Gnawing Vermin MTG Card


Card advantage gained from Gnawing Vermin can decisively tilt the board in your favor. Instant speed interaction allows strategic plays during an opponent’s turn with Gnawing Vermin. The discard requirement for activation poses a strategic resource management challenge.
Gnawing Vermin - The Brothers' War
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Rat
Abilities Mill
Released2022-11-18
Set symbol
Set nameThe Brothers' War
Set codeBRO
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number101
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRaoul Vitale

Text of card

When Gnawing Vermin enters the battlefield, target player mills two cards. When Gnawing Vermin dies, target creature you don't control gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

"Everyone warns about the sand and the food, but the rats are worse than both put together!" —Sanwell, letter to his family


Cards like Gnawing Vermin

Gnawing Vermin is a creature that slips into the vast menagerie of pest-type creatures within Magic: The Gathering. A quick comparison can be drawn to cards like Typhoid Rats, a staple when considering low-cost deathtouch creatures. Both cards share the ability to take down much larger creatures irrespective of their size, making them valuable tactical pieces on the battlefield.

Another parallel can be drawn with Vampire of the Dire Moon. It not only harbors deathtouch but also adds lifelink to the mix, a combo that provides incremental life gain while defending against attackers. However, the edge for Vampire of the Dire Moon comes at a higher mana value, making Gnawing Vermin a more economical option for early defense.

When evaluating the place of Gnawing Vermin among its peers, it’s the combination of its minimal mana cost and deathtouch ability that solidifies its role. It’s a card that offers strategic flexibility to control the tide of the game without a heavy investment, earning its keep in the decks that capitalize on such tactical advantages.

Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Vampire of the Dire Moon - MTG Card versions
Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Vampire of the Dire Moon - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gnawing Vermin by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Deathgreeter - MTG Card versions
Guul Draz Vampire - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Deathgreeter - MTG Card versions
Guul Draz Vampire - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Gnawing Vermin. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir ControlDimir Control StandardDimir ControlTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: May 20, 2024
Mono-Black AggroMono-Black Aggro StandardMono-Black AggroTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: May 13, 2024
Golgari Insidious RootsGolgari Insidious Roots StandardGolgari Insidious RootsTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 25, 2024
Golgari MillGolgari Mill StandardJund AggroThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Jund Insidious RootsJund Insidious Roots StandardJund Insidious RootsStandard Challenge 64 2024-03-24
Dimir MidrangeDimir Midrange StandardDimir MidrangeStandard Challenge 64 2024-03-10
Dimir AggroDimir Aggro StandardDimir AggroStandard Preliminary 2024-03-11
Sultai ReanimatorSultai Reanimator GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Four-color MillFour-color Mill GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Sultai Some Brand of CerealSultai Some Brand of Cereal GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 09 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gnawing Vermin provides an efficient way to potentially remove multiple creatures from your opponent’s board. This can lead to a significant card advantage as you deal with more threats using a single card.

Resource Acceleration: Through its repeatable effect, Gnawing Vermin offers a steady approach to resource acceleration by incrementally weakening your opponents’ creatures, potentially making them more manageable or setting them up for a sweep.

Instant Speed: Its ability to act at instant speed gives players the flexibility to disrupt opponents during their turn. This tactical advantage can shift the momentum of the game, especially when timed to counter critical plays or during end-of-turn scenarios.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The need to discard a card for activating Gnawing Vermin’s abilities can be a strategic setback, especially in game stages where your hand is already depleted. Balancing the act of maintaining card advantage while utilizing this creature’s potential is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black and generic mana, Gnawing Vermin demands a dedicated slot in your mana base, potentially complicating the construction of multicolored decks. Paying the mana cost is a commitment that requires careful deck building to ensure consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Gnawing Vermin’s abilities can disrupt opponents, its activation cost, when compared to its overall impact on the board, may not align with more mana-efficient options available in the game. Players often seek lower-cost alternatives that deliver a similar or greater impact for less mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gnawing Vermin shines in its capability to slot into a variety of decks that require strategic sacrifice elements or incremental life point adjustments. Its low casting cost also makes it a practical choice for various stages of the game.

Combo Potential: This card offers excellent synergy with mechanics that feed off of creature deaths or black mana generation, amplifying the strength of sacrifice-based strategies and enabling powerful interactions within a finely tuned deck.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where attrition and control are key, Gnawing Vermin proves to be a valuable asset, subtly wearing down opponents over time while providing utility in the form of board control and resource denial.


How to beat

Gnawing Vermin can be a tricky adversary in the world of Magic: The Gathering, especially in formats where creature numbers matter. This subtle card proves its strength by weakening an opponent’s forces without having to confront them in direct combat. When facing Gnawing Vermin, it’s crucial to neutralize its presence swiftly before it can whittle down your creature base.

To successfully counter Gnawing Vermin, consider utilizing efficient removal spells that can take it off the board with minimal mana investment. Using spells like Shock or Fatal Push can dispose of the Vermin before its effect becomes a thorn in your side. Additionally, flying creatures offer a reliable means to soar over this ground-based nuisance, granting you an unobstructed path to victory. It’s also worthwhile to leverage creatures with higher toughness, as they can endure the Vermin’s ability and still hold the line effectively.

Ultimately, overcoming Gnawing Vermin is about anticipating its play and being prepared with the right counter-strategies. By prioritizing its removal and maintaining a robust creature line-up, you can ensure that Gnawing Vermin becomes nothing more than a minor inconvenience on your journey to triumph in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG deck is like fine-tuning a complex engine, and understanding each card’s strengths and limitations is crucial. Gnawing Vermin can be a subtle yet potent card when wielded wisely, offering tactical versatility and a thrifty use of resources. Whether to control the board or as part of a larger strategy, knowing when and how to play such cards can make a critical difference. We encourage you to further enhance your gameplay and deck building skills by exploring deeper into the synergies and counterplays that revolve around versatile cards like Gnawing Vermin. Discover more insights and strategies on our platform and advance your path to becoming a formidable player in the MTG arena.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gnawing Vermin MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Gnawing Vermin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gnawing Vermin has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal