Finishing Blow MTG Card


Grants control by removing key threats, altering the game’s momentum in your favor. Flexibility through instant speed, enabling optimal timing for disruptive plays. High mana cost and color specificity can limit deck inclusion options.
Finishing Blow - Core Set 2021
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2021
Set codeM21
Number99
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byWylie Beckert

Text of card

Destroy target creature or planeswalker.

"In this world, it's kill or be killed. I'd rather not be the latter."


Cards like Finishing Blow

Finishing Blow stands out in the realm of creature control options within MTG. This removal spell shares a few likenesses with Murder, as both are set to destroy a target creature with no restrictions on power or toughness. Unlike Finishing Blow, Murder enjoys the advantage of being an instant, allowing players to react swiftly to opponents’ threats during their turn.

Exploring further, we encounter Walk the Plank—a similar removal spell with a mana cost advantage, requiring only two black mana compared to Finishing Blow’s five. However, Walk the Plank is limited to non-Merfolk creatures, a constraint Finishing Blow does not suffer from. Then comes Reave Soul, another parallel competitor—cheaper in cost and also a sorcery, but it is confined to destroying creatures with power 3 or less.

In essence, while Finishing Blow may appear mana intensive, its unrestricted targeting ability positions it as a versatile choice in decks that can afford the higher cost and don’t require the immediate speed of an instant spell. It’s the reliability of removing any creature that gives Finishing Blow its edge in the realm of MTG removal spells.

Murder - MTG Card versions
Walk the Plank - MTG Card versions
Reave Soul - MTG Card versions
Murder - MTG Card versions
Walk the Plank - MTG Card versions
Reave Soul - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Finishing Blow by color, type and mana cost

Broken Visage - MTG Card versions
Contagion - MTG Card versions
Necrologia - MTG Card versions
Hatred - MTG Card versions
Dark Triumph - MTG Card versions
Annihilate - MTG Card versions
Waste Away - MTG Card versions
Consume the Meek - MTG Card versions
Stinging Study - MTG Card versions
Szat's Will - MTG Card versions
Cruel Revival - MTG Card versions
Call for Blood - MTG Card versions
Death of a Thousand Stings - MTG Card versions
Moonlight Bargain - MTG Card versions
Traitor's Clutch - MTG Card versions
Treacherous Urge - MTG Card versions
Ad Nauseam - MTG Card versions
Lash of the Whip - MTG Card versions
Rescue from the Underworld - MTG Card versions
Flesh to Dust - MTG Card versions
Broken Visage - MTG Card versions
Contagion - MTG Card versions
Necrologia - MTG Card versions
Hatred - MTG Card versions
Dark Triumph - MTG Card versions
Annihilate - MTG Card versions
Waste Away - MTG Card versions
Consume the Meek - MTG Card versions
Stinging Study - MTG Card versions
Szat's Will - MTG Card versions
Cruel Revival - MTG Card versions
Call for Blood - MTG Card versions
Death of a Thousand Stings - MTG Card versions
Moonlight Bargain - MTG Card versions
Traitor's Clutch - MTG Card versions
Treacherous Urge - MTG Card versions
Ad Nauseam - MTG Card versions
Lash of the Whip - MTG Card versions
Rescue from the Underworld - MTG Card versions
Flesh to Dust - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Finishing Blow enables you to eliminate a key threat your opponent controls, tilting the scales in your favor. Successfully resolving this can help swing the momentum of the game, especially if used to take out a high-value target.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration, removing a pivotal creature or planeswalker from your opponent’s board effectively sets them back. This can delay their strategy and give you an opportunity to develop your board unimpeded.

Instant Speed: With its instant speed, Finishing Blow offers flexibility allowing you to react swiftly to threats or wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn. This unpredictability can put an opponent on edge, forcing them to play more cautiously.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable to Finishing Blow as it does not require you to discard any cards, but the need to hold it until the opportune moment can make it a dead card in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Finishing Blow demands both generic and black mana, constraining its playability to black-inclusive decks and hampering color flexibility in multicolor strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana to destroy just one creature, Finishing Blow can be outclassed by other removal spells that are more cost-efficient or offer additional benefits.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Finishing Blow is a solid inclusion for a variety of deck builds that necessitate reliable removal options. It can handle even the most formidable creatures your opponents can muster, making it a flexible pick for your removal suite.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on death triggers or cast effects, Finishing Blow can serve as a key piece to activate those synergies. It can be a strategic enabler for combo interactions that thrive on removing opposing threats.

Meta-Relevance: Given that powerful creatures are often at the heart of winning strategies, having Finishing Blow in your arsenal ensures you’re prepared to disrupt your opponents’ game plan, no matter the direction the meta takes.


How to beat

Finishing Blow is a solid removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, serving as a means to eliminate major threats on the battlefield. Effective in both the late and mid-game, it allows players to target and destroy any creature or planeswalker. Despite its strength, there are strategies for playing against this card. Monitoring your opponent’s mana pool can be key, as Finishing Blow requires a total of five mana, which might delay its casting. Additionally, deploying low-value creatures as bait can divert the use of Finishing Blow, preserving your more powerful creatures for later turns.

Cards with hexproof or indestructible properties can also safely navigate around Finishing Blow’s removal capabilities. Another approach is employing counter spells when your opponent attempts to cast it, preventing them from successfully resolving the spell. Always be prepared for the possibility of a Finishing Blow when your opponent has ample mana and fewer cards in hand, as it could signal their reliance on such game-changing removal to regain control. By anticipating and negating Finishing Blow effectively, you can secure your board presence and maintain an advantage.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Finishing Blow MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Finishing Blow and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Finishing Blow has restrictions

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