Smite the Monstrous MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Targeting big creatures, Smite the Monstrous indirectly aids in maintaining card advantage by disrupting opponent strategies.
  2. Instant speed provides strategic flexibility, allowing removal of threats during the opponent’s turn or in combat.
  3. Limited to hand presence and specific mana cost, Smite the Monstrous can be less versatile in certain decks.

Text of card

Destroy target creature with power 4 or greater.

Though the old holy wards and roadside shrines have begun to fail, faith in Avacyn still holds true power.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While not directly providing card draw, Smite the Monstrous enables strategic removal of threats, often taking out a key creature that your opponent could have used as a card advantage engine. Removing a high-threat target could effectively stifle your opponent’s strategy, indirectly contributing to your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This card may not directly accelerate your resources in the form of mana or tokens, but by removing costly creatures from the battlefield, it can prevent your opponent from leveraging big mana investments, ultimately preserving your own resources for critical plays.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Smite the Monstrous offers the flexibility to respond on your opponent’s turn, enabling you to navigate through their attacks and eliminate their heavy-hitters in combat or at the end of their turn, keeping your mana open for other strategic moves during your own turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Smite the Monstrous requires you to have the card in hand without any discard option providing flexibility. This can be cumbersome when you’re aiming to optimize hand usage and maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Smite the Monstrous has a white mana requirement in its casting cost which may not align well with multicolored decks or those that lean towards other colors. This constraint can limit the card’s versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of 3 colorless and 1 white mana, Smite the Monstrous can be considered costly, especially when there are alternative removal spells available that either cost less or offer additional benefits alongside removing a threat.


Reasons to Include Smite the Monstrous in Your Collection

Versatility: This card is a flexible option for any deck that anticipates going up against large creatures. Its ability to destroy a creature with power 4 or greater can be a game changer in a tight matchup.

Combo Potential: Smite the Monstrous can easily slot into strategies that look to control the board, setting up scenarios where you can take out key threats and push through your own combat phase successfully.

Meta-Relevance: Given that the current gameplay often includes sizable creatures in various deck builds, having this removal tool at your disposal ensures readiness against a range of potential threats and secures its position as a meta-relevant card.


How to beat

Smite the Monstrous is a potent tool for dealing with large threats on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its ability to destroy creatures with power 4 or greater, it’s a spell that can turn the tide of a game when colossal monsters loom large. However, understanding its limitations can be key to outmaneuvering it. Keeping powerful creatures with a power of 3 or less in your deck ensures they remain safe from this removal. Additionally, utilizing cards with indestructible or hexproof abilities can effectively render Smite the Monstrous useless, as it cannot target or destroy such well-protected creatures.

Moreover, playing creatures with built-in resilience such as regeneration or the ability to return from the graveyard can mitigate the impact of Smite the Monstrous, ensuring that even if they are targeted, they won’t be gone for good. Tactics involving counterspells can also be employed to prevent Smite the Monstrous from resolving, maintaining your game plan and preserving your board presence.

Players can successfully work around the limitations of Smite the Monstrous, crafting strategies that leverage its specificity. With thoughtful deck construction and gameplay, this formidable card can be rendered less intimidating, allowing players to march towards victory undeterred.


Cards like Smite the Monstrous

Smite the Monstrous is a targeted removal option that has found its niche within Magic: The Gathering’s vast arsenal of creature control spells. Much like Reprisal, Smite the Monstrous shines in its ability to dispatch large threats on the battlefield. However, unlike Reprisal, which requires the creature to have a power of 4 or greater, Smite the Monstrous increases that threshold, focusing solely on creatures with power 4 or greater, which can be both a boon and a limitation depending on the situation.

Another card worth comparing is Crushing Canopy, offering a dual utility in dealing with creatures with flying as well as pesky enchantments. While Canopy’s flexibility can be advantageous, Smite the Monstrous’ lower mana cost and the fact that it is not limited to creatures with flying make it more efficient against ground-based leviathans. Then there’s Condemn, trading instant speed for the specific condition of attacking creatures and a unique effect—tucking the creature away on the bottom of its owner’s library instead of destroying it.

Ultimately, each of these cards serve the purpose of keeping daunting creatures at bay, yet Smite the Monstrous stands out when dealing with towering monsters that threaten to dominate the game, offering a straightforward and cost-effective solution within the white mana spell repertoire.

Reprisal - MTG Card versions
Crushing Canopy - MTG Card versions
Condemn - MTG Card versions
Reprisal - Alliances (ALL)
Crushing Canopy - Ixalan (XLN)
Condemn - Dissension (DIS)

Cards similar to Smite the Monstrous by color, type and mana cost

Rapid Fire - MTG Card versions
Congregate - MTG Card versions
Reverent Mantra - MTG Card versions
Sivvi's Ruse - MTG Card versions
Mirror Strike - MTG Card versions
Surprise Deployment - MTG Card versions
Ray of Distortion - MTG Card versions
Chastise - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Will - MTG Card versions
Semester's End - MTG Card versions
Recuperate - MTG Card versions
Solidarity - MTG Card versions
Altar's Light - MTG Card versions
Aether Shockwave - MTG Card versions
Divine Verdict - MTG Card versions
Return to Dust - MTG Card versions
Angel's Mercy - MTG Card versions
Eyes in the Skies - MTG Card versions
Inspired Charge - MTG Card versions
Comeuppance - MTG Card versions
Rapid Fire - Legends (LEG)
Congregate - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Reverent Mantra - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Sivvi's Ruse - Nemesis (NEM)
Mirror Strike - Prophecy (PCY)
Surprise Deployment - Planeshift (PLS)
Ray of Distortion - Odyssey (ODY)
Chastise - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Akroma's Will - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Semester's End - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Recuperate - Scourge (SCG)
Solidarity - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Altar's Light - Mirrodin (MRD)
Aether Shockwave - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Divine Verdict - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Return to Dust - Doctor Who (WHO)
Angel's Mercy - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Eyes in the Skies - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Inspired Charge - March of the Machine (MOM)
Comeuppance - Commander 2014 (C14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Smite the Monstrous MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad, 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 Smite the Monstrous and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Smite the Monstrous Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2020-09-25. Illustrated by 4 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 557692015normalblackGreg Staples
22011-09-30InnistradISD 332003normalblackJason Felix
32013-09-06Duel Decks: Heroes vs. MonstersDDL 292003normalblackJason Felix
42014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 242015normalblackGreg Staples
52015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 492015normalblackJakub Kasper
62020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 422015normalblackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Smite the Monstrous has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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