Phyrexian Beast MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
TypeToken Creature — Phyrexian Beast
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Phyrexian Beast provides card draw and potential resource boosts, pivotal for deck advantage.
  2. Instant speed actions with this creature add strategic depth to MTG matches.
  3. Mana specificity may limit deck integration, requiring thoughtful mana balancing.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Beast MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 Phyrexian Beast and other MTG cards:

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Phyrexian Beast’s ability to potentially generate card draw, depending on the build of your deck, is a crucial mechanic. This can tilt the game in your favor by providing more options and responses to on-board threats.

Resource Acceleration: If this creature synergizes well with the other elements of your deck, it can act as a powerful engine for resource acceleration. Efficiently converting one type of resource into another can be a game-changer, enabling you to deploy threats ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The capability to react at instant speed offers strategic depth to gameplay. It lets you adapt to the flow of the match, protecting the Phyrexian Beast or capitalizing on the perfect moment to disrupt your opponent’s plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging a Phyrexian Beast in your gameplay involves a discard mechanism that demands a card from your hand, potentially depleting valuable resources at critical moments.

Specific Mana Cost: Fueling the power of a Phyrexian Beast necessitates a particular blend of mana, sometimes requiring black mana exclusivity, which may not align seamlessly with all deck structures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Summoning a Phyrexian Beast to the battlefield can be taxing on your mana resources. When you compare the investment to the abilities on offer, it may not always equate to the most economical use of your turn’s mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Beast is a card that can adapt to various playstyles and deck strategies. It’s an excellent addition for those who appreciate a creature that can fit into multiple decks, adding significant value to your collection over time.

Combo Potential: With the right synergies, Phyrexian Beast might be pivotal in executing potent combos. Integrating it with mechanics that benefit from sacrificing creatures or that capitalize on its beast type can unlock new strategic layers to explore.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the shifting landscape of MTG’s competitive play, having Phyrexian Beast in your arsenal ensures you have a card that’s capable of countering popular trends and strategies, making your deck more resilient and adaptable to the evolving meta.


How to beat

Confronting a Phyrexian Beast on the battlefield can be daunting for any MTG player, given its potential for rapidly escalating threats. Unlike simple creatures, this card offers more than just power and toughness. One practical method for triumphing over Phyrexian Beast is to exploit its vulnerabilities. Removal spells, which come in various forms, are your best friends here. Instant-speed removal lets you navigate around the Phyrexian Beast’s on-board presence, disrupting your opponent’s strategy before they can capitalize on the creature’s abilities.

Another approach is to use creature-based strategies that outpace or outclass the abilities of the Phyrexian Beast. This involves deploying creatures that either possess higher stats or have effects that negate the advantages offered by the opposing Beast. Think along the lines of creatures with deathtouch, which can handle the Beast regardless of its size, or those that can bypass its defenses with flying or unblockable traits.

Overall, defeating a Phyrexian Beast in MTG boils down to having a proactive plan that involves smart card choices and optimal use of instant-speed interactions to ensure it never becomes the unchecked threat it’s designed to be.


Cards like Phyrexian Beast

Phyrexian Beast stands as an intriguing creature card within the diverse bestiary of Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels with other notable creatures like Baleful Strix, which shares the beneficial “draw a card” ability upon entering the battlefield. However, Phyrexian Beast diverges with a distinct Phyrexian touch that often comes with additional costs or sacrificial demands.

Skittering Surveyor is another creature that can be measured against the Phyrexian Beast in terms of mana-fixing capabilities. Though the Surveyor allows you to search your library for a basic land card and put it into your hand when it enters the battlefield, it lacks the raw power and board impact that the Phyrexian Beast might bring. On another note, Solemn Simulacrum, affectionately known as ‘Sad Robot’ among players, also fetches a land upon entering the battlefield and draws a card upon death, balancing immediate and long-term value.

Taking all factors into account, Phyrexian Beast is part of a niche yet valuable category of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering that offer both a presence on the board and an advantage in card resources—a combination that can sway the momentum of a game.

Baleful Strix - MTG Card versions
Skittering Surveyor - MTG Card versions
Solemn Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Baleful Strix - MTG Card versions
Skittering Surveyor - MTG Card versions
Solemn Simulacrum - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Phyrexian Beast Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 412015TokenBlackSvetlin Velinov
22023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be OneONE 62015TokenBlackUriah Voth
32023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 342015TokenBlackSvetlin Velinov