Crippling Fatigue MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage by utilizing it twice; initially and through its flashback ability from the graveyard.
  2. Instant speed casting gives flexibility, disrupting opponents at critical moments during gameplay.
  3. Demands careful resource management due to its specific mana and discard requirements for flashback.

Text of card

Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. Flashback—o1o B, Pay 3 life. (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Crippling Fatigue can be a tool for card advantage in certain decks. By paying the flashback cost from the graveyard, you effectively get two uses out of a single card, dealing with two threats for the price of one.

Resource Acceleration: While Crippling Fatigue itself does not provide direct resource acceleration, its efficient cost allows you to keep mana open for other critical plays during your turn, thus indirectly contributing to better resource management.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Crippling Fatigue at instant speed provides players with flexibility. You can disrupt an opponent’s turn by targeting and weakening or eliminating a creature right before a crucial combat phase or in response to an opponent’s spell or ability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When casting Crippling Fatigue from the graveyard, it extracts a considerable price by demanding a card discard. For players navigating the treacherous waters of resource management, this trade-off could tilt the scales unfavorably, especially in the clutch moments of a match.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into the black mana pool, Crippling Fatigue can sometimes hobble deck-building flexibility. Its insatiable appetite for specific mana means it may find no place in the homes of multicolored decks thirsting for a more cosmopolitan mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where every mana point counts, the card’s initial and flashback cost tally to a steep cumulative investment. MTG aficionados might wince at the card’s price tag, given the plethora of alternatives vying for a slot in that precious high-cost echelon.


Reasons to Include Crippling Fatigue in Your Collection

Versatility: Crippling Fatigue offers a flexible removal option that can be slotted into various black decks. Its ability to be cast from the graveyard using flashback adds an extra layer of utility, allowing you to address threats even after the card has been used initially.

Combo Potential: This card can work well in tandem with strategies that benefit from graveyard manipulation. Its synergy with cards that care about spell casting, such as prowess creatures or instants and sorceries that get bonuses from cards in the graveyard, makes it a versatile component for combo-centric playstyles.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where small to medium creatures dominate the board, Crippling Fatigue can be incredibly impactful. Being able to remove key creatures and disrupt opponent strategies while maintaining card economy gives this card a solid place in the evolving MTG metagame.


How to beat

Overcoming the challenges posed by Crippling Fatigue in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic play and a keen understanding of card interactions. This black sorcery not only has the power to deal damage but also comes with a flashback feature, allowing it to be a persistent threat even from the graveyard. To counteract this, players can adopt strategies that incorporate graveyard disruption. Cards that exile graveyard contents are perfect tools in this scenario, effectively neutralizing the flashback ability and limiting the card to a single use.

Furthermore, considering Crippling Fatigue targets creatures, having creatures with indestructible or regeneration abilities can render the damage from Crippling Fatigue moot. Utilizing counterspells is also a solid strategy if the timing is right. Playing cards that can counter sorceries will ensure that Crippling Fatigue doesn’t affect your game plan. Being prepared for the card’s double threat potential — when it’s first played and when it’s flashed back — can give players a significant strategic advantage in mitigating its impact and maintaining a strong board presence throughout the game.


Cards like Crippling Fatigue

Crippling Fatigue fits into the realm of targeted creature removal within MTG. Comparable to other removal cards like Dead Weight, Crippling Fatigue offers the added flexibility of being a targeted instant, allowing players to react swiftly to threats during any phase of the game. Dead Weight serves a similar purpose by weakening a creature, potentially leading to its demise, but it’s an enchantment with a more permanent presence on the battlefield.

Analogous to Crippling Fatigue is Grasp of Darkness, which offers a larger -4/-4 debuff to creatures. While both are instants, Grasp of Darkness demands two black mana instead of Crippling Fatigue’s three mana cost – one of which can be colorless – suggesting a heavier toll on players’ mana bases. Nevertheless, Crippling Fatigue’s flashback ability gives it a unique edge, providing a strategic option for late-game when resources are scarcer.

Dissecting these alternative cards and their situational advantages shows that Crippling Fatigue holds its own in MTG by offering a blend of immediate impact and valuable reuse potential. It’s an interesting choice for decks prioritizing tactical flexibility over one-time, potentially stronger effects.

Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Grasp of Darkness - MTG Card versions
Dead Weight - Innistrad (ISD)
Grasp of Darkness - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Crippling Fatigue by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Inquisition - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Demonic Attorney - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Jovial Evil - Legends (LEG)
Inquisition - The Dark (DRK)
Infernal Contract - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Touch of Death - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Wicked Pact - Starter 1999 (S99)
Nature's Ruin - Portal (POR)
Buried Alive - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Choking Sands - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Brush with Death - Stronghold (STH)
Perish - The List (PLST)
Stupor - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Coercion - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hand of Death - Starter 2000 (S00)
Grim Tutor - Core Set 2021 Promos (PM21)
Forced March - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Soul Burn - Invasion (INV)
Noxious Vapors - Planeshift (PLS)
Mind Rot - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crippling Fatigue MTG card by a specific set like Torment and Salvat 2005, 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 Crippling Fatigue and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Crippling Fatigue Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-02-04 and 2006-01-01. Illustrated by Heather Hudson.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-02-04TormentTOR 581997normalblackHeather Hudson
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A62003normalwhiteHeather Hudson
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A302003normalwhiteHeather Hudson
42006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 302003normalwhiteHeather Hudson
52006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 62003normalwhiteHeather Hudson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crippling Fatigue has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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