Carrionette MTG Card


Carrionette - Tempest
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Skeleton
Released1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set nameTempest
Set codeTMP
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number111
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byPete Venters

Key Takeaways

  1. Carrionette shines with graveyard reuse, giving players creature control at key moments.
  2. Its specific black mana cost can limit deck versatility, demanding strategic mana base planning.
  3. Despite potential drawbacks, its disruptive nature makes it a worthy addition to control decks.

Text of card

o Bo B: Remove Carrionette and target creature from the game. That creature's controller may pay to counter this ability. Use this ability only if Carrionette is in your graveyard.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Carrionette can be potentially reused from the graveyard if you have the mana, giving you a repetitive way to control your opponent’s creatures on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although Carrionette itself doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration, its low casting cost enables you to save mana for other spells which can accelerate your resources in other ways.

Instant Speed: Carrionette’s ability to exile target creature can be activated at instant speed, offering you flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategy at a crucial moment without waiting for your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Carrionette mandates you sacrifice it to tap and control a target creature, a steep cost for a one-off effect, potentially putting you behind in terms of board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires two black mana, Carrionette can be restrictive in multicolored decks, demanding a commitment to black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana creature, its activated ability’s cost of two black mana and sacrificing itself might seem excessive when other creatures offer repeatable effects or stronger presence on the battlefield for a similar investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Carrionette offers flexibility in gameplay by providing a unique controlling ability from the graveyard. This can support strategies that manipulate the battlefield and graveyard synergies.

Combo Potential: With its ability to disrupt opponents from the graveyard, Carrionette pairs well with various graveyard mechanics, offering combo opportunities in decks