Pharika's Chosen MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Snake
Abilities	Deathtouch
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	78
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Jonas De Ro

Key Takeaways

Deathtouch makes Pharika’s Chosen a mighty defender, often removing multiple threats with a single creature.
Low mana cost equals early play, saving mana for later turns and deterring opponents’ aggressive starts.
While lacking direct resource acceleration, it syncs well with instant speed strategies, enhancing its battlefield impact.

Text of card

Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

The serpents' dens built into statues of Pharika serve not only to consecrate her temples, but as a hidden line of defense.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pharika’s Chosen doesn’t provide direct draws, but its deathtouch ability can create indirect card advantage by potentially removing multiple opponents’ creatures with a single one of your own, if they dare to block or attack into it.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, its low mana cost allows you to deploy it early, thus saving your mana for other plays. It can also deter early aggressive strategies, helping you preserve your life total and maintain a stable board presence.

Instant Speed: Pharika’s Chosen isn’t an instant, but it synergizes well with cards that can be cast at instant speed. For example, flashing in a creature with deathtouch during combat can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, turning this card into a surprise blocker that can trade with nearly any attacking creature.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some other creatures in the snake archetype, Pharika’s Chosen does not come with an ability that provides card advantage or utility. Instead, its value is largely tied to its deathtouch ability, which while powerful, doesn’t compensate for the times you may need to discard a card to include it in your curve.

Specific Mana Cost: Pharika’s Chosen requires a specific swamp mana to cast. This can potentially restrict its inclusion in decks that are not heavily black or that do not have a reliable mana base to produce black mana consistently, limiting its versatility across multiple deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of one black mana for a 1/1 creature, it may seem cost-effective, but when compared to other one-mana creatures with additional abilities or higher power and toughness, Pharika’s Chosen can be seen as having a higher mana cost for what it brings to the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Pharika’s Chosen in Your Collection

Versatility: Pharika’s Chosen provides a solid presence in Black-centric or multicolored decks. Its deathtouch ability enables it to act as a stalwart defender against larger creatures, making it versatile in both early and late game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This snake creature can work seamlessly with cards that reward you for creature deaths or benefit from having creatures with deathtouch. It becomes a potent combo piece in strategies involving sacrifice and attrition, helping to maintain board control.

Meta-Relevance: With many decks focusing on creature-based strategies, Pharika’s Chosen can serve as a cost-effective solution to deter and manage potential threats. Its inclusion in your collection assures you have a ready answer to meta trends that favor combat-heavy playstyles.

How to Beat

Pharika’s Chosen is a deceptively potent creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. As a snake with deathtouch, it can deter larger creatures from attacking, since those would be destroyed if they engage in combat with it. Yet, for all its defensive prowess, there are strategies to handle this slithery threat effectively.

Firstly, you can use removal spells that don’t require your creatures to fight Pharika’s Chosen directly. Spells like Shock or Murder can dispatch the snake before it becomes a nuisance, bypassing the deathtouch ability entirely. Alternatively, mass removal spells like Wrath of God can clear the battlefield, including Pharika’s Chosen, without putting your creatures at risk.

Additionally, if confrontations are unavoidable, consider using creatures that have the first strike or creatures that leave behind benefits upon dying, such as Doomed Traveler. Engaging in combat with Pharika’s Chosen using such creatures can turn its deathtouch advantage into a tactical play for you instead. Understanding the mechanics and having an answer ready in your arsenal can shift the balance away from Pharika’s Chosen, neutralizing its threat effectively.

Cards like Pharika's Chosen

The intrigue of Pharika’s Chosen lies in its simple yet effective role within black decks in Magic: The Gathering. This snake bears a striking resemblance to Typhoid Rats, sharing the same cost and ability – deathtouch, which ensures that any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it. The main difference between these two lurks in their creature type; one is a rat, and the other, unsurprisingly, a snake.

Another card that shares common ground with Pharika’s Chosen is Ruthless Ripper. This card comes with deathtouch as well but carries an added morph ability, offering a layer of unpredictability to your game. Costing more mana to utilize its full potential, Ruthless Ripper’s flexibility makes it an excellent option for players looking for more complexity.

On the surface, it might seem that Pharika’s Chosen is just another one-drop creature, but its deathtouch ability has made it a critical element in many MTG decks. It’s efficient for taking down much larger threats, proving that in Magic: The Gathering, even the smallest creatures can hold tremendous power when chosen wisely.

Cards similar to Pharika's Chosen by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions

Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions

Stone-Throwing Devils - Arabian Nights (ARN)

Will-o'-the-Wisp - Foreign Black Border (FBB)

Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Bile Urchin - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Kjeldoran Dead - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pharika's Chosen MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Pharika's Chosen and other MTG cards: