Squash MTG Card


Squash - Kaldheim
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim
Set codeKHM
Number152
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCaio Monteiro

Key Takeaways

  1. Squash yields card advantage by potentially eliminating key opponent creatures and disrupting their board.
  2. Though restricted to red decks, Squash can accelerate resources in Giant-centric strategies for efficient spell casting.
  3. While Squash’s high mana cost and discard requirement are cons, it adds high-impact versatility in specific decks.

Text of card

This spell costs less to cast if you control a Giant. Squash deals 6 damage to target creature or planeswalker.

The troll had recently crushed a human in much the same way. Sadly, he expired too quickly to appreciate the irony.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key facets of Squash is its potential to give players a decisive upper hand. With the ability to deal meaningful damage, it can readily eliminate an opponent’s creature, effectively turning the tide by disrupting their board presence and card economy.

Resource Acceleration: While Squash itself doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure tokens, it works perfectly with decks that focus on Giants, reducing its casting cost and thereby accelerating your resource usage. This allows for a more efficient deployment of other spells in your arsenal, keeping the pressure high.

Instant Speed: Although Squash operates at sorcery speed, it’s a vital inclusion in decks that aim to control the battlefield. Quick removal spells are crucial in MTG, and while Squash is a bit slower, it compensates with overwhelming force against problematic creatures, fitting snugly into strategies that focus on larger turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Squash necessitates that a player discards another card to cast it. This can be particularly detrimental during late game stages when hand size is critical and each card’s value is at a premium.

Specific Mana Cost: It has a color-intensive mana requirement, locking it strictly within red decks and potentially limiting its usage in more diverse, multi-colored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Squash comes with a higher mana cost, which may pose a challenge to players aiming to maintain tempo against opponents, especially when similar effects could be achieved with lower cost alternatives.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Squash MTG card is adaptable across various deck types, offering a solid removal option. Its synergy with decks that feature Giants allows it to be a low-cost, high-impact spell in the right circumstances.

Combo Potential: This card can facilitate combinations, particularly in decks that center around Giants or spellslinging, potentially clearing the way for game-winning moves through its significant damage output.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to deal with a wide range of creature threats, Squash can be quite relevant in a meta with creature-heavy strategies, ensuring that your deck has answers to opponents’ creatures.


How to beat

The Squash card presents a challenging obstacle with its significant damage potential to creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This towering spell can obliterate most creatures with its considerable damage output, making it a formidable weapon for any player’s arsenal. To effectively combat this, one should consider employing creatures with indestructibility or those that can regenerate, as these traits can withstand the damage delivered by Squash. Additionally, utilizing counterspells to prevent Squash from ever hitting the battlefield is a strategic approach that can negate this threat before it materializes. Spellskite is another card that can be employed to redirect the effect of Squash, protecting your more valuable creatures from being decimated.

Adapting one’s playstyle to prioritize creatures with greater resilience or having a suite of protective spells is crucial in circumventing the destruction caused by Squash. It’s also worthwhile to focus on reducing the overall impact of the spell, perhaps by maintaining a lower creature profile on the board to make Squash a less appealing option for your opponent. In conclusion, while Squash can be a powerful tool in your opponent’s deck, there are multiple strategic moves you can implement to mitigate its influence on the game and preserve your path to victory.


Cards like Squash

Squash represents a unique spot in the realm of creature removal options in Magic: The Gathering. When set alongside spells like Flame Slash, which also deals four damage to a creature, Squash takes it up a notch by handling much larger threats with its whopping six damage point. What Flame Slash has in its favor is a lower mana cost and the capacity to take down medium-sized creatures without delay.

Considering Crush underfoot, the comparison grows more intriguing. It shares the giant tribal theme with Squash, granting specificity in both flavor and function. Crush underfoot requires a giant on the field, aligning it with Squash’s cost reduction mechanic for controlling a giant. Yet, unlike Squash, it doesn’t deal damage directly but relies on the power of a giant you control.

To wrap it up, Squash carves out its niche by delivering a hefty punch to neutralize formidable foes. While it may seem mana-intensive at first glance, in a deck synergizing with giants, it offers a potent and cost-effective removal strategy. Its critical impact on the board makes it a card worth considering for any player running a giant-themed deck.

Flame Slash - MTG Card versions
Crush Underfoot - MTG Card versions
Flame Slash - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Crush Underfoot - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Squash by color, type and mana cost

Fissure - MTG Card versions
Melee - MTG Card versions
Omen of Fire - MTG Card versions
Cinder Cloud - MTG Card versions
Lava Storm - MTG Card versions
Brawl - MTG Card versions
Thermal Blast - MTG Card versions
Radiate - MTG Card versions
Invoke Calamity - MTG Card versions
Pinpoint Avalanche - MTG Card versions
Forge Armor - MTG Card versions
Savage Beating - MTG Card versions
Rain of Rust - MTG Card versions
Feedback Bolt - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Destruction - MTG Card versions
Devouring Rage - MTG Card versions
Cleansing Beam - MTG Card versions
Word of Seizing - MTG Card versions
Riddle of Lightning - MTG Card versions
Chaotic Backlash - MTG Card versions
Fissure - Masters Edition (ME1)
Melee - Ice Age (ICE)
Omen of Fire - Alliances (ALL)
Cinder Cloud - Mirage (MIR)
Lava Storm - Weatherlight (WTH)
Brawl - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Thermal Blast - Odyssey (ODY)
Radiate - Torment (TOR)
Invoke Calamity - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Pinpoint Avalanche - Onslaught (ONS)
Forge Armor - Mirrodin (MRD)
Savage Beating - Commander Masters (CMM)
Rain of Rust - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Feedback Bolt - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Beacon of Destruction - Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might (DDS)
Devouring Rage - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Cleansing Beam - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Word of Seizing - Commander Legends (CMR)
Riddle of Lightning - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Chaotic Backlash - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Squash MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim, 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 Squash and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Squash has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Squash card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-02-05 If you control more than one Giant, Squash’s cost is reduced by only .
2021-02-05 Once you announce that you’re casting Squash, no player may take other actions until the spell’s been paid for. Notably, players can’t try to change the cost by removing your Giants.

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