Culling the Weak MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Culling the Weak provides explosive mana acceleration, pivotal for combo and speed in Commander decks.
  2. Its one-time dark ritual effect can be a game-changer by enabling early and powerful plays.
  3. Despite its power, it remains a budget-friendly option for players looking to optimize mana strategies.

Text of card

Sacrifice a creature: Add o Bo Bo Bo B to your mana pool.

"The blood of the weak shall be the ink with which we scribe great Yawgmoth's glorious name." —Stronghold architect, journal



Pros of Culling the Weak

Card Advantage: The sacrifice mechanic of Culling the Weak offers immense card advantage as it not just provides a boost of four black manas but also potentially triggers death-related abilities on the board, allowing for fetching more cards from your library.

Resource Acceleration: Its one-time payout of four black manas can dramatically accelerate your game play. With this, you get the resource boost needed to cast expensive spells early in the game. By effectively converting a lesser creature into a significant mana resource, it provides you an incredible tempo boost.

Instant Speed: Culling the Weak’s ability to operate at instant speed grants an exceptional level of flexibility. This means that you can decide to use it depending on the course of play during your opponent’s turn. Whether it is summoning a big creature, using a powerful spell, or more, you can respond almost immediately, throwing your opponent off their game.


Cons of Culling the Weak

Discard Requirement: Culling the Weak has a sacrifice requirement that necessitates you to forfeit one of your creatures. This presents a potential downside, especially when your board state is fragile or low on creature resources.

Specific Mana Cost: With a specific black mana in its cost, Culling the Weak might limit its integration to decks that are not favoring black mana or multicolored decks with a scarcity of black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While four black mana can be a considerable burst of resources, there are other cards within the MTG universe that may provide a more efficient mana boost without the need for such drastic sacrifices.


Reasons to Include Culling the Weak in Your Collection

Versatility: Culling the Weak can effortlessly find its place in different deck types, especially those that capitalize on sacrificial mechanics and instant mana boost.

Combo Potential: Its ability to offer a huge mana supply for a tiny cost paves the way for devastating combo turns. Coupling it with creatures-producing spells can lead to game-winning sequences.

Meta-Relevance: Within a meta that highly values instant speed and efficiency, the sac-and-ramp tactic enabled by Culling the Weak can offer a competitive edge.


Similar Cards

One cannot discuss the strategy and power behind Culling the Weak without mentioning similar cards like Dark Ritual and Infernal Plunge. These spells share a common theme in MTG: they both serve to ramp our mana incredibly early, allowing for powerful plays.

Dark Ritual in particular, like Culling the Weak, generates mana at an exceptional speed, providing three black mana for a low cost of one. The Infernal Plunge, while seemingly underwhelming as it provides only three red mana for sacrificing a creature, can lead to explosive plays when combined with cards that generate tokens.

However, when played at the right moment, Culling the Weak can outshine its counterparts. Its ability to generate four black mana by sacrificing one creature makes it a powerhouse in decks designed around creature sacrifice or recursion strategies.

While the cost of sacrificing a creature may seem steep, the speed and acceleration it provides can often swing the game in your favor before opponents can gain footing. Truly, when compared to similar cards, Culling the Weak holds an undeniable allure for players looking for that quick ramp advantage.


How to Beat Culling the Weak

Culling the Weak is a distinctive card in Magic: The Gathering that can significantly raise the stakes with its unique ability, allowing you to add four black mana to your pool by sacrificing a creature. Although it may seem powerful, there are ways to outplay it.

Countering enchantments is a popular strategy. Force of Will, with its low mana requirement, is a perfect fit for this purpose. It allows you to counter any spell, even Culling the Weak, sparing your creatures from being sacrificed. In a similar vein, Negate and Spell Pierce can be used to counter this spell effectively.

Direct creature removal is another useful strategy, making cards like Path to Exile and Fatal Push exceptional picks. In doing so, the target that Culling the Weak would bank on would be removed just in time before it gets the chance to be sacrificed.

On a final note, strategic measures and the right cards can help you overcome the seeming power of Culling the Weak in MTG, making a seemingly difficult opponent a surmountable adversary.


Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating the rich landscapes of Magic the Gathering requires strategy, insight, and a bit of adventure. Whether you’re planning your next big win or fine-tuning your deck for maximum impact, there’s always room to elevate your game. As you continue to delve into the MTG universe, remember that it’s not just about the single triumphs but the continuous journey towards mastery. We invite you to keep exploring this fascinating world, discovering new techniques, and unearthing valuable cards to ensure your next match is more than just a game, but a Big Score. Ready to level up your play? Join us to learn more and become the ultimate MTG champion.


Cards like Culling the Weak

One cannot discuss the strategy and power behind Culling the Weak without mentioning similar cards like Dark Ritual and Infernal Plunge. These spells share a common theme in MTG: they both serve to ramp our mana incredibly early, allowing for powerful plays.

Dark Ritual in particular, like Culling the Weak, generates mana at an exceptional speed, providing three black mana for a low cost of one. The Infernal Plunge, while seemingly underwhelming as it provides only three red mana for sacrificing a creature, can lead to explosive plays when combined with cards that generate tokens.

However, when played at the right moment, Culling the Weak can outshine its counterparts. Its ability to generate four black mana by sacrificing one creature makes it a powerhouse in decks designed around creature sacrifice or recursion strategies.

While the cost of sacrificing a creature may seem steep, the speed and acceleration it provides can often swing the game in your favor before opponents can gain footing. Truly, when compared to similar cards, Culling the Weak holds an undeniable allure for players looking for that quick ramp advantage.

Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
Infernal Plunge - MTG Card versions
Dark Ritual - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Infernal Plunge - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to Culling the Weak by color, type and mana cost

Howl from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
Sacrifice - MTG Card versions
Darkness - MTG Card versions
Marsh Gas - MTG Card versions
Deathlace - MTG Card versions
Gravebind - MTG Card versions
Misinformation - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Tutor - MTG Card versions
Dredge - MTG Card versions
Vendetta - MTG Card versions
Coffin Purge - MTG Card versions
Defile - MTG Card versions
March of Wretched Sorrow - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Fade from Memory - MTG Card versions
Duh - MTG Card versions
Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Stop That - MTG Card versions
Howl from Beyond - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Dark Ritual - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Sacrifice - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Darkness - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Marsh Gas - The Dark (DRK)
Deathlace - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Gravebind - Ice Age (ICE)
Misinformation - Alliances (ALL)
Vampiric Tutor - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Dredge - Invasion (INV)
Vendetta - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Coffin Purge - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Defile - Modern Horizons 1 Timeshifts (H1R)
March of Wretched Sorrow - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Fatal Push - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - The List (PLST)
Fade from Memory - Onslaught (ONS)
Duh - Unhinged (UNH)
Aesthetic Consultation - Unhinged (UNH)
Stop That - Unhinged (UNH)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Culling the Weak MTG card by a specific set like Media Inserts and Exodus, 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 Culling the Weak and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Culling the Weak Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 1998-06-15. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-01-02Media InsertsPMEI 572015normalblackScott M. Fischer
21998-06-15ExodusEXO 551997normalblackScott M. Fischer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Culling the Weak has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 You sacrifice a creature when casting the spell and you can’t sacrifice more than one creature to get extra mana.
2013-04-15 Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
2013-04-15 You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks