Biting Rain MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 102
2023-03-21 - Number 99
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Madness |
Text of card
All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Madness (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
On Innistrad, it is seldom wrong to stay indoors.
Cards like Biting Rain
Biting Rain is an alluring option for players looking to influence the battlefield through mass creature debuff. This card is a descendant of the lineage established by Night of Souls’ Betrayal, which provides a continuous effect reducing creatures’ power and toughness. Biting Rain, however, has a one-time effect and comes with the added benefit of madness, allowing it to be played at an unexpected moment and potentially for a reduced cost.
Similarly, there is Flaying Tendrils, which not only gives creatures -2/-2 until end of turn but also exiles those that would die this turn, preventing graveyard interactions. While Flaying Tendrils has the same mana value as Biting Rain, its implications for the graveyard can be more impactful in certain scenarios. Then there is Drown in Sorrow that operates on the same mana tier and also scry 1. However, it lacks the flexibility of casting through madness that Biting Rain offers.
Assessing the nuances, Biting Rain holds a unique posture in MTG for those strategic moments where timing and the element of surprise can leverage one’s position, especially in a game where flexibility can be as potent as the spell’s core effect.
Cards similar to Biting Rain by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Biting Rain aids players by forcing each creature to get -2/-2 until end of turn, which can sweep away multiple smaller creatures an opponent controls. This can ultimately tilt the board presence in your favor, leading to card advantage if it results in more of your opponents’ creatures being destroyed than your own.
Resource Acceleration: Although Biting Rain doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by clearing the board of potential threats. This opens the path for your creatures to attack and may help maintain your life total, keeping you in a stronger position to deploy further threats more quickly.
Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Biting Rain won’t have the element of surprise that instant speed spells posses. However, timing this card effectively can still be crucial. It can be played just before your turn to clear the way for an unobstructed attack, or used after your opponent has committed to playing creatures on their turn, getting the maximum effect from the spell.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Casting Biting Rain forces you to discard a card, potentially putting you at a card disadvantage if your hand is already sparse.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s requirement of both black mana and generic mana can restrict its inclusion to decks that support this color, limiting its versatility across different archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana casting cost, Biting Rain enters a range where players might expect more impact on the game state, especially since other cards at or below this cost threshold can offer similar or better board control options.
Reasons to Include Biting Rain in Your Collection
Versatility: Biting Rain adapts to a wide array of black or multi-colored decks aiming to control the board. It’s particularly effective in situations where you want to clear multiple low-toughness creatures at once, making it a versatile option for sideboards or main decks.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with decks that benefit from death triggers or want to capitalize on clearing the board for a commanding position. Its combo potential extends to setting up for powerful follow-up plays in the subsequent turns.
Meta-Relevance: Biting Rain is relevant when aggressive creature decks are dominating the play environment. Having this card on hand ensures you have a response to swarm strategies, allowing you to stabilize and turn the tides in your favor.
How to beat
Biting Rain is a notable card in Magic: The Gathering that has the power to dramatically alter the state of the board by giving all creatures -2/-2 until end of turn. This effect, akin to a sudden deluge sweeping across the battlefield, can be particularly devastating to decks that rely heavily on a multitude of smaller creatures to maintain control and apply pressure. It requires a nuanced strategy to safeguard your assets against such a disruptive force.
To secure your board presence against Biting Rain, one effective method is to focus on playing creatures with greater toughness that can withstand the -2/-2 effect. Another approach involves using instant-speed spells that can buff your creatures in response, therefore ensuring their survival. It’s also beneficial to include cards in your deck that can counteract sorcery spells or provide indestructible status to your creatures as a preemptive defense. By incorporating these strategies, you can anticipate the downfall brought by Biting Rain and turn the tide of the game in your favor, maintaining your foothold even as the skies of the game darken.
Overcoming the challenge posed by Biting Rain requires preparation and strategic deck building, ensuring that your play transcends the limitations imposed by this impactful card, thereby bolstering your chances for victory on the MTG battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Biting Rain MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad Remastered, 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 Biting Rain and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Biting Rain Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by John Stanko.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 102 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Stanko | |
| 2 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 99 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Stanko |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Biting Rain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Biting Rain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-08 | A spell cast for its madness cost is put onto the stack like any other spell. It can be countered, copied, and so on. As it resolves, it’s put onto the battlefield if it’s a permanent card or into its owner’s graveyard if it’s an instant or sorcery card. |
| 2016-04-08 | Cards are discarded in a Magic game only from a player’s hand. Effects that put cards from a player’s library into that player’s graveyard do not cause those cards to be discarded. |
| 2016-04-08 | Casting a spell for its madness cost doesn’t change its mana cost or its mana value. You just pay the madness cost instead. |
| 2016-04-08 | Effects that cause you to pay more or less for a spell will cause you to pay that much more or less for its madness cost, too. |
| 2016-04-08 | If you choose not to cast a card with madness when the madness triggered ability resolves, it’s put into your graveyard. You don’t get another chance to cast it later. |
| 2016-04-08 | If you discard a card with madness to pay the cost of a spell or activated ability, that card’s madness trigger (and the spell that card becomes, if you choose to cast it) will resolve before the spell or ability the discard paid for. |
| 2016-04-08 | If you discard a card with madness while resolving a spell or ability, it moves immediately to exile. Continue resolving that spell or ability—the card is not in your graveyard at this time. Its madness trigger will be placed onto the stack once that spell or ability has completely resolved. |
| 2016-04-08 | Madness works independently of why you’re discarding the card. You could discard it to pay a cost, because a spell or ability tells you to, or even because you have too many cards in your hand at the end of your turn. You can’t discard a card with madness just because you want to, though. |
| 2016-04-08 | The set of creatures affected by Biting Rain is determined as the spell resolves. Creatures that enter the battlefield later in the turn won’t get -2/-2. |
| 2016-04-08 | When you cast a card with madness, it was still discarded. If it was discarded to pay a cost, that cost is still paid. Abilities that trigger when a card is discarded will still trigger. |