Phyrexian Crusader MTG Card

Owning a Phyrexian Crusader benefits decks that thrive on poison counters and creature protection. Understanding its mana cost and combat abilities is essential for optimizing your deck’s strategy. Effective counters to Phyrexian Crusader exist, particularly through black’s removal spells and colorless options.

Phyrexian Crusader - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
2011-02-04 - Number 50

Phyrexian Crusader - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)

Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
2019-12-02 - Number 1214

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number MBS-50

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Zombie Knight
Abilities	First strike,Infect,Protection
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

First strike, protection from red and from white Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)

Cards like Phyrexian Crusader

The Phyrexian Crusader stands as a powerful warrior amongst other creatures in Magic: The Gathering. When examining its similarities with other cards, a clear parallel is drawn with cards like Mirran Crusader. Both feature the valuable protection abilities – Phyrexian Crusader from red and white spells, whereas Mirran Crusader from black and green. However, what sets Phyrexian Crusader apart is its infectious touch, inflicting poison counters through infect, a trait Mirran Crusader lacks.

Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon is another creature that shares the menacing infect ability, flying above the battlefield and offering regeneration. Although it doesn’t boast protection like Phyrexian Crusader, its aerial advantage and regenerative resilience make it a formidable alternative.

In the realm of protection and poison, Phyrexian Crusader carves a niche for itself with a unique blend of defense against popularly used colors and an aggressive strategy for victory via poison counters. Its strategic position in MTG play is bolstered by its role in decks focused on control and infect combos, adding a layer of tactical supremacy on the battlefield.

Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Phyrexian Crusader by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Phyrexian Crusader. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Archetype	Event
Golgari Infect	Modern	Infect	Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Modern Mainevent
Sultai Infect	Modern	Infect	NRG Series $10,000 Showdown - Madison, Wisconsin (Modern)
Infect	Modern	Infect	Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Modern Mainevent

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phyrexian Crusader’s protection from red and from white allows it to evade many common removal spells, helping maintain board presence and indirectly contribute to card advantage over opponents.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of resource acceleration, the Crusader often demands multiple resources from an opponent to address its threat, thus accelerating your resource advantage as they divert efforts to deal with it.

Instant Speed: Although Phyrexian Crusader itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its first strike and infectious damage can have a decisive impact in combat, often equating to instant-speed removal of an opponent’s creatures during the combat phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Phyrexian Crusader doesn’t have a discard mechanic, its specific mana cost can be restrictive, similar to the impact a discard requirement would have on other cards, especially in terms of deck building flexibility.

Specific Mana Cost: Phyrexian Crusader comes with a mana cost that necessitates both black and green sources. This requirement can lead to challenges in manabase construction, particularly for multi-color decks that may struggle to consistently generate the right combination of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana might seem reasonable, but in a fast-paced game, it competes with other three-drop creatures and spells which may offer immediate impact or larger bodies. This cost assessment becomes crucial when deciding on the creature curve within your deck.

Reasons to Include Phyrexian Crusader in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Crusader is a powerful option for decks that utilize poison counters or protection abilities. Its color combination makes it a great fit in both aggressive and control-oriented black-green Infect decks, or any strategy that values resilient creatures.

Combo Potential: With first strike and protection from two widely used colors, this card can be used to create favorable matchups on the battlefield. It also synergizes with proliferate mechanics and other methods of spreading -1/-1 counters or increasing poison counts.

Meta-Relevance: In environments with a heavy emphasis on red and white spells, Phyrexian Crusader shines by dodging many common removals and combat tricks. Its ability to deal damage in the form of poison counters rather than conventional damage makes it a persistent threat against life-based strategies.

How to Beat Phyrexian Crusader

The Phyrexian Crusader presents a unique challenge in MTG with its combination of first strike and protection from red and from white. This black creature card can be a real headache due to its ability to avoid damage from two of MTG’s primary colors and its potential to quickly poison your life total with infect counters.

To effectively counter this card, you might want to look towards black’s own arsenal. Targeted removal spells like Go for the Throat, which can destroy nonartifact creatures, won’t be impeded by the Crusader’s protections. Alternatively, edict effects that force a player to sacrifice a creature, such as Liliana of the Veil’s edict ability, can bypass the protection abilities altogether.

Colorless removals like Ugin, the Spirit Dragon’s -X ability can also exile the Crusader regardless of its protection. Mass removal spells that don’t target or deal damage, or those that come from outside the protection colors, can clear it from the board. In conclusion, while Phyrexian Crusader is a formidable foe, proper planning and strategic spell selection can ensure your victory against it.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Crusader MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Crusader and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Crusader Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2011-02-04	Mirrodin Besieged	MBS	50	2003	Normal	Black	Eric Deschamps
2	~~2019-12-02~~	Secret Lair Drop	SLD	1214	2015	Normal	Borderless	Flavio Girón
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	MBS-50	2003	Normal	Black	Eric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Crusader has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2011-06-01	If Phyrexian Crusader blocks or is blocked by a creature without first strike or double strike, the damage dealt by Phyrexian Crusader results in -1/-1 counters that will affect how much damage the other creature assigns (if it’s still on the battlefield).