Void Maw MTG Card


Void Maw - Coldsnap
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Horror
Abilities Trample
Released2006-07-21
Set symbol
Set nameColdsnap
Set codeCSP
Power 4
Toughness 5
Number74
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byE. M. Gist

Key Takeaways

  1. Void Maw shines by disrupting strategies and growing stronger by exiling creatures.
  2. Its instant-speed ability offers flexibility and surprise tactics in gameplay.
  3. Demands careful play due to its card discard requirement and specific mana cost.

Text of card

Trample If another creature would be put into a graveyard from play, remove it from the game instead. Put a card removed from the game with Void Maw into its owner's graveyard: Void Maw gets +2/+2 until end of turn.


Card Pros

In the realm of MTG, certain cards can subtly shift the balance of power on the battlefield. The Void Maw is no exception, and here’s why players might consider it an asset in their deck strategies:

Card Advantage: What sets Void Maw apart is its trample ability coupled with the potential to exile creatures from graveyards. This interaction not only disrupts your opponent’s graveyard strategies but can also beef up Void Maw, turning it into a formidable force that goes beyond the immediate board state.

Resource Acceleration: In decks that manipulate graveyard mechanics, Void Maw can quickly become a powerhouse. Its ability to consume creatures from graveyards can be leveraged to pave the way for recursive plays or enable combinations that rely on graveyard manipulation, accelerating your strategic advantage.

Instant Speed: While Void Maw itself may not be an instant, its ability activates at instant speed. This gives you the flexibility to exile creatures during your opponent’s turn, catching them off-guard and potentially clearing the way for a successful attack. It’s all about timing and the element of surprise.

Keep these strengths in mind, and you just might find that Void Maw carves a path to victory in your next MTG session.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Void Maw catches attention with its intriguing ability to exile creatures from graves. However, this tempting power comes at a cost. To activate it, you must discard a card, which can be a double-edged sword. During the late game or high-pressure situations where every card in hand is crucial, this requirement might force undesirable decisions that weaken your position.

Specific Mana Cost: Coming into play with a need for two black and two colorless mana, Void Maw demands a solid black mana base. This specificity means that players looking to weave it into a multi-colored deck could find themselves mana-locked or strained, unable to summon this creature when needed the most.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana price tag and an additional two mana required to activate its ability, Void Maw can be an expensive investment in a game where the pace can change in a heartbeat. Alternative cards could provide similar graveyard disruption or creature control without the burden of a high mana cost, potentially leading to more efficient gameplay strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Void Maw offers unique gameplay options by interacting with exile, a zone that is becoming increasingly relevant in modern play. It can slide into decks focusing on graveyard strategies or those that need to manipulate exile to their advantage.

Combo Potential: With its ability to store creatures that would be exiled and later use them to enhance its power, Void Maw has synergy with various strategies. It becomes a dynamic tool for combos, especially in Commander, where graveyard manipulation is common.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where opponents frequently utilize exile effects, Void Maw gains practical importance. It can disrupt exile-based strategies or simply act as a safeguard for your creatures, ensuring that you retain some board presence against exile-heavy opponents.


How to beat

Void Maw stands as a unique creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, showcasing an intriguing ability to exile cards from graveyards. In practice, it functions as a graveyard disruptor, becoming more formidable with each creature it exiles. Players facing Void Maw should consider several strategies to maintain the upper hand. Graveyard hate cards, like Scavenging Ooze, can preemptively clear graveyards, thus hampering Void Maw’s strength-building mechanic. Targeted removal or counter spells are also effective ways to ensure that Void Maw never hits the battlefield or stays on for long.

Deck builders might want to incorporate enchantment-based removals such as Banishing Light to sideline Void Maw without having to send it to the graveyard, where its abilities could still influence the game. Moreover, leveraging instant-speed spells allows players to respond to the creature’s ability on the stack, minimizing the impact on their graveyard resources. Taking a proactive approach and including versatile responses in one’s deck composition can be key in outmaneuvering an opponent’s Void Maw card and maintaining control of the game.


Cards like Void Maw

Void Maw stands as a curious creature within the Magic: The Gathering universe, sharing similarities with other creeps that boast exile mechanics. Like Anafenza, the Foremost, Void Maw plays with the graveyard by exiling cards from it. However, unlike Anafenza, which exiles cards as they hit the graveyard from anywhere, Void Maw requires the creature to be in combat, offering a narrower yet potentially powerful interaction.

Another card worth comparing is Withered Wretch. This creature allows for selective graveyard exile at a low activation cost, providing more control but less potential for the exponential growth of Void Maw’s power and toughness. Similarly, Scavenging Ooze offers a targeted approach while also gaining you life, though it ramps up in power at a slower pace than Void Maw, which can balloon in a single well-played combat.

Therefore, when looking at the intricacies of graveyard interference, Void Maw occupies a unique space. It can surprise opponents in combat and become a significant threat with enough graveyard fodder. Its situational strength combines the exile mechanic with growth potential, distinguishing it among its peers in Magic: The Gathering.

Anafenza, the Foremost - MTG Card versions
Withered Wretch - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Anafenza, the Foremost - MTG Card versions
Withered Wretch - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions

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Visara the Dreadful - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Void Maw MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap, 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 Void Maw and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Void Maw has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2006-07-15 If Void Maw and another creature would be put into the graveyard from the battlefield at the same time, Void Maw is put into your graveyard and the other creature is exiled.
2011-06-01 Cards exiled with Void Maw that would go to the graveyard but have that replaced by an effect such as Leyline of the Void are considered new objects. They can not be used to activate Void Maw’s ability again.

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