for creatures that cause loss of life when they enter the battlefield, can you recommend any?

So far I've found [Gray Merchant of Asphodel](http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=373645) and would love to find more like it.

Thanks!

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Technically, Gray Merchant doesn't do any damage; it just causes loss of life.  This matters for things like [Curiosity](http://magiccards.info/isd/en/49.html); does it matter to you?  
> **username_0**: sorry, loss of life is more what i'm looking for  
> **username_2**: [Blood Artist](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=240178) sounds like a good card in a deck with this theme.  You might also want to check out [Blood Clock](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=84709) and [Umbilicus](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=8810)  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Nice suggestions. Blood Clock would be great. (this will be a modern deck)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-11-18. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Technically, there appear to be only three black creatures that deal damage when they enter the battlefield, and for color pie reasons they're all black/red: [Anathemancer](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Anathemancer), [Hellhole Rats](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hellhole%20Rats), and [Murderous Redcap](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Murderous%20Redcap). However, if, as your example indicates, you're also after creatures that cause loss of life (which doesn't count as damage; this matters for things like [Curiosity](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Curiosity)), you also have available:

* "When ~ enters the battlefield, target player/opponent loses X life."
* [Geralf's Messenger](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Geralf%27s%20Messenger)
* [Inquisitor Exarch](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Inquisitor%20Exarch)
* [Laquatus's Champion](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Laquatus%27s%20Champion)
* [Maga, Traitor to Mortals](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maga%2C%20Traitor%20to%20Mortals)
* [Singe-Mind Ogre](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Singe-Mind%20Ogre)
* [Soul Scourge](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Soul%20Scourge)
* "When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent loses X life and you gain X life."
* [Bleak Coven Vampires](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bleak%20Coven%20Vampires)
* [Bloodhunter Bat](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bloodhunter%20Bat)
* [Dakmor Ghoul](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dakmor%20Ghoul)
* [Ghost Council of Orzhova](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ghost%20Council%20of%20Orzhova)
* [Highway Robber](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Highway%20Robber)
* [Obzedat, Ghost Council](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Obzedat%2C%20Ghost%20Council)
* "When ~ enters the battlefield, each player/opponent loses X life."
* [Blood-Toll Harpy](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Blood-Toll%20Harpy)
* [Howling Banshee](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Howling%20Banshee)
* [Maggot Carrier](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maggot%20Carrier)
* [Rathi Fiend](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rathi%20Fiend)
* [Netherborn Phalanx](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Netherborn%20Phalanx)
* "When ~ enters the battlefield, each opponent loses X life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way."
* [Gray Merchant of Asphodel](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gray%20Merchant%20of%20Asphodel)
* [Malakir Bloodwitch](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Malakir%20Bloodwitch)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-11-18. Score: 2

You can used the Gatherer's Advanced search to find cards. [Gatherer-Black, EtB+Lose+Life](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&color=+@%28+%5bB%5d%29&text=+%5b%22enters%20the%20battlefield%22%5d+%5blose%5d+%5blife%5d) will find you all Black cards that aren't any other color, that contain the words "enters the battlefield", "lose", and "life" in the rules text. The URL contains variables after the '?', and are separated from each other by the '&'.

* action=advanced : Use the advanced search instead of the basic search.
* color=+@(+[B]) : The cards color is black and no other.
* text=+[%22enters%20the%20battlefield%22]+[lose]+[life] : The cards rules text includes EtB, lose, and life. Certain characters are encoded so they can appear in the URL, like and .

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Do you really construct these as URLs instead of just using the advanced search form?  
> **username_3**: @Neřekli, no. I was just explaining what the parameters that I passed, and therefore the search URL that returns. In general, I use the search form, unless I want to do something strange and the form is making it difficult (I.e. wanting cards with rules text that is ((destroy && creature) ¦¦ (exile && permanent)) is difficult to do from the form.)  
> **username_4**: Who's Neřekli? Anyway, I see - just surprised to see an explanation of the URL instead of how to do it with the form.  
> **username_5**: Possibly worth noting for advanced users: Gatherer supports regular expression searches. (Although it doesn't seem to support character classes, unfortunately; this is likely due to the URL encoding more than anything else.)  

---

