Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp MTG Card
2021-09-24 - Number 126
2022-01-28 - Number 126
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Rogue |
| Abilities | Transform |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- A two-for-one potential with transformation adds value by both attacking and controlling an opponent’s creature.
- Instant speed for Strangling Grasp ensures tactical flexibility and can catch opponents off-guard.
- The card’s mana specificity fits best in Golgari decks, restricting its broader deck inclusion.
Text of card
Vengeful Strangler can't block. When Vengeful Strangler dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls.
As the flames consumed the killer, his eyes remained fixed on the executioner's face, his hands twitching like angry spiders.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vengeful Strangler transforms into Strangling Grasp, a persistent enchantment that leads to a potential two-for-one situation. This puts pressure on your opponent and can disrupt their game plan while maintaining your resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Vengeful Strangler does not directly generate mana or tokens, its transformation into Strangling Grasp can accelerate your board presence by removing an opponent’s creature, effectively speeding up your route to victory.
Instant Speed: Strangling Grasp’s ability to attach to an opponent’s creature works at instant speed. This not only surprises your opponent but also makes it a flexible tool in your arsenal, allowing you to respond during their turn and tailor your strategy as the game unfolds.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp necessitates sacrificing a creature when it transforms, potentially putting you at a disadvantage if your board presence is already weak.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black and green mana, this card is more challenging to cast outside of dedicated Golgari decks, limiting its flexibility in deck building.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana value of five across both sides of the card, this can be seen as steep for its return, especially when compared to other removal or creature options available at lower costs.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp is flexible enough to find a home in a variety of decks. In its first form, the Vengeful Strangler can serve as early aggression or a nuisance for opponents, while its transformed enchantment, Strangling Grasp, can be a persistent control element on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: This card offers unique interactions, especially in sacrifice-themed decks. You can strategize to have Vengeful Strangler die at the most opportune moment, ideally when you can take out a key creature of an opponent while setting up Strangling Grasp to further disrupt their plans.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the creature-heavy environment typically seen in many metas, having a card that can deal with opposing threats even after it’s been dealt with is a valuable asset. Strangling Grasp can potentially lock down an important creature or serve as a deterrent for your opponent’s strategy.
How to beat
The Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp card from Magic the Gathering is an intriguing and multifaceted menace that demands a tactical response. On its front side, Vengeful Strangler can be a challenge due to its ability to attach to an opponent’s creature as an Aura after it dies. This creates a strategic dilemma for players trying to mitigate its impact.
Fortunately, there are effective strategies to disarm this threat. One way is by using removal spells that exile, bypassing the card’s death-triggered ability entirely. Cards such as Path to Exile or Scavenger Grounds prevent Strangling Grasp from ever latching onto a creature. Another tactic involves instant-speed interaction, allowing you to respond to the transformation trigger, such as with Stifle or Disallow, keeping the Aura from attaching and rendering it useless.
Understanding creature management is also crucial. By curbing the number of creatures on your board, you minimize potential targets for Strangling Grasp, hindering your opponent’s ability to capitalize on Vengeful Strangler’s departure from the battlefield. In sum, facing Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp can be daunting, yet with the right strategy and approach, its grip can be loosened, ensuring your game isn’t ensnared by its relentless clutches.
Cards like Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp
Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp represents a unique twist in the creature-to-enchantment transformation arena. This card echoes the design seen in other transform cards such as Delver of Secrets, which begins as a creature and morphs into an imposing flying threat, Insectile Aberration. Unlike Delver, Vengeful Strangler doesn’t just transform but also has a built-in mechanism to disrupt the opponent by forcing them to sacrifice a permanent.
Another parallel can be drawn with Skin Invasion // Skin Shedder, where the initial form enchants a creature and waits for its demise to turn into a formidable body. Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp, similarly, waits in the wings as a creature, only to emerge as a pesky enchantment, Strangling Grasp, which brings a continual hindrance to the opponent. This mechanic sets it apart by adding a layer of strategy in timing the creature’s death.
Moving forward, evaluating creature-to-enchantment cards is always about when and how they flip. Vengeful Strangler makes a case for itself with its ability to hinder the opponent, a strategic advantage that can affect the flow of the game. As we dig deeper into creature transformations, the subtleties of Vengeful Strangler’s transition to Strangling Grasp demonstrate its potential as a tactical game-changer.
Cards similar to Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Sean Sevestre.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-09-24 | Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | MID | 126 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Sean Sevestre | |
| 2 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 126 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Sean Sevestre |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-09-24 | If an effect causes Vengeful Strangler to transform on the battlefield, rather than leaving it and returning transformed, then Strangling Grasp doesn't become attached to any object and is put into your graveyard. This won't cause abilities that trigger when a creature leaves the battlefield to trigger. |
