Strangling Spores MTG Card
2018-07-13 - Number 122
2022-12-02 - Number 473
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- It’s a versatile instant for creature removal, vital for disrupting opponents’ strategies on the battlefield.
- Its specific mana cost and higher casting cost may limit its utility in fast-paced or multi-color decks.
- Comparable to Murder and Grasp of Darkness, it provides a balanced mix of cost, effect, and flexibility.
Text of card
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
Imagine a thousand tiny mushrooms cropping up within your lungs.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Strangling Spores provides you with the tactical upper hand by serving as removal for an opponent’s creature, effectively reducing their resources while maintaining your own on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While Strangling Spores itself does not directly accelerate resources, its ability to eliminate a key threat can potentially impede your opponent’s resource development, giving you an indirect advantage.
Instant Speed: As an instant, Strangling Spores adds versatile responsiveness to your arsenal. This allows you to adeptly manage your mana while deciding on the optimal moment to weaken or remove an adversary’s creature during their turn or in response to an action.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Strangling Spores does not require a discard itself, but it can often lead to a situation where you’re forced to choose between holding onto the card for the right moment or playing other spells. This can result in valuable cards being discarded in favor of playing Strangling Spores at an optimal time.
Specific Mana Cost: Strangling Spores demands a specific blend of mana – one black and two generic. This requirement can restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce black mana, potentially excluding it from more versatile or multi-colored deck strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, Strangling Spores is on the higher end for an effect that gives only -3/-3 until end of turn. In a game where efficiency is key, players might opt for lower cost cards that offer similar or even better effects, making Strangling Spores a less attractive option in a competitive setting.
Reasons to Include Strangling Spores in Your Collection
Versatility: Strangling Spores offers a level of flexibility that makes it a solid inclusion for black-centric decks or multicolor builds needing removal. As an instant, it can disrupt your opponent’s strategy at critical moments, dealing with a wide range of creatures by giving them -3/-3 until end of turn.
Combo Potential: This card is excellent for triggering morbid mechanics or setting up death-triggered abilities in your deck. It slots well into strategies that revolve around sacrifice and graveyard interactions, helping you manipulate board states to your advantage.
Meta-Relevance: With an ever-fluctuating MTG meta, having reliable creature control can be invaluable. In environments populated by aggro decks or those relying on creatures with toughness 3 or less, Strangling Spores can serve as an efficient tool to maintain board control.
How to beat
Strangling Spores is a solid removal option in Magic: The Gathering, bringing the power to potentially clear a path for your creatures or remove a threat from the battlefield. Introduced as part of the Core Set 2019, it’s a black instant that deals 3 damage to any target creature. Its place in MTG can be compared to spells like Lightning Strike or Shock, which also deal a limited amount of damage but are used for direct damage to creatures or players alike.
However, to outmaneuver Strangling Spores, consider utilizing creatures with toughness greater than 3, which would withstand the damage dealt by this spell. Adding indestructible creatures to your deck can also nullify the effect of Strangling Spores completely, as they are immune to destroy effects irrespective of the damage dealt. Another strategy is to employ creature cards with the ability to regenerate or to use spells that grant temporary protection, like Sheltering Word, which can both counteract and survive this removal spell.
Lastly, while Strangling Spores may influence the board, its impact can be mitigated or even turned to your advantage with the right strategy. Being preemptive and aware can make all the difference, making the practicalities of this card less intimidating.
Cards like Strangling Spores
Strangling Spores adds a twist to the realm of creature removal within MTG. It shares a functional resemblance to cards like Murder, offering players the ability to take out threats on the battlefield. Where Strangling Spores diverges is in its effect, dealing -3/-3 to a creature rather than outright destroying it like Murder does. This can be advantageous against creatures with indestructible or those that have harmful effects when they die.
Another card worth comparing is Grasp of Darkness, a spell that also weakens creatures but offers a heftier -4/-4 reduction at the same mana cost. While Grasp of Darkness might appear stronger, it requires double black mana, making Strangling Spores more flexible for multicolored decks. Lastly, Cast Down also competes in this space. It destroys nonlegendary creatures at instant speed for less mana, but it cannot target legendary creatures, a limitation that Strangling Spores does not share.
Each removal spell brings its set of pros and cons to a deck, and while Strangling Spores may not always be the most powerful, its balancing act between cost, effect, and flexibility positions it as a solid choice in various MTG strategies.
Cards similar to Strangling Spores by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Strangling Spores MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019 and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Strangling Spores and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Strangling Spores Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-07-13 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Jason A. Engle.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 122 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason A. Engle | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 473 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason A. Engle |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Strangling Spores has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
