Falkenrath Torturer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Vampire |
| Released | 2012-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dark Ascension |
| Set code | DKA |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 60 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Steve Argyle |
Text of card
Sacrifice a creature: Falkenrath Torturer gains flying until end of turn. If the sacrificed creature was a Human, put a +1/+1 counter on Falkenrath Torturer.
"There was a time when our cages rang with wailing. Now only a handful of these whimpering fools remain."
Cards like Falkenrath Torturer
Falkenrath Torturer stands out as a vampire creature in Magic: The Gathering. This card is often compared with other creature cards that share its ability to sacrifice other creatures for a benefit. For instance, Vampire Aristocrat from the set Shards of Alara also provides the option to sacrifice a creature to give itself +2/+2 until end of turn. Yet, unlike Falkenrath Torturer, it doesn’t allow the sacrificed creature to contribute to transforming it into a flier.
Another card with a sacrifice-for-strength theme is Bloodflow Connoisseur. Like Falkenrath Torturer, when you sacrifice a creature, Bloodflow Connoisseur gets a +1/+1 counter. The key difference here is that Bloodflow Connoisseur accumulates those +1/+1 counters over time, offering a more sustainable power increase. However, it lacks the evasion provided by Falkenrath Torturer when it gains flying after a sacrifice. This aspect of Falkenrath Torturer provides an edge by potentially allowing it to avoid ground blockers.
While each card offers unique benefits, Falkenrath Torturer delivers a singular combination of abilities that can swing games. Its capacity to both power up and gain evasion after a sacrifice makes it a valuable and aggressive option for vampire-themed decks or strategies revolving around creature sacrifices.
Cards similar to Falkenrath Torturer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Falkenrath Torturer offers a unique form of card advantage by utilizing creatures on the board. This card can sacrifice another creature to become stronger, allowing you to transform excess creatures into a formidable threat.
Resource Acceleration: By enabling the sacrifice of other creatures without a mana cost, it helps maintain board presence. This ability can indirectly accelerate your resources by keeping the path clear for your more valuable creatures to attack.
Instant Speed: Although Falkenrath Torturer doesn’t act at instant speed itself, its ability can be activated anytime you could cast an instant. This flexibility allows you to react to your opponents’ actions during their turn, making it a tactical asset in any match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Falkenrath Torturer requires a creature sacrifice to activate its ability. This demand can deplete your creature resources quickly, especially if you’re facing removal-heavy opponents or do not have a sufficient creature generator.
Specific Mana Cost: The vampire-attuned mana cost can be restricting. With a color requirement of one black mana, it necessitates a devotion to black or a well-tuned multicolor mana base, potentially limiting your deck-building options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While three mana isn’t the highest cost, it can be on the higher side, considering the payoff. There are other creatures or spells in the Magic universe that could grant more immediate or impactful advantages on the battlefield for the same or less investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Falkenrath Torturer offers a flexible role in various deck builds, particularly those that utilize a sacrifice mechanic to gain advantage or power up creatures.
Combo Potential: This card has great synergy with strategies that generate a lot of tokens, wherein it can quickly become a significant airborne threat, especially when combined with cards that bolster its attack upon sacrificing another creature.
Meta-Relevance: Given the right build, Falkenrath Torturer could be a sleeper hit in the right meta, particularly against decks that struggle to handle repeated free sacrifices that empower creatures mid-combat.
How to beat Falkenrath Torturer
Falkenrath Torturer may initially seem daunting with its ability to gain flying and become unblockable propped up by smaller creatures getting sacrificed. To efficiently neutralize this threat, you need a strategy that minimizes creature availability. Board control spells shine here, clearing the field and stripping the Torturer of its fodder. Enchantment based removal can pin it down without the need for a combat phase, rendering the flying trait inconsequential.
Graveyard hate can also be a useful tool, as it can prevent recurring creatures from returning to the battlefield, thus denying the Torturer its sustenance. Run spot removals instants during the end phase before your turn; this timing disrupts your opponent’s rhythm, particularly if they planned to sacrifice a creature for a critical attack. Don’t forget about creature abilities that prevent sacrificing or protecting creatures from being targeted, neutralizing the Torturer’s advantage even more.
Defensive strategies that employ high toughness creatures can mitigate the damage inflicted by the Torturer, especially those immune to or that can regenerate from sacrifice effects. With these tactics, you can ensure that the Falkenrath Torturer card doesn’t dominate the game board, showing that even the most intimidating vampires can be contained.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Falkenrath Torturer MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension, 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 Falkenrath Torturer 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Falkenrath Torturer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Falkenrath Torturer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-22 | The ability checks whether the sacrificed creature as it last existed on the battlefield was a Human. (It doesn’t matter what its creature types are in the graveyard.) |
| 2011-01-22 | You can sacrifice Falkenrath Torturer itself to activate its ability. |