Murktide Regent — the Izzet Modern staple that refuses to quit

Murktide Regent from Modern Horizons 2 is one of the most recognizable finishers in Modern. Seven mana — but delve shrinks that to two or three in a deck full of cantrips and removal. It enters with +1/+1 counters for each instant or sorcery exiled to cast it, and it grows whenever one leaves your graveyard. Flying. No built-in protection, but in a format where you're casting Consider, Thought Scour, and Expressive Iteration, Murktide gets big fast. We're not calling a top or a bottom. We're laying out why this card defines Izzet and what to watch.

Why Murktide defines Izzet

Izzet Murktide — the deck — runs a pile of one-mana cantrips, Ragavan, Ledger Shredder or Dragon's Rage Channeler, and a few copies of Murktide as the top end. You fill the yard, cast Murktide for cheap, and close with a 5/5 or 7/7 flyer. The card rewards playing the kinds of spells Izzet already wants: cheap, efficient, card-advantage-neutral or positive. Modern has shifted over the years, but Murktide has stayed. Boros Energy, Jeskai Blink, and other decks have had their moments; Izzet Murktide keeps showing up.

Printings and price

Murktide Regent has the original MH2 printing plus a Secret Lair. Foils from MH2 command a premium; the Secret Lair offers an alternate art. As long as Izzet tempo is a viable Modern strategy, Murktide will see play. The chart below shows the MH2 printing. Check TCGPlayer or your preferred marketplace for current listings. We're not telling you to buy or sell — we're giving you the data.