Splinterfright MTG Card


Splinterfright excels in self-milling, growing its size while enriching graveyard strategies. Casting and mana flexibility may suffer due to color specificity and self-mill reliance. Its trample ability and constant threat level force opponents to find quick solutions.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Elemental
Abilities Mill,Trample
Power *
Toughness *

Text of card

Trample Splinterfright's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard. At the beginning of your upkeep, put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard.


Cards like Splinterfright

Splinterfright is an intriguing creature in the MTG universe that thrives in a graveyard-centric deck. It bears a close resemblance to Boneyard Wurm, as both creatures’ power and toughness are determined by the number of creature cards in the owner’s graveyard. Yet, Splinterfright has the added advantage of self-milling two cards at the beginning of your upkeep, consistently fueling its own growth.

Lhurgoyf is another creature with a similar mechanic, deriving power and toughness from graveyard contents, but it only counts creature cards in all graveyards, which offers a different type of strategic advantage. Additionally, Splinterfright has trample, allowing it to deal excess damage to a player, while Lhurgoyf lacks this key ability, making Splinterfright a more aggressive option.

Lastly, Nighthowler shares the capacity to grow with graveyard size, and like Splinterfright, it can be a game-changer. However, Nighthowler can also be bestowed upon another creature, providing flexibility. When assessing graveyard-utilizing creatures within MTG, Splinterfright stands out for its self-mill synergy and ability to apply pressure through trample, carving its own niche in this strategic card pool.

Boneyard Wurm - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Nighthowler - MTG Card versions
Boneyard Wurm - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Nighthowler - MTG Card versions

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Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
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Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
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Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
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Reki, the History of Kamigawa - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Splinterfright shines in the card advantage department, largely due to its self-mill ability. By putting the top two cards of your library into your graveyard at the beginning of your upkeep, it not only buffs itself but also potentially fills your graveyard with creatures that have other benefits when they’re in the graveyard or are easily retrievable for even more advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: This creature indirectly contributes to resource acceleration in graveyard-focused decks. As it fuels your graveyard, Splinterfright empowers cards that benefit from having a packed graveyard, thus accelerating your strategy and enabling larger threats or game-winning combos much quicker than some other strategies might manage.

Instant Speed: While Splinterfright doesn’t operate at instant speed, it demands answers from your opponent at instant speed. The perpetual growth every turn makes it a must-deal-with threat that can escalate out of control if not checked promptly, ensuring that your opponent’s resources might be tied up dealing with it, which gives you breathing room to develop your plays further.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Splinterfright’s effectiveness largely hinges on your ability to fill your graveyard with creature cards. This could lead to situations where you’re actively looking for ways to discard your creatures, which could deplete your hand and leave you with fewer options.

Specific Mana Cost: Dedicating resources to a two color mana cost (green and blue) can limit deck-building flexibility. Ensuring consistent mana to cast Splinterfright can require a more complex and potentially less stable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana that includes two specific colors, Splinterfright can be slower to hit the field compared to other graveyard-utilizing creatures, which might give your opponent a tempo advantage in the early game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Splinterfright thrives in decks focused on self-mill and graveyard strategies. Its power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard, making it a natural fit for a variety of graveyard-centric builds.

Combo Potential: With Splinterfright’s ability to self-mill each turn, it not only grows in power but also synergizes with cards that benefit from having a stocked graveyard, enabling powerful combos with cards like Kessig Cagebreakers or Boneyard Wurm.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where graveyard play is a common strategy, Splinterfright can be a formidable presence. It is constantly fueling its strength while providing a recurring threat that must be dealt with by opponents, making it a valuable asset in such environments.


How to Beat Splinterfright

Splinterfright is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering with a unique mechanic that scales its power and toughness with the number of creature cards in your graveyard. It can quickly become a formidable force on the battlefield. To effectively counter Splinterfright, graveyard manipulation is key. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Rest in Peace can remove creature cards from graveyards, curtailing its growth. Graveyard hate cards disrupt Splinterfright’s scaling power and can remove it as a threat swiftly.

Control decks have an additional edge against Splinterfright using spot removal spells like Path to Exile or Doom Blade, which can handle it regardless of its size. Moreover, since Splinterfright’s ability depends on creatures in the graveyard, cards that shuffle graveyards back into the library, such as Elixir of Immortality, dilute its power base. Aerial board control is also effective, since Splinterfright lacks flying, making it vulnerable to evasive creatures that can outpace it in combat.

Strategic creature blocking with deathtouch creatures can also serve as an effective deterrent, ensuring that any confrontation on the battlefield will result in Splinterfright’s demise. Considering these strategies, players can curtail the growth of Splinterfright and maintain control over the game state.


BurnMana Recommendations

As enthusiasts of the multiverse in MTG, we understand that every card draws a line between defeat and victory. Splinterfright is a cornerstone for graveyard-centric decks, offering growth and synergy with self-milling mechanics. We know thorough deck building and strategic plays can amplify its potential, transforming it into one of your most feared creatures. Our insights delve deeper into optimizing your playstyle to make the most of Splinterfright’s unique capabilities. Passionate about enhancing your experience and upping your game? Step into the world of strategic mastery with us and discover the pivotal role Splinterfright can play in your deck’s dominance. Let’s unlock its full potential together.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Splinterfright MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Commander 2020, 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 Splinterfright and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Splinterfright Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 2052003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
22020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1912015NormalBlackEric Deschamps
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1592015NormalBlackEric Deschamps
42022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4662015NormalBlackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Splinterfright has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-09-22 If Splinterfright’s controller has only one card in their library, they put that card into their graveyard.
2011-09-22 The ability that defines Splinterfright’s power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. If Splinterfright is in your graveyard, it will count itself.