Try these four: Necropotence + Venser's Journal + Maralen of the Mornsong + Mindlock Orb. Maralen locks down all card draw. Mindlock Orb negates Maralen's library search. So without library search open, you simply use Necropotence to replenish your hand. Venser's Journal compensates for any/all life lost by it or Maralen. In other words; your game keeps going, and your opponents will never get a new card again.

  -- By Kita from USA on March 19, 2011

Perfect when paired with Venser's Journal.

  -- By You know who from You know where on February 23, 2011

This is by far not only one of the most powerful black cards, but one of the most powerful cards to date. A great way to start the game off: Necopotence, minion of the wastes, dark ritual, wall of reverence, sanguine bond,swamp, and a plains.

  -- By Carl from New Windsor, NY on January 17, 2011

I play Magic until 1994 and that card is the most powerfull card ever period. ( beat any Power 9 cards ) Why? Zuran Orb/Ivory Tower +Reliquary tower and Necropotence = you can have all your deck in your hand really really fast. = Win.

  -- By Seifer from Canada on August 19, 2010

I have 2 of these and 2 Zuran Orbs in a black beatdown deck, and basically whenever i get both out at once it's game over. Not for every deck, but can be a game changer. Plus, the artwork on it is super cool.

  -- By Dirk from Cleveland on July 23, 2010

I just cannot believe the amount of people that do not get this card. The fact that CA wins games is not exactly a secret plus like the first reviewer said it is not like black doesn't have any ways to deal with life loss.

  -- By Aaron from (Example: Cleveland, OH USA on April 11, 2010

Wow... Ivory Tower + Library of Leng... Hadn't seen that coming - it sure sounds lethal O_O Still, Necropotence is really frikken' awesome because it enables you to dig deep into your library after whatever cards you may need. Back in the days, it used to work brilliantly with Drain Life, ensuring your continued survival and that your hand kept ever-growing. However, Necropotence does not allow you to directly "draw" your cards, which is just about the only really bad thing about it. You can restock your entire hand for 7 life, but you'll have to wait an entire turn, and you won't get to trigger any abilities that triggers when you draw a card. This, however, is also a good thing, preventing people from killing you on the spot with Spiteful Visions or Underworld Dreams!

  -- By Jens N from Denmark on February 11, 2010

this card is brutal. it will make your opponents get frustrated game after game. the most broken card in magic history.

  -- By mike from boston, ma on February 05, 2010

To answer the above reviewer's questions... If, for any reason, a card goes directly from your hand to the graveyard, it is considered discarding. If the card comes from anywhere else, it is not discarding. Each turn, you can pay 1 life as many times as you want to and can afford to, but you aren't required to.

  -- By Jim from Madison, WI on November 25, 2009

Yeah I'll say it's good. Out of all the tournaments I went to this one is the one that consistently beat me. Hats off to necropotence even though I refuse to ever play one.

  -- By Ron from wisconsin on November 04, 2009

I think the reason why this card is sometimes rated so poorly is because its use is unclear. What does it mean to discard a card? Is it every time a card enters the graveyard or only when there are more than 7 cards at the end of a turn or some other mechanism that requires the loss of a card from the hand or in play. When they say pay 1 life to draw a card, does that mean you can pay 50 life in one turn and draw fifty cards or does it mean each turn you can pay 1 life to draw a card or does it mean you must pay 1 life and draw a card

  -- By Anonymous from san jose, ca on October 28, 2009

I agree - people who think Necropotence is bad have no idea of how powerful this is. Necropotence really strengthens any mono-black life drain deck by allowing you to fill your hand whenever needed. The cost of drawing with necropotence is easily nullified with cards like Tendrills of Corruption, Corrupt and other lifestealers. Actually, you could even use necropotence to "convert" the rules text of the Lifelink ability of creatures you control into something like, "Whenever this creature deals damage, for each point of damage, draw a card at the beginning of your next end step", making Necropotence pretty strong in Vampire decks as well.

  -- By Jens from Denmark on September 08, 2009

For those that say that necropotence has no point, or that it only helps your opponent, then you have never played against the necro-deck prominent in most tournaments while it was llegal. My necro-deck hasnt lost yet. Neither old nor new cards have beaten Necropotence.

  -- By Anonymous from asdf on June 14, 2009

fastbond and dark heart of the wood! 'nuf said.

  -- By Greg from Atlanta on May 18, 2009

Yags will? Learn to read it says remove from game so you have no graveyard. This card is ok but it is not as game changing as yawgs bargain

  -- By Corey from Minneapolis, mn on May 12, 2009

necro is one of the most over-rated cards in mtg. Yes I draw 10 cards and the and have 10 life and then someone gets a ball lightning , yes again I'm pretty much dead and you die of almost any red card , yes necro is so good. Especially know when you can win on round zero.

