Toxic Stench MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Threshold
Released	2002-05-27
Set symbol
Set name	Judgment
Set code	JUD
Number	74
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Bradley Williams

Key Takeaways

Forces opponents to discard, leveraging card advantage and altering game tempo in your favor.
Instant Speed allows for tactical play, reacting swiftly to the battlefield dynamics.
Mana cost and discard requirement may limit its inclusion in diverse deck types.

Text of card

Target nonblack creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Threshold Instead destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated. (You have threshold if seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Toxic Stench gives a player the upper hand by forcing opponents to discard cards while you potentially unburden your hand of less impactful ones, leveraging the balance of cards in each player’s favor.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially discarding a card, this card can alter the field of play towards your advantage quicker, as it directly influences the pace at which resources are denied to your opponent, accelerating the path to your own gameplay strategy.

Instant Speed: The swift nature of Instant Speed allows Toxic Stench to be played at the most opportune times, reacting to an ever-changing battlefield at a moment’s notice and ensuring your tactical responses are as potent as possible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Toxic Stench necessitates discarding a card, potentially depleting your hand and leaving you at a strategic disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running low on options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s black mana cost means it can only smoothly fit into decks already supporting black mana. This could restrict its integration into multicolor decks that might not prioritize black mana or mono-colored decks of a different color.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a required mana total that is not negligible, there are alternatives in the MTG universe that could provide creature removal or other advantages at a lower cost, making Toxic Stench a less than optimal choice in fast-paced games where efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Toxic Stench is an adaptable card that can be slotted into various deck types. It’s particularly effective in those that deal with graveyard manipulation or strategy that disrupts opponents’ creature-based plays.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Toxic Stench can be a key component in combos. It works well within decks that capitalize on creatures dying, such as those focusing on morbid triggers or death-related synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to remove or weaken creatures without destroying them, Toxic Stench can be a tactical advantage in a meta dominated by indestructible or death-trigger effects, where direct removal is less effective.

How to beat

The challenge posed by Toxic Stench in MTG is its ability to transform any game due to its crippling effect on creatures, possibly turning the tide of battle. Facing this card requires a well-thought-out strategy and an understanding of its mechanics to overcome the threat effectively. One approach is ensuring creature redundancy in your deck, which diminishes the impact of single-target removal like Toxic Stench. Additionally, incorporating hexproof or indestructible creatures can nullify the effect altogether, keeping your forces intact.

Countering spells also play a pivotal role against Toxic Stench. Cards such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent it from resolving, preserving your battlefield presence and maintaining momentum. It’s also prudent to have a recovery plan, such as utilizing graveyard retrieval cards that allow you to bounce back and rebuild after a removal. Lastly, rapid aggro strategies can outpace the need to deal with Toxic Stench, by pressuring the opponent early on before they settle into a control position.

Ultimately, the key to rising victorious against Toxic Stench in your MTG matches lies in a combination of strategic deck building and proactive gameplay tactics, ensuring that your army of creatures withstands or circumvents the debilitating effects of this potent card.

Cards like Toxic Stench

Toxic Stench presents a unique twist in the realm of creature removal options within Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarities to cards like Disfigure, which also serves as a quick, low-cost way to weaken creatures. Toxic Stench edges ahead with its potential to outright eliminate a creature if its morbid condition – a creature dying this turn – is met. Disfigure, on the flip side, will always reduce a creature’s power and toughness by two, but it lacks the lethal potential that Toxic Stench possesses when conditions are right.

Go for the Throat is another card that comes to mind. While it’s a staple for dealing with non-artifact creatures swiftly and without prerequisites, it operates at twice the mana cost of Toxic Stench. This makes Toxic Stench a more economical albeit conditional alternative. Then there’s Tragic Slip, which shares the morbid mechanic with Toxic Stench, giving it the power to be an unexpectedly potent removal spell. However, unlike Toxic Stench, Tragic Slip doesn’t require mana payment if a creature has died.

Analyzing the nuances of these removal spells, Toxic Stench holds its place especially in decks that frequently witness the demise of creatures, leveraging its morbid condition to provide impactful and cost-effective control.

Cards similar to Toxic Stench by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Toxic Stench MTG card by a specific set like Judgment, 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 Toxic Stench and other MTG cards: