Skinthinner MTG Card

Morph ability ensures resource efficiency and surprises foes with a swift creature kill. Demands graveyard resources, challenging players to weigh its strategic value carefully. Highly situational but can turn the tide in creature-dominated metagames with its utility.

Legions (LGN)
2003-02-03 - Number 80

Commander 2019 (C19)
2019-08-23 - Number 129

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie
Abilities	Morph
Power	2
Toughness	1

Text of card

Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Skinthinner is turned face up, destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

Cards like Skinthinner

Skinthinner stands out as a unique member of the creature lineup that boasts a morph feature in Magic: The Gathering. Morph, the ability to play the card face down as a 2/2 creature then turn it up later for its morph cost, is what makes the card akin to other shapeshifting varieties like Willbender. While Willbender redirects spells or abilities once flipped, Skinthinner offers a removal ability, enabling you to destroy a nonblack creature.

Comparable to Skinthinner is Nantuko Vigilante. This card also carries the morph trait, but instead of functioning as creature removal, it serves the purpose of artifact and enchantment removal upon its unmasking. Additionally, cards like Voidmage Apprentice offer a counter spell when turned up, providing a solid comparison to Skinthinner’s creature neutralization. Costs and effects differ, but each represent morph’s strategic versatility.

Evaluating Skinthinner next to its counterparts highlights its strength in creature control – a pivotal aspect during gameplay. Its place in the MTG multiverse is set among the morphing creatures, and its lethal reveal provides a tactical advantage to players who skillfully navigate the surprise element that morph introduces into the game.

Cards similar to Skinthinner by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skinthinner provides a two-for-one advantage by offering removal of an opponent’s creature while also presenting a creature body on the board. This duality ensures you maintain card presence even as you disrupt your opponent’s strategy.

Resource Acceleration: As a morph card, Skinthinner can be played face down for a lesser cost and turned face up when the time is right. This flexibility allows you to manage resources more effectively, saving mana for other spells or abilities you may need to activate.

Instant Speed: The power of Skinthinner lies in its ability to transform at instant speed, giving you the option to surprise an opponent by revealing the card and destroying a target creature during their turn. This strategic move can significantly alter the course of the game by removing a key threat at a crucial moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Skinthinner demands you to exile a card from your graveyard as part of its morph cost, which could deplete valuable resources and disruptyour graveyard synergy.

Specific Mana Cost: To activate Skinthinner’s morph ability, you need to secure one black mana, adding restrictions to deck-building and potentially hindering your mana curve in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a removal effect, a total of five mana (two to cast face-down and three to morph) may be inefficient compared to other removal spells that cost less and offer immediate results without setup.

Reasons to Include Skinthinner in Your Collection

Versatility: Skinthinner offers flexibility in deck building. It’s a creature that doubles as a removal spell, ideal for decks that thrive on multifunctional cards. Additionally, its morph cost allows you to keep opponents guessing until the right moment.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly in strategies that capitalize on death triggers or need targeted creature removal. In combination with recursion engines, Skinthinner can become a recurring threat, handling problematic creatures multiple times throughout a game.

Meta-Relevance: Particularly in a meta filled with creature-based strategies, Skinthinner holds its ground. Its ability to disrupt opponents’ boards by eliminating key creatures makes it a tactical addition to any collection, aligning with the shifts and changes of competitive play.

How to Beat Skinthinner

In the diverse world of Magic the Gathering, confronting a creature like Skinthinner can be tricky. This particular card has an ability that can disrupt your board presence by destroying a nonblack creature. However, that doesn’t mean it’s invincible. To counter Skinthinner effectively, strategic play is required. For starters, avoidance of committing solely nonblack creatures to the board when facing a deck wielding this morbid assassin is wise. Diversifying creature colors can mitigate the impact of its lethal touch.

Moreover, using instant-speed removals can also be advantageous. These allow you to remove Skinthinner in response to its morph mechanic triggering, before it has a chance to decimate your ranks. Counterspells offer another layer of protection, nipping the problem in the bud before it truly becomes one. Cards with hexproof or indestructible are excellent as well, providing a sturdy line of defense against this lurking danger. Lastly, remember to keep an eye on open mana from the opposing side as that could herald the arrival of Skinthinner from its morphed state, giving you the cue to prepare your defenses or enact your removal strategies.

Handling Skinthinner is about anticipation and resourceful play. Stay a step ahead of your adversary, and this card will lose its edge against your well-prepared strategy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skinthinner MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Commander 2019, 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 Skinthinner and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Skinthinner Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2019-08-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2003-02-03	Legions	LGN		80	1997	Normal	Black	Dany Orizio
2	2019-08-23	Commander 2019	C19		129	2015	Normal	Black	Kev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skinthinner 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 Skinthinner card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	The trigger occurs when you use the Morph ability to turn the card face up, or when an effect turns it face up. It will not trigger on being revealed or on leaving the battlefield.