Mutilate MTG Card


Board clearing capabilities of Mutilate pivot games by decimating opponents’ creatures, handing you card advantage. Efficiency gains increase as Mutilate conserves resources, freeing up mana for future game development. Sorcery speed challenges players to strategize its use carefully, ensuring it has a significant impact on gameplay.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

All creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn for each swamp you control.

"They appreciate my handiwork. I hear their joy in every scream." —Chainer, dementia master


Cards like Mutilate

Mutilate stands out in the sphere of board wipe spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares the playing field with the likes of Damnation, which also clears the board of all creatures. Mutilate, however, scales its potency with the number of Swamps you control, making it incredibly powerful in mono-black decks. Whereas Damnation is set at a fixed four mana for an uncompromising board clear regardless of land type.

Languish is another card that can be seen in parallel to Mutilate. Like Mutilate, Languish decreases the power and toughness of creatures on the board, but only by a static four points. This makes it less variable than Mutilate and potentially less impactful in a Swamp-heavy deck. However, Languish can be more predictable and reliable in multicolor decks that can’t guarantee a heavy Swamp count.

Evaluating the dynamics of these spells, Mutilate commands a unique position for players embracing the swamp-centric strategy, providing a level of control and adaptability that is closely tied to your land base within Magic: The Gathering.

Damnation - MTG Card versions
Languish - MTG Card versions
Damnation - MTG Card versions
Languish - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Mutilate by color, type and mana cost

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Fatal Lore - MTG Card versions
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Persecute - MTG Card versions
Ancient Craving - MTG Card versions
Stream of Acid - MTG Card versions
Unmask - MTG Card versions
Reprocess - MTG Card versions
Befoul - MTG Card versions
Agonizing Memories - MTG Card versions
Extinction Event - MTG Card versions
Terisiare's Devastation - MTG Card versions
Damnation - MTG Card versions
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Endemic Plague - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Cranial Extraction - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mutilate can serve as a powerful board wipe, clearing the field of your opponent’s creatures and potentially leaving you with a more advantageous position. This often results in a considerable shift in the game’s momentum, swinging the card advantage in your favor as your opponent has to rebuild their presence on the board.

Resource Acceleration: While Mutilate itself does not directly accelerate your resources, it indirectly affects the board state by eliminating the need for further spells to handle each threat individually. This allows you to use your mana more efficiently in subsequent turns, investing in development rather than removal.

Instant Speed: Mutilate operates at sorcery speed, which requires strategy in timing its use. Although not an instant, its impact can be just as decisive. A timely Mutilate clears threats preemptively, avoiding the potential pitfalls of waiting for instant speed interaction and can be planned as a pivotal turn in your game strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Mutilate demands strategic hand management, as you wouldn’t want to utilize this board-wiping spell only to be left with no cards to follow up and seize control of the now-emptied board.

Specific Mana Cost: Mutilate’s effectiveness hinges on the amount of Swamps you control, necessitating a deck heavily skewed towards or exclusively made of black mana sources, potentially limiting deck diversity and making it less viable in multicolored strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where pace can be a critical factor, Mutilate’s four mana requirement might be seen as steep, particularly when other sweepers exist in the MTG universe that come into play at a lower cost or offer additional benefits beyond mere creature destruction.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mutilate is a powerful inclusion for any collection due to its ability to adapt to various board states. This card thrives in mono-black decks, especially those looking to leverage high swamp counts for devastating effect.

Combo Potential: This card offers combo potential with cards that benefit from creature deaths or graveyard strategies. It’s an excellent way to clear the board and set up for potent graveyard-based combos or recursion tactics.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with creature-heavy decks, Mutilate shines as a mass removal spell. Its relevance grows as it easily disrupts opponents’ boards, making it a timely addition to your arsenal against such strategies.


How to beat

Mutilate is a renowned board wipe spell in Magic: The Gathering, known for its potency in black mana-centric decks. This card’s ability to scale with the number of Swamps you control can decimate an opponent’s creature base, leaving them scrambling for a response. In order to counter the devastating effects of Mutilate, players should consider diversifying their mana base, utilizing lands that aren’t reliant solely on the Swamp type. Additionally, emphasizing on creature types that have innate resilience against destruction effects, such as regenerators or indestructible creatures, can also provide a safeguard against this powerful spell.

Moreover, incorporating instant-speed spells that grant temporary invulnerability or indestructible status can be a strategic approach to preserving your forces. Cards with effects that replace themselves, like persist or undying, can also recover from a board swipe like Mutilate. Counter spells remain an ever-reliable means to thwart Mutilate before it even resolves. The key lies in maintaining a versatile and reactive game plan, ready to adapt and survive the sweeping power of Mutilate.

Ultimately, understanding Mutilate’s dependency on swamps becomes a pivotal point, strategizing to minimize its impact can secure a favorable position during gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

Embracing the depths of MTG strategy can transform Mutilate from a card in your hand to a game-changing force on the battlefield. Mutilate’s potential to shift the tide makes it a noteworthy contender in any mono-black deck. Crafting a winning strategy often hinges on understanding not just individual cards but their synergies and the current meta. Whether you’re looking to enhance your collection with versatile sweepers or counteract prevalent creature strategies, delving into how Mutilate can strengthen your deck is a journey worth taking. Join us for deeper insights and discover how to optimize your play with cards like Mutilate.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mutilate MTG card by a specific set like Torment and Magic 2013, 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 Mutilate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mutilate Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2002-02-04 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-02-04TormentTOR 731997NormalBlackEric Peterson
22012-07-13Magic 2013M13 1022003NormalBlackTyler Jacobson
32014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1502015NormalBlackTyler Jacobson
42014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. LilianaGVL 552015NormalBlackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
52022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 203★2015NormalBlackGames Workshop
62022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2032015NormalBlackGames Workshop

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mutilate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mutilate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2012-07-01 The effect is based on the number of Swamps you control when Mutilate resolves. Only creatures on the battlefield at that time will be affected. The effect won't change later in the turn, even if the number of Swamps you control changes.