Grim Physician MTG Card

Indirect card advantage by potentially removing key creatures, enhancing player strategy. Instant speed ability of Grim Physician disrupts opponents, offering reactive tactics. Playing Grim Physician early aids in establishing board presence while saving mana.
Grim Physician - Theros Beyond Death
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Released2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Beyond Death
Set codeTHB
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number100
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMark Zug

Text of card

When Grim Physician dies, target creature an opponent controls gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

The Returned retain no memory of their identities, but sometimes they mindlessly attempt familiar tasks.

Cards like Grim Physician

Grim Physician is an intriguing black creature card in MTG, known for its ability to weaken an opponent’s forces upon death. Functionally related, Festering Mummy presents a similar death-triggered mechanic, offering the option to put a -1/-1 counter on a target creature. However, while Festering Mummy allows for a targeted distribution of the counter, Grim Physician targets only the creature that dealt it fatal damage. This precision can influence combat decisions significantly.

Comparing to Dutiful Attendant, another creature that offers benefits post-mortem, we notice a different utility. The Attendant allows the retrieval of another creature card from your graveyard to your hand, missing out on the immediate battlefield impact that Grim Physician provides. Yet another counterpart is Sultai Emissary, which manifests a more defensive angle. It guarantees value after death by creating a new creature token, contrasted with Grim Physician’s offensive capability to weaken or remove a threat.

Ultimately, amid black creatures with death triggers, Grim Physician stands out for its aggression and the strategic advantage it offers. This card forces opponents into tough decisions, particularly in the early game stages where it can turn trades in your favor by diminishing opposing creatures.

Festering Mummy - MTG Card versions
Dutiful Attendant - MTG Card versions
Sultai Emissary - MTG Card versions
Festering Mummy - MTG Card versions
Dutiful Attendant - MTG Card versions
Sultai Emissary - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grim Physician, while not directly offering card draw, can be a nightmare for opponents with its ability to take down an x/1 creature when it dies. This provides a sort of indirect card advantage, as it can potentially remove an opponent’s key card from the field.

Resource Acceleration: Although Grim Physician isn’t a direct source of mana or resource acceleration, its low casting cost means it can enter the battlefield early in the game. This allows players to establish board presence while keeping mana available for other threats or answers.

Instant Speed: Grim Physician’s death-triggered ability occurs at instant speed. This reactive nature of the card can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, particularly during combat or in response to removal, making it a flexible and tactical element in matches.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Grim Physician requires a strategy that either benefits from creatures dying or utilizes the graveyard. This can be limiting if your deck does not synergize with these conditions, as the card may not reach its full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Grim Physician requires black mana to play. While this is not a high cost, it means that it cannot be slotted into just any deck, particularly if you are running a multicolor deck with a tight mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Grim Physician is a low cost creature, when evaluating its stats and effect, there are creatures available at a similar cost that provide more value on the battlefield. Its singular ability upon death could be seen as a limited investment compared to other creatures that may offer more versatile or impactful abilities.

Reasons to Include Grim Physician in Your Collection

Versatility: Grim Physician shines in its flexibility, finding a place in decks that capitalize on creature death triggers. Its ability to deal one damage upon death makes it an excellent chump blocker or an aggressive turn-one play.

Combo Potential: This card beautifully synergizes with cards that empower death triggers and -1/-1 counter strategies, allowing for intricate combos that can dismantle an opponent’s board presence.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy formats, Grim Physician can be a key player, offering strategic sacrificial plays that disrupt opposing tactics, making it a timely addition to your arsenal in combatting such decks.

How to beat Grim Physician

Grim Physician is a nifty creature card that can impact the board by taking down an opponent’s creature when it dies. Its ability to give a creature -1/-1 until end of turn upon its death makes it a threat to small creatures. However, overcoming this pesky creature is far from impossible.

One strategy is to use removal spells that don’t cause Grim Physician to trigger its death effect. Spells like Pacifism or Frogify can neutralize it without killing it, effectively rendering it harmless. Alternatively, if you manage the battlefield effectively and avoid blocking or attacking with low toughness creatures when Grim Physician is in play, you can minimize the impact of its ability. Furthermore, paying attention to the board state and controlling when and how creatures die can turn the tables in your favor.

In essence, dealing with Grim Physician boils down to smart board control and choosing the right removal at the optimal time. Keep these pointers in mind, and this creature won’t stand in your way for long.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grim Physician MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Physician and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grim Physician has restrictions

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