Morinfen MTG Card

Morinfen can grant card advantage by demanding multiple resources from opponents for its removal. While not an accelerator, Morinfen’s pressure can speed up your strategy indirectly. Presents a recurring threat in the air, impacting instant-speed plays by opponents.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Abilities	Cumulative upkeep,Flying
Released	1997-06-09
Set symbol
Set name	Weatherlight
Set code	WTH
Power	5
Toughness	4
Number	75
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Text of card

Flying Cumulative upkeep—1 life

"I looked into its eyes, and its soul was so empty I saw no reflection, no light there." —Crovax

Cards like Morinfen

Morinfen stands as a unique card in the diverse roster of creatures within the world of MTG. This particular card exhibits a strong similarity to other flying creatures such as the iconic Serra Angel. Both Morinfen and Serra Angel provide players with a robust presence in the air, but Morinfen introduces a cumulative upkeep cost that makes it increasingly challenging to maintain on the battlefield.

Another card worthy of comparison is Gallowbraid. Much like Morinfen, Gallowbraid comes with the drawback of cumulative upkeep. However, it has trample, giving it an edge over Morinfen by allowing excess combat damage to be dealt to the opponent. On the flip side, Morinfen boasts a superior flying ability, ensuring it can often attack without being blocked by non-flying creatures. These subtle differences highlight the strategic trade-offs players consider when selecting cards for their decks.

When evaluating Morinfen against its counterparts, it’s important to note the delicate balance between its powerful offensive ability and the increasing cost to keep it in play. While other cards may offer lower maintenance or additional abilities, Morinfen’s evasion in the form of flying can be a decisive factor in many games.

Cards similar to Morinfen by color, type and mana cost

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mentioning Morinfen may not evoke thoughts of direct card draw, but as a formidable creature, it often forces opponents to use multiple resources to handle it. This can indirectly lead to gaining card advantage as your opponents deplete their hands trying to deal with this threat.

Resource Acceleration: While resource acceleration isn’t Morinfen’s primary ability, playing it can put significant pressure on your opponent, potentially speeding up your game plan. As your adversary focuses resources on counteracting Morinfen’s presence, they divert attention and resources away from your other plays, allowing for your strategy to progress more rapidly.

Instant Speed: Morinfen itself may not be an instant, yet having it on the battlefield can affect plays at instant speed. Knowing that Morinfen commands immediate attention upon its entry, opponents must ensure they have instant speed answers ready, thus impacting how they play their instants and potentially leading to advantageous misplays on their part.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Morinfen comes with a requirement that might hinder your hand advantage. To play Morinfen, you must first discard a card. This trade-off can deplete your options, especially when your hand is already running on empty.

Specific Mana Cost: Morinfen’s casting cost is locked into a specific mana combination, including two black mana symbols. This can be restrictive as it requires a solid commitment to black mana in your deck, making it less flexible for multicolor builds that are not heavily leaning on black.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Five total mana, which includes a double black commitment, for a 5/4 flying creature might feel inefficient when there are other creatures or spells in the same mana range that could potentially offer more board impact or come with less restrictive casting costs.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Morinfen offers a robust addition to any Commander or casual deck that leverages high-powered creatures. Its flying ability allows it to fit as both an offensive threat and a defensive blocker, making it a flexible choice for various game situations.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Morinfen can be pivotal in a life-loss themed deck. Pairing it with cards that mitigate or capitalize on paying life can turn its cumulative upkeep cost into an advantage, fueling complex and powerful combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where life total manipulation is key, Morinfen gains significant relevance. Its ability to present a recurrent aerial threat demands answers from opponents, often at a steeper cost than its maintenance presents to you, especially when combined with life-gain strategies.

How to beat

Morinfen is a classic creature card with a robust presence in the game. Noted for its flying ability and its upkeep cost which can present a challenge, managing Morinfen during gameplay requires strategic planning. A direct approach to tackling Morinfen is employing removal spells that can handle flying creatures without a hefty mana investment. It’s also advisable to disrupt your opponent’s graveyard strategy, as Morinfen’s cumulative upkeep cost relies on it.

Considering the card’s stats, blockers with reach or cards that grant reach to your creatures could be an effective defensive line. You might want to include cards that neutralize flying or use tap abilities to prevent Morinfen from attacking each turn. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed removal gives you the flexibility to respond to threats at the most opportune moments, thus keeping Morinfen at bay.

In essence, readiness to adapt and a deck equipped with versatile answers elevates your control over the battlefield. With these tips, Morinfen’s capabilities can be mitigated, allowing players to maintain the upper hand against this imposing force upon the skies of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Morinfen has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Paying cumulative upkeep is always optional. If it’s not paid, the permanent with cumulative upkeep is sacrificed. Partial payments of the total cumulative upkeep cost can’t be made. For example, if a permanent with “cumulative upkeep ” has three age counters on it when its cumulative upkeep ability triggers, it gets another age counter and then its controller chooses to either pay or sacrifice the permanent.