Cruel Bargain
~$6.16 TCGplayer
Black. Sorcery
Portal #86 · Illustrated by Adrian Smith
Portal #86 · Illustrated by Adrian SmithWhat is Cruel Bargain worth?
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TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.
Oracle text
Draw four cards. You lose half your life, rounded up.
Format legality
The only printing of Cruel Bargain
| Printing | Rarity | Non-foil | Cardmarket (EUR) | My collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Portal por #86· 1997rare· Cardmarket €5.06 | rare | $6.16 | €5.06 |
Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.
Where to buy Cruel Bargain
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Card details
- First printed
- 1997
- Printings
- 1
- Mana value
- 3
- EDHREC rank
- #22,538 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
- Artist
- Adrian Smith
What the codes mean
The small print at the bottom of the Portal card (#86).
Printed before collector numbers, which started with Exodus in 1998. The bottom shows only the artist credit ("Illus.") and the copyright. Set symbols were all black before Exodus, and core sets before Sixth Edition have none.
How to read a Magic card: every part and code, on real cards.
Card breakdown
The parts of Cruel Bargain, read from the Portal printing. How to read any Magic card.
- Name
- Cruel Bargain. Rules use the English name in every language.
- Mana cost
- Mana value 3: the total mana in the cost, colors ignored.
- Type line
- Sorcery is the card type.
- Text box
- What the card does.
- Illustration
- By Adrian Smith. The art has no effect on the game.
- Set symbol
- Portal. Before Exodus (1998) every set symbol was black, whatever the rarity.
- Artist
- Adrian Smith, after "Illus.".
- Copyright
- Wizards of the Coast's copyright notice, with the year.
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