Wring Flesh MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Wring Flesh can indirectly lead to card advantage by disrupting opponent creatures’ value.
  2. Its low mana cost allows for efficient mana usage and flexible play opportunities.
  3. Instant speed enables strategic plays during opponents’ turns to shift combat dynamics.

Text of card

Target creature gets -3/-1 until end of turn.

"Don't blame me. You're the one walking around with skin." —Zul Ashur, lich lord


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wring Flesh excels in disrupting opponent strategies, often by negating a key creature’s impact on the game. While it doesn’t draw cards, it can indirectly contribute to card advantage, especially when it stops a card from generating value for your adversary.

Resource Acceleration: Although Wring Flesh doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, it’s low mana cost aids in efficient mana usage. This permits players to utilize other resources or spells alongside Wring Flesh within the same turn, potentially accelerating their board state without falling behind.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Wring Flesh at instant speed gives players the flexibility to make decisive plays during the opponent’s turn. Waiting for the perfect moment to diminish an attacking or blocking creature can significantly tilt combat in your favor, maintaining both tempo and pressure.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Wring Flesh doesn’t force a discard from its caster, which is often seen in other spells with potentially damaging effects. However, the inability to affect a player’s hand can be seen as a limitation, especially when considering the overall impact on the opponent’s game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one black mana to cast. This specific mana cost can be a drawback for multicolored decks that may not always have black mana readily available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a cost of one black mana, Wring Flesh provides a modest effect – giving a creature -3/-1 until end of turn. While efficiently costed, some might argue that there are more impactful spells that could be included in a deck at a similar mana cost.


Reasons to Include Wring Flesh in Your Collection

Versatility: Wring Flesh is a card that slots into a variety of black decks, offering a quick and easy solution to decrease the power of threatening creatures. It’s a handy tool for early-game defenses or later strategic plays.

Combo Potential: In decks that focus on creature control, Wring Flesh can work as a catalyst, weakening opponents’ creatures before triggering lethal interactions or as part of a larger removal strategy.

Meta-Relevance: As creature-based aggro decks and strategies that utilize small, potent creatures are common, Wring Flesh remains a pertinent choice. Its ability to disrupt a wide range of creatures at a low mana cost keeps it relevant in various meta situations.


How to beat

Wring Flesh is a niche spell card in Magic: The Gathering, often catching players off guard with its ability to shrink a creature’s power and toughness. Although it may not seem like a game-changer at first glance, its low mana cost and surprise factor can swing combat phases in your favor or disrupt your opponent’s strategies.

To effectively counter Wring Flesh, players should consider the timing and selection of creatures they play. Be cautious about committing to a board full of low-toughness creatures, as they are more vulnerable to being eliminated by Wring Flesh’s -3/-1 effect. Instead, focus on creatures with higher toughness that can withstand the temporary reduction in strength. Utilizing instant-speed spells that can bolster your creature’s statistics or provide indestructibility in response to a Wring Flesh cast can also be a smart defensive maneuver. Additionally, playing around an opponent’s open mana and potential combat tricks is fundamental, so be mindful of when they might have Wring Flesh ready to deploy.

As with many cards in Magic: The Gathering, anticipation and the ability to adapt to various scenarios are key. By understanding the intricacies of Wring Flesh, players can prepare their decks and playstyle to navigate around its effects and maintain board advantage.


Cards like Wring Flesh

Wring Flesh enjoys its niche within the realm of creature control spells in Magic: The Gathering, aligning closely with cards like Disfigure. Both cards provide a swift reduction in a creature’s strength, with Wring Flesh offering a -3/-1 effect at the cost of a single black mana. Disfigure follows a similar pattern, but instead, it targets with a -2/-2 modifier, making it slightly more versatile in extinguishing smaller threats outright.

When we consider another relative, Grasp of Darkness, we see a more substantial impact on the battlefield. Grasp of Darkness doubles down on the -4/-4 debuff, yet it demands two black mana, hinting at a heftier investment in resources. Certainly, the additional mana is a price for its potency, which can tackle larger threats that Wring Flesh may only injure, not destroy.

To sum up, while Wring Flesh may not be the most powerful removal card in the game, its efficiency and cost-effectiveness are appreciated factors for players looking to weaken or eliminate threats on the spot without committing too many resources.

Disfigure - MTG Card versions
Grasp of Darkness - MTG Card versions
Disfigure - Zendikar (ZEN)
Grasp of Darkness - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Wring Flesh by color, type and mana cost

Howl from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
Sacrifice - MTG Card versions
Darkness - MTG Card versions
Marsh Gas - MTG Card versions
Gravebind - MTG Card versions
Misinformation - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Tutor - MTG Card versions
Dredge - MTG Card versions
Coffin Purge - MTG Card versions
Defile - MTG Card versions
March of Wretched Sorrow - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Fade from Memory - MTG Card versions
Duh - MTG Card versions
Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Stop That - MTG Card versions
Disembowel - MTG Card versions
Surgical Extraction - MTG Card versions
Howl from Beyond - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Dark Ritual - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Sacrifice - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Darkness - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Marsh Gas - The Dark (DRK)
Gravebind - Ice Age (ICE)
Misinformation - Alliances (ALL)
Vampiric Tutor - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Dredge - Invasion (INV)
Coffin Purge - Odyssey (ODY)
Defile - Modern Horizons 1 Timeshifts (H1R)
March of Wretched Sorrow - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Fatal Push - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - The List (PLST)
Fade from Memory - Onslaught (ONS)
Duh - Unhinged (UNH)
Aesthetic Consultation - Unhinged (UNH)
Stop That - Unhinged (UNH)
Disembowel - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Surgical Extraction - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wring Flesh MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012 and Magic 2014, 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 Wring Flesh and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wring Flesh Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-07-15 and 2013-07-19. Illustrated by Izzy.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-07-15Magic 2012M12 1182003normalblackIzzy
22013-07-19Magic 2014M14 1222003normalblackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wring Flesh has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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