Skewer the Critics MTG Card


Enables card advantage by casting additional spells when leveraging spectacle cost for one mana. Acts as a virtual resource accelerator, allowing efficient threat deployment with reduced mana. Complements instant-speed plays by casting for spectacle post-opponent damage in your turn.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Spectacle

Text of card

Spectacle (You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.) Skewer the Critics deals 3 damage to any target.

Going to a Rakdos show is dangerous. Trying to leave early can be fatal.


Cards like Skewer the Critics

In the ever-evolving landscape of MTG, Skewer the Critics stands out as a potent direct damage spell. It shares its damage-dealing spirit with Lightning Strike, a card that deals 3 damage to any target at an identical cost of two mana. The distinction, however, is in Skewer the Critics’ synergy with the spectacle cost, which significantly reduces its casting cost under certain conditions, unlike the always consistent mana requirement of Lightning Strike.

Wizard’s Lightning is another cousin in the damage-dealing family, also offering 3 damage at a reduced cost if you control a Wizard, showcasing the variability and strategic depth within these spells. Both Skewer the Critics and Wizard’s Lightning highlight the game’s intricate balance between cost and conditions. While Lightning Bolt remains the golden standard for one-mana 3-damage spells, Skewer the Critics can rival its efficiency within the right strategy.

Assessing their place in MTG, Skewer the Critics proves its value through the spectacle cost, presenting players with a potentially more advantageous alternative in the realm of damage spells, especially in decks designed to unlock its full potential swiftly.

Lightning Strike - MTG Card versions
Wizard's Lightning - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions
Lightning Strike - MTG Card versions
Wizard's Lightning - MTG Card versions
Lightning Bolt - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Mono-Red AggroMono-Red Aggro PioneerMono-Red AggroPioneer League 2024-04-22
Mono-Red BurnMono-Red Burn ModernMono-Red BurnModern League 2024-04-25
WRGWRG LegacyLegacy Challenge 32 2024-04-24
Boros BurnBoros Burn ModernBoros BurnModern Preliminary 2024-04-24 (1)
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro PioneerGruul AggroPioneer League 2024-04-24

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skewer the Critics is a strategic addition to your arsenal, offering the ability to deal 3 damage while potentially enabling you to leverage the spectacle cost for an efficient one mana. This mechanic can result in effective card advantage as it potentially allows for another spell to be cast in the same turn due to the reduced cost.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or treasure tokens, Skewer the Critics effectively accelerates your resource usage by potentially reducing its casting cost from three to one mana. This creates a virtual acceleration of resources by allowing you to deploy your threats or answers more efficiently.

Instant Speed: While this spell operates at sorcery speed, the flexibility offered by its spectacle cost often complements instant-speed interactions. If you’re able to damage your opponent on their turn, perhaps with an instant, Skewer the Critics can be cast for its spectacle cost during your main phase, maintaining that element of surprise and resource efficiency crucial in many games.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Skewer the Critics lets you play with the spectacle cost as an alternative, it still requires you to have dealt damage to an opponent this turn. If you’re unable to meet this requirement, you miss the chance to cast it for a single red mana, hence hindering its efficiency especially if your battlefield presence is weak.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Skewer the Critics is locked into red mana. This means that in multi-colored decks, you may face situations where you might not have the required red mana, thereby preventing you from casting it exactly when needed. It demands careful mana base planning to avoid color screw.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: If you can’t fulfill the spectacle condition, Skewer the Critics has a mana value of three, which is on the higher side for direct damage spells. When you’re not triggering spectacle, other spells in your deck or in the wider card pool may offer more efficient damage-to-mana-cost ratios and could be a better fit for your strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Skewer the Critics boasts a flexibility that allows it to slide into a wide array of red-based decks. Its potential to deal 3 damage at a low cost makes it an efficient removal or finishing spell, particularly in aggressive builds.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that emphasize on spell-slinging synergies. As part of the Spectacle mechanic, when this card is played for its alternative cost triggered by an opponent’s loss of life, it can become a pivotal combo piece for a dynamic turn.

Meta-Relevance: In match-ups where tempo plays a critical role, Skewer the Critics can alter the game state by removing key creatures or dealing direct damage at a crucial moment, maintaining or shifting the momentum in your favor in many meta environments.


How to Beat Skewer the Critics

Skewer the Critics stands out as a formidable burn spell in Magic: The Gathering, offering damage output that rivals some of the game’s most efficient spells. However, overcoming this card can be nuanced, just as any strategy in MTG. One effective method is by utilizing instant-speed life gain effects, which can negate the damage Skewer the Critics aims to inflict. Cards like Revitalize not only boost your life total but also allow you to draw a card, potentially giving you an edge in resources as well as survivability.

Counterspell effects are also pivotal when facing spells like Skewer the Critics. By holding up mana for cards such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto, you can prevent the spell from resolving altogether, effectively neutralizing the threat before it can deal any damage. Additionally, utilizing creatures with lifelink can continuously offset the damage done by recurring sources of burn, ensuring a steady ascent of your life total through combat.

In analyzing the confrontations with Skewer the Critics, keeping pace with burn spells hinges on timely reaction and resource management. Strategic use of life gain, counterspells, and lifelink creatures can turn the table, allowing players to maintain control and ultimately triumph over the aggressive strategies that this card embodies.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the ebb and flow of MTG matches hinges on strategic card choices, and Skewer the Critics is certainly one that can sharpen your arsenal. If you’ve relished the insights presented here, ranging from its resource acceleration to its place in the current meta, then delving deeper into the strategies that elevate your gameplay is your next move. It’s time to refine your tactics, discover card synergies, and ensure your deck composition can handle diverse battlefield scenarios. Embark on this journey with us, learn more about optimizing your deck, and embrace the full potential of impactful cards like Skewer the Critics. The path to MTG mastery awaits.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skewer the Critics MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Skewer the Critics and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Skewer the Critics Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 1152015NormalBlackHeonhwa Choe
22024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 1242015NormalBlackHeonhwa Choe
32024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 3401997NormalBlackHeonhwa Choe
42024-04-19Breaking NewsOTP 262015NormalBorderlessFlorey

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skewer the Critics has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-01-25 A card’s spectacle cost is the same no matter how much life your opponents lost or how many opponents lost life.
2019-01-25 Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
2019-01-25 In a multiplayer game, if an opponent loses life and later that turn leaves the game, you can cast a spell for its spectacle cost. (If a player leaves the game during their turn, that turn continues without an active player.)
2019-01-25 Spectacle doesn’t change when you can cast the card. For example, you can’t cast a sorcery with spectacle during an opponent’s turn unless another effect allows you to do so, even if that player has lost life this turn.
2019-01-25 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you’re paying (such as a spectacle cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The converted mana cost of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.