Plague Fiend MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Insect
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	73
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	David Martin

Key Takeaways

Plague Fiend enhances your board position by potentially eliminating enemy creatures, securing card advantage.
Instant speed activation affords tactical flexibility, adapting to in-game situations without wasting turns.
Despite mana specifics and higher casting cost, its infect capabilities offer significant strategic value.

Text of card

Whenever Plague Fiend deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature unless its controller pays .

As the strange plague ravaged Jamuraa, the fiends multiplied.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Plague Fiend offers a unique angle on card advantage. By potentially removing opponent’s creatures each turn, it indirectly contributes to maintaining card superiority on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Plague Fiend doesn’t directly accelerate resources like land or mana, the advantage gained by consistently dealing with opponent’s threats can result in a resource disparity that tips the scales in your favor.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Plague Fiend’s effect at instant speed grants flexibility, allowing you to respond to threats or make strategic decisions on the fly without sacrificing your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Plague Fiend requires discarding another card as part of its casting cost, which could deplete your hand and weaken your overall game position.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a particular combination of mana colors to be played (black), making it less flexible and harder to fit into multi-color decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that could be considered high for its offering, Plague Fiend may compete with other cards in your deck that provide better value or impact on the game for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Plague Fiend in Your Collection

Versatility: Plague Fiend can seamlessly integrate into various deck builds, particularly those that capitalize on creature swarms or strategies that thrive on infect and poison counters, adding a new layer of threat to your gameplay.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize well with mechanics that benefit from dealing damage in unconventional ways, or it can amplify effects that proliferate, increasing its impact exponentially when combined with the right cards.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small, evasive creatures can tilt the balance, Plague Fiend’s potential to swiftly accumulate poison counters may catch opponents off-guard, making it a strategic choice for a surprise offensive.

How to beat

When facing the potent abilities of Plague Fiend in Magic: The Gathering, the right strategy is crucial. This creature can potentially wreak havoc, especially when it has dealt damage and gained the infectious counters that amplify its attack. To effectively counter Plague Fiend, one must manage the battlefield proactively.

Utilizing removal spells that can target creatures before they become too strong is a solid approach. Consider options like Fatal Push or Path to Exile which offer quick and efficient solutions. Moreover, keeping blockers on the board, specifically those with sufficient toughness to survive the initial impact or those with the ability to regenerate, will mitigate the Fiend’s assault. If Plague Fiend has been beefed up with counters, enchantment-based removal like Cast Out or Oblivion Ring can bypass the counters and neutralize the threat altogether.

Remember, staying ahead of the creature’s growth is key. Keep removal at the ready, maintain a defensive line, and consider sideboard options that can handle creatures with counters. With these tactics, you’ll be prepared to stand firm against Plague Fiend’s pernicious presence on the battlefield.

Cards like Plague Fiend

Plague Fiend introduces itself as a distinctive creature within the MTG realm. When assessing its capabilities, its infect ability instantly draws a parallel with other poison-counter generators like Ichorclaw Myr. Both units stake their claim in the poison-focused strategies, but Plague Fiend offers a flying advantage, allowing it to evade common ground blockers, unlike its Myr counterpart.

Another card worthy of comparison is Blight Sickle, which doesn’t come as a creature but as an equipment granting the infect ability. While it brings versatility in arming any creature with this potent ability, it lacks the immediacy and evasiveness of Plague Fiend. Then we observe Phyrexian Vatmother, a more formidable creature bearing infect that demands attention with its higher power. Though impactful, the Vatmother comes at a steeper mana cost and imposes a life payment from its controller during their upkeep.

Analyzing the tactical value of these alternatives showcases Plague Fiend’s role as a nimble and elusive partaker in infect-based decks. Its blend of aerial threat and infect potency positions it astutely amongst creatures tailored to deliver quick poison counters in MTG.

Cards similar to Plague Fiend by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Plague Fiend MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Plague Fiend and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Plague Fiend has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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