Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Phyrexian Praetor
Abilities Haste,Trample
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. With its double counter ability, Vorinclex accelerates gameplay, enhancing strategic depth and board control.
  2. The steep mana cost can limit deck flexibility and speed, making timing critical for play.
  3. Vorinclex remains a versatile powerhouse, pivotal in meta play and for its counter disruption.

Text of card

Trample, haste If you would put one or more counters on a permanent or player, put twice that many of each of those kinds of counters on that permanent or player instead. If an opponent would put one or more counters on a permanent or player, they put half that many of each of those kinds of counters on that permanent or player instead, rounded down.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider provides a significant strategic edge by doubling the number of counters you would put on permanents you control, propelling you ahead in the game with additional +1/+1 counters on creatures or loyalty counters on planeswalkers. This kind of advantage can swiftly snowball into a dominant board position.

Resource Acceleration: As a powerhouse in green decks, this creature excels at ramping up your resources. While it doesn’t produce mana or tokens directly, it ensures any method you have to add counters is made twice as effective—this includes ramping up with land-counters or proliferation effects, effectively accelerating your resource capabilities.

Instant Speed: While Vorinclex itself isn’t an instant, it severely hampers your opponents’ ability to interact at instant speed by halving the number of counters they would put on their permanents. When Vorinclex is on the battlefield, it hinders the opponents’ strategies that rely on instant-speed counter manipulation, thereby indirectly elevating your own instant-speed plays by comparison.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider doesn’t require a discard directly, the need to protect this powerful creature often means discarding other cards to ensure its impact on the battlefield. This can be a precarious position if your hand is already running low.

Specific Mana Cost: Vorinclex has a steep cost, demanding efficient mana acceleration or a dedicated ramp strategy. Its particular color requirement of six mana, including two green, could restrict deck-building options and slow down its deployment when you can’t draw into the right resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Summoning Vorinclex requires a substantial investment of six mana, making it a late-game play. In matches where speed is key, this can be a significant drawback. Early pressure from opponents can often make playing high-cost creatures like Vorinclex a challenging feat.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider effortlessly integrates into multiple deck archetypes, notably those harnessing +1/+1 counters or emphasizing on proliferate mechanics. Its dual-faced nature as both a formidable creature and a disruptor of opponents’ counter strategies makes it a flexible addition.

Combo Potential: This card is a powerhouse in synergistic interactions. It’s able to double the amount of counters placed on permanents you control, which can decisively escalate the potency of various combos while disrupting your opponents’ plans by halving their counters.

Meta-Relevance: With its capacity to accelerate your board state and hold back opponents, Vorinclex plays a pivotal role in decks that strive to outpace the meta’s tempo. Its continued relevance in various formats ensures that it remains a valuable asset in any collector’s arsenal.


How to beat Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider

Overcoming Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider requires strategic planning and timely reactions. This powerful Phyrexian Praetor can rapidly tip the scales with its ability to double the number of counters on permanents you control, while halving those your opponents receive. A direct way to handle Vorinclex is through removal spells that can bypass its formidable power and toughness, such as Path to Exile or Murderous Rider.

Ensnaring this behemoth in a web of counter magic is another effective method. Since Vorinclex has to resolve to impact the battlefield, deploying a well-timed Counterspell or Mystical Dispute can negate it entirely. Board wipes like Wrath of God also serve as a powerful reset button, clearing Vorinclex along with other menacing creatures from the fray.

Additionally, using exile effects is particularly advantageous since Vorinclex’s doubling ability is persistent. Cards like Swords to Plowshares do not merely remove it; they prevent it from coming back, which is crucial in a game where recursion strategies abound. By leveraging these tactics, players can quell the threat of Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider and maintain a balanced state of play.


Cards like Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider

Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider stands as a powerhouse in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of other formidable creatures that play a pivotal role in many strategies. Its closest kin is perhaps the card named Hythonia the Cruel. Both are formidable creatures, but Vorinclex brings a unique edge with its ability to double the number of counters on permanents you control and halve the count on your opponent’s – a tactic not seen in Hythonia’s arsenal. Additionally, Vorinclex’s trample ability ensures damage is dealt even when blocked by lesser creatures.

Another monster in the fray is Ghalta, Primal Hunger. Ghalta can be cast for significantly less mana depending on the total power of creatures you control, but it lacks the counter-manipulation that makes Vorinclex a singular threat. Vorinclex also offers a more durable frame, withstanding more damage than Ghalta before succumbing to the graveyard.

Taking a look at the broader spectrum of MTG cards, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider certainly claims its spot as a top-contender amongst creatures that compete on both power and tactical advantages, solidifying its status in decks that favor aggressive and counter-focused strategies.

Hythonia the Cruel - MTG Card versions
Ghalta, Primal Hunger - MTG Card versions
Hythonia the Cruel - Theros (THS)
Ghalta, Primal Hunger - Rivals of Ixalan Promos (PRIX)

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Craw Wurm - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Gaea's Liege - Revised Edition (3ED)
Wiitigo - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Autumn Willow - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Ancient Silverback - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sulam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Verdeloth the Ancient - Modern Masters (MMA)
Nemata, Grove Guardian - The List (PLST)
Gang of Elk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Kavu Howler - Apocalypse (APC)
Crashing Centaur - Odyssey (ODY)
Giant Warthog - Judgment (JUD)
Rhox - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Kodama of the East Tree - Commander Legends (CMR)
Terra Stomper - Zendikar (ZEN)
Feral Throwback - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Brontotherium - Legions (LGN)
Elvish Aberration - Masters 25 (A25)
Force of Nature - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fangren Pathcutter - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and 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 Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-06. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 883242015normalblackRichard Luong
22021-02-05KaldheimKHM 4072015normalborderlessRichard Whitters
32021-02-05KaldheimKHM 4062015normalborderlessRichard Whitters
42021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3202015normalblackRichard Luong
52021-02-05KaldheimKHM 1992015normalblackDaarken
62021-02-05KaldheimKHM 3332015normalblackDaarken
72021-02-05Kaldheim Art SeriesAKHM 792015art_seriesborderlessRichard Luong
82021-02-05Kaldheim Art SeriesAKHM 542015art_seriesborderlessDaarken
92021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 199s2015normalblackDaarken
102021-02-06Kaldheim PromosPKHM 199p2015normalblackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider 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 a permanent enters the battlefield with counters on it, the effect causing the permanent to be given counters may specify which player puts those counters on it. If the effect doesn’t specify a player, the object’s controller puts those counters on it.
2021-02-05 If two or more effects attempt to modify how many counters would be put onto a permanent you control, you choose the order to apply those effects, no matter who controls the sources of those effects.
2021-02-05 Unlike many similar effects, Vorinclex cares deeply about who is putting the counters on the permanent or player to determine which of its two last abilities applies.

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