  -- By Anonymous from Japan on March 21, 2008

This just in, card advantage wins games. NEVER bet against necro. If you dont see why this is good seek pro-tour help...or play smellfire or yu-gi-ho.

  -- By Dustin Ethridge from Dacula, GA USA on August 26, 2007

One star? Magic is all about cardadvantage and this IS the best of all cardadvantage helpers! I agree it's not any 5 star but that's 'cause every black deck doesn't need it... The card is perfect as a black card and by that I mean art, name and of course the "necro" ability! Necrodecks have allways been a winning tourney deck. You need carddrawers in weenie decks and this card cuts to the case! Anyone here who play red sligh? Well you allways run out of cards. Imagine a red Necropotence... There's no problem with the lifeloss! Play it together with Drain Life, Ivory Tower and Zuran Orb! Necrodecks kick ass!

  -- By Billy Bourbon from Oslo, Norway on March 17, 2007

While it's a complex card, the skull is one of the most powerful cards ever. Just like Dark Confidant and (to a lesser exent) Phyrexian Arena, this card seems to suck until you learn life is an expendable resource. If you win, it doesn't matter if you're still at 20, at 1 or at 500 life. Necro rocks since it gives you the card advantage you need to win.

  -- By Anonymous from San Juan, PR on February 27, 2007

You get this badboy in oppening hand, and your deck and garbage, you win the game. Swamp, Dark Ritual, Necropotence, pay 15 life, loose alot of your hand, find your Yag Will... Game over! you already got 10 cards in graveyard in 7 in hand hahah!

  -- By James from Cleveland, OH USA on September 29, 2006

Add a library of leng or spellbook to the necro/ivory tower combo, and this card is lethal. Leaves you vulnerable to cards like black vise and stormseeker, but I can still see why this card is rated so highly.

  -- By Anonymous from Murfreesboro, TN USA on August 05, 2005

The two reviewers who gave this card one star know nothing about Magic. This is one of the greatest cards of all time. Even on its own, it it is powerful. If you get out an ivory tower or a zuran orb, it is unstoppable. If you're drawing three or four cards a turn while your opponent is only drawing one, chances are you'll win the game.

  -- By BC from Columbia, MO on June 06, 2005

Um, can it do anything useful? Maybe if it didn't require skipping the draw phase it wouldn't be bad, but as it is, it just seems to be a good way to kill yourself. Maybe it should be called necro-impotence.

  -- By Me from Here on April 02, 2005

The only reason I didn't give this card 5 stars is the BBB casting cost. I tend to agree that this is the one of the most powerful black cards ever printed. It's a pity they restricted it. Many of the greatest decks of all time utilized.

  -- By Rizal from Indonesia on March 13, 2003

Necropotence is the best card ever. I have now 2 decks around the card. I ALWAYS win. To play it well you need Zuran Orb and Ivory tower.

  -- By Stephen from North Carolina on February 22, 2003

Necropotence is the best card ever. I have now 2 decks around the card. I ALWAYS win. To play it well you need zuran orb and ivory tower

  -- By Stephen from North Carolina on February 22, 2003

An incredible card. And an awsome picture to boot.

  -- By Kyle from NH on February 15, 2003

What the...! WHats the point of this card whats it DO its like losing 1 life a turn for no reason! Why would you want to help the opponent win the game! Ill much rather use healing salve! All the other reviewers were joking right?

  -- By Anonymous from Anonymous on October 15, 2002

Top black card ever made. It's ability to draw innumerable cards dominated any format that it was available in, and it has spawned into many cards i.e. phyrexian arena, skeletal scrying etc. that are also highly acclaimed. Drain life and Necropotence? Nasty, imagine drawing 19 more cards than your opponent in a crazy combo deck. It's mere ability to oerwhlem your opponent kills. Use even with psycatog, or zombie infestation to decimate your opponent.

  -- By Anonymous from Mililani, HI, USA on March 28, 2002

I was amazed to see only one review for this! I guess anything that can be said has been said. I'm just glad I was able to get it in Deckmasters.

  -- By Wally from Olympia, WA on March 19, 2002

This has to be the most broken card ever made. Paying 1 life to draw a card is hardly a drawback, espesially with black's wide-array of spells that can gain you life, as well as artifacts like Ivory Tower and Zuran Orb. Necro has appeared in every possible decktype. It was originally used in a beatdown type deck but has been used in control decks and combo decks because of its ability to draw massive amounts of cards easily.

  -- By Michael Arnold from Barstow, California on June 13, 2001