Cackling Fiend MTG Card
1998-10-12 - Number 121
1999-11-12 - Number 11
2023-01-13 - Number 76
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
When Cackling Fiend comes into play, each of your opponents chooses and discards a card.
Its windpipe is only the first to amplify its maddening laughter.
Cards like Cackling Fiend
Cackling Fiend offers a unique strategic value in the arena of creature-based mechanics in MTG. Its closest kin might be Chittering Rats, which also forces the opponent to put a card from their hand on top of their library when it enters the battlefield. However, while the Fiend causes each opponent to discard a card, providing a broader impact in multiplayer games, Chittering Rats provides a targeted disruption, a subtle yet crucial difference in a duel context.
Fell Specter steps into this space as well, packing a similar punch with its arrival on the battlefield. It too causes an opponent to discard a card, which is quite powerful, but it raises the stakes by inflicting damage whenever an opponent discards a card. This effectively heightens its intimidation factor in games where life totals are precarious. In a different light, Burglar Rat asks each opponent to discard a card upon entry, mirroring Cackling Fiend’s mass discard utility, but it doesn’t carry the same potential for repeated use that Cackling Fiend’s echo gives it.
Considering the subtleties between these cards, Cackling Fiend holds its own in decks that benefit from forcing multiple opponents to lose resources simultaneously in MTG, showcasing its edge in the multi-player format.
Cards similar to Cackling Fiend by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Cackling Fiend enters the battlefield, it forces each opponent to discard a card, tipping the balance of cards in hand in your favor, thus creating an indirect card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Though Cackling Fiend doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the card’s ability disrupts your opponent’s mana curve and plans, potentially slowing them down and giving you a tempo advantage.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Cackling Fiend can complement instant-speed strategies by clearing the way for your other spells and disrupting the opponent’s hand during your turn, making it more likely for your instant-speed interactions to succeed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When Cackling Fiend enters the battlefield, each opponent discards a card. This effect only triggers on its entry, so repeated benefits would require additional methods to bounce or reanimate the creature to get the most value from the discard mechanic.
Specific Mana Cost: Cackling Fiend requires a commitment to black mana with its casting cost needing two black mana symbols. This specification can limit deck-building options and reduce its flexibility in multi-colored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its four total mana cost, Cackling Fiend’s immediate impact on the game is moderate. Considering other cards in the same cost range can offer more impactful effects or stronger bodies, this might not be the most mana-efficient choice for competitive play.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cackling Fiend provides a unique angle in gameplay by disrupting your opponent’s hand, making it a useful card in formats where hand size manipulation can be crucial.
Combo Potential: When used in conjunction with cards that force opponents to draw and then discard, Cackling Fiend can be a part of a lockout combo, denying opponents the resources they need.
Meta-Relevance: In games where players are holding onto key cards for later turns, Cackling Fiend asserts pressure by forcing early discards, potentially throwing off your opponent’s long-term strategy.
How to beat
Cackling Fiend is a unique card within the creature category of MTG, known for its ability to disrupt an opponent’s hand each time it enters the battlefield. To effectively counter this card, denying its battlefield entry is paramount. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can be quite effective in eliminating Cackling Fiend before its ability triggers. Cards that grant hexproof to a player such as Leyline of Sanctity can negate the discard effect altogether, leaving the Fiend as just another creature on the board.
Another strategy lies in the realm of proactive gameplays, such as using discard outlets like Liliana of the Veil to control the timing and impact of your discards, effectively minimizing the Fiend’s disruption. Alternatively, running cards with graveyard synergies, where discarding could be advantageous, turns Cackling Fiend’s ability against your opponent by fueling your plans. It’s essential to monitor board state and be ready with a response in your hand, ideally leaving mana open for instant-speed interaction to ensure Cackling Fiend’s effect is a minor inconvenience rather than a game-changing setback.
In summary, with the right blend of instant removal, protective spells, or strategic deck building, beating a card like Cackling Fiend becomes less of an obstacle and more of a tactical exercise, showcasing the depth of counterplay inherent in the game of MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cackling Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Cackling Fiend 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 Cackling Fiend Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Brian Despain.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 121 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Brian Despain | |
| 2 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 11 | 1997 | Normal | White | Brian Despain | |
| 3 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Brian Despain |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cackling Fiend has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cackling Fiend card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If the opponent has no cards in hand, this has no effect. |