Gruesome Deformity MTG Card


Gruesome Deformity - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Number103
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMatt Stewart

Key Takeaways

  1. Intimidate allows creatures to bypass common blockers, subtly increasing card advantage.
  2. Low mana cost permits flexibility, making it a strategically viable enchantment.
  3. Grants major advantages in creature-based strategies by enhancing unblockability.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature has intimidate. (It can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.)

She wanted to inspire terror wherever she went. The demons happily granted her wish.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Gruesome Deformity itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it enables your creature to evade common blockers by granting it the intimidate ability. This subtle form of card advantage ensures your key creature can continue to apply pressure on your opponent without getting stalled by easy-to-cast defense.

Resource Acceleration: Although Gruesome Deformity doesn’t provide traditional resource acceleration like generating mana, it accelerates your ability to deal damage and possibly end the game quicker. By making your creature harder to block, this enchantment helps to keep your opponent’s life total on a downward trajectory.

Instant Speed: As an aura with a low mana cost, Gruesome Deformity can be cast at times which are least expected and most opportune. Although not castable at instant speed itself, its low cost allows for flexible play. It opens up mana for other instant speed interactions within the turn it’s played.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gruesome Deformity requires the player to discard another card, posing a setback if your hand is already depleted or if the cards in hand are critical for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating a single black mana to cast, this card is restricted to decks that run black mana sources, possibly limiting its versatility in multicolored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its ability to confer intimidate on a creature, the benefit this card brings to the table might be overshadowed by its mana investment when compared to other black cards with similar or better effects.


Reasons to Include Gruesome Deformity in Your Collection

Versatility: Gruesome Deformity may not seem like an all-star at first glance, but its ability to grant Intimidate to a creature means that any deck looking to get through defensive lines for that critical strike can utilize this card. It gives your creatures a higher chance to evade blockers and can be a game-changer in the right situation.

Combo Potential: This enchantment shines when paired with creatures that have beneficial effects upon dealing combat damage to a player. It can be a key piece in setting up combos that require your creatures to connect with the opponent, enhancing strategies centered around hit-triggered abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies dominate, having the capacity to make your crucial attackers unblockable by most creatures can be a decisive advantage. Gruesome Deformity ensures that your pivotal creatures can consistently deal damage, disrupt opponent strategies, and maintain pressure on the board.


How to beat Gruesome Deformity

Gruesome Deformity is an intriguing card that could cause a hindrance for those unprepared in a game of Magic: The Gathering. This enchantment, when attached to a creature, grants it the ability to be unblockable by creatures without the Intimidate ability. However, it doesn’t have to be a game-ender. To overcome a creature equipped with Gruesome Deformity, there are several effective strategies.

One approach is removing the enchantment directly, through cards like Disenchant or Naturalize, which can destroy enchantments, thereby stripping the creature of its advantage. Alternatively, you can bypass the Intimidate mechanic entirely by utilizing removal spells, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, to dispatch the creature before it can deal damage. Lastly, countering the spell when it’s cast with cards like Cancel or Mana Leak can ensure that Gruesome Deformity never hits the battlefield. These methods can efficiently neutralize the potential threat that Gruesome Deformity poses, allowing you to maintain control and come out on top in the duel.


Cards like Gruesome Deformity

Gruesome Deformity infuses Magic: The Gathering gameplay with a subtle, yet impactful twist on creature enhancement. As an enchantment, this card bears semblance to the functional attributes of cards like Eel Umbra which also bolsters a creature but, uniquely, it also brings with it Totem Armor, providing added resilience against destruction. Gruesome Deformity stands out by bestowing the intimidate ability upon the creature it enchants, paving the way for easier combat damage to opponents.

Comparatively, we observe Cloak of Mists, another enchantment that directly impacts combat interactions. While it grants unblockable instead of intimidate, the core idea of facilitating damage to an opponent remains shared. However, Gruesome Deformity’s intimidate may offer strategic advantages in multi-player settings, allowing for more nuanced combat decisions.

Overall, Gruesome Deformity distinguishes itself in MTG’s vast card pool with its unique combination of cost-effectiveness and the strategic depth it brings to creatures it’s attached to. Whether increasing the strength of existing cards or maximising damage potential, this enchantment provides a specific edge that, when leveraged effectively, could be a game changer in creature-focused decks.

Eel Umbra - MTG Card versions
Cloak of Mists - MTG Card versions
Eel Umbra - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Cloak of Mists - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Gruesome Deformity by color, type and mana cost

Paralyze - MTG Card versions
Unholy Strength - MTG Card versions
Evil Presence - MTG Card versions
Weakness - MTG Card versions
Imprison - MTG Card versions
Thrull Retainer - MTG Card versions
Torture - MTG Card versions
Death Watch - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Rite - MTG Card versions
Sadistic Glee - MTG Card versions
Sarcomancy - MTG Card versions
Tortured Existence - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Motion Sensor - MTG Card versions
Sicken - MTG Card versions
Darkest Hour - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Dread of Night - MTG Card versions
Withering Hex - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Fens - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Link - MTG Card versions
Paralyze - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Unholy Strength - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
Evil Presence - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Weakness - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Imprison - Legends (LEG)
Thrull Retainer - Masters Edition (ME1)
Torture - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Death Watch - Visions (VIS)
Leshrac's Rite - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Sadistic Glee - Tempest (TMP)
Sarcomancy - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Tortured Existence - Stronghold (STH)
Volrath's Motion Sensor - Unglued (UGL)
Sicken - Urza's Saga (USG)
Darkest Hour - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Reclamation - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Dread of Night - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Withering Hex - Onslaught (ONS)
Genju of the Fens - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Vampiric Link - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gruesome Deformity MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Gruesome Deformity and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gruesome Deformity has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

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