Grim Contest MTG Card

Provides card advantage by potentially eliminating an opponent’s threat while retaining your creature. Can indirectly speed up resource development, keeping valuable creatures on board longer. Instant speed allows powerful, unpredictable plays, giving players a combat edge.

Fate Reforged (FRF)
2015-01-23 - Number 153

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 1432

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number FRF-153

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Text of card

Choose target creature you control and target creature an opponent controls. Each of those creatures deals damage equal to its toughness to the other.

The invader hoped he could survive the beast's jaws and emerge through its rotting skin.

Cards like Grim Contest

Grim Contest boasts a unique spot in Magic: The Gathering due to its twist on creature fights. It stands shoulder to shoulder with cards like Pit Fight, which also features a combat between creatures. Unlike Pit Fight, Grim Contest calculates damage based on toughness rather than power, setting it apart in strategic deck-building. Pit Fight allows for instant-speed interaction, giving it an edge in terms of timing.

Then there’s the card Prey Upon, also facilitating a brawl between creatures. The main difference is its lower cost and being a sorcery-speed card, which can be a make-or-break factor in some matches. But it doesn’t compare with Grim Contest’s ability to potentially cause more damage by using a creature’s toughness. Finally, comparing it to the likes of Dromoka’s Command, which offers a suite of options including a fighting feature, Grim Contest is more of a specialist card designed with toughness in mind.

Considering the mechanics and potential combos, Grim Contest can be a game-changer for decks that capitalize on high-toughness creatures, marking its own territory in the array of fight-related MTG cards.

Cards similar to Grim Contest by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grim Contest shines in situations where card advantage is key. By setting up a favorable clash between creatures, you gain an edge by neutralizing an opponent’s threat while potentially keeping your creature on board, effectively outpacing your opponent in terms of valuable resources on the field.

Resource Acceleration: While Grim Contest may not directly produce additional mana, it can indirectly accelerate your resource development by efficiently dealing with an opponent’s creature. This allows your more valuable creatures to stay in play and continue to push your game plan forward without expending additional resources.

Instant Speed: The power of Grim Contest is significantly amplified by its instant speed. This allows for dynamic and surprising plays, particularly in combat where the outcome is normally decided by power and toughness alone. It gives you the strategic versatility to wait until the most advantageous moment to initiate a contest, which can turn the tide of the game in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grim Contest requires a creature on the battlefield to execute its effect. This precondition can be restrictive, especially if your board is empty or you’re trying to maintain a creature advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of black and green mana which could be challenging to assemble, particularly in multicolored or mana intensive decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of one black, one green, and one colorless mana, Grim Contest may come across as costly for its combat trick nature, considering other low-cost removal options available.

Reasons to Include Grim Contest in Your Collection

Versatility: Grim Contest is a unique card that slots into decks that emphasize the toughness of creatures. It works exceptionally well in decks that have creatures with high toughness but low power, turning them into unexpected sources of damage.

Combo Potential: This card can be combined with creatures that have abilities triggered upon dealing damage or surviving damage. It can also be instrumental in decks built around the “fight” mechanic, enabling you to take out key threats while keeping your own creature intact.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy with creature-based strategies, Grim Contest provides a way to remove opponents’ threats while maintaining board presence. It’s especially potent in matches where board control is essential to clinch a win.

How to beat

Grim Contest is an intriguing combat trick in the vast array of black and green spells. Its unique ability to use a creature’s toughness to deal damage during combat can surprise unsuspecting opponents. Understanding its mechanics is key to countering this potent card. To outmaneuver Grim Contest, ensure your creatures have sufficient toughness to withstand the damage or use instant speed removal spells to dispatch the creature before Grim Contest can resolve. Alternatively, spells that counter target black or green spell can nip the problem in the bud, keeping your creatures safe and in play.

Spot removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be particularly effective as they can disrupt the timing of your opponent. Deploying countermeasures such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Grim Contest from tipping the scales. Employing creature abilities that grant indestructible or hexproof at instant speed can also protect your key creatures. Moreover, keeping mana open for responses when facing an opponent with Grim Contest at their disposal can make all the difference. By anticipating this move and preparing accordingly, you can maintain control of the battlefield.

Overall, by understanding the mechanics of Grim Contest and having a plan in place, you can preserve your creatures and turn the tides of combat in your favor during a Magic: The Gathering match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grim Contest MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged and Mystery Booster, 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 Grim Contest and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Grim Contest Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-01-23 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Phill Simmer.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2015-01-23	Fate Reforged	FRF	153	2015	Normal	Black	Phill Simmer
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	1432	2015	Normal	Black	Phill Simmer
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	FRF-153	2015	Normal	Black	Phill Simmer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grim Contest has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-11-24	If either target is an illegal target as Grim Contest tries to resolve, neither creature will deal or be dealt damage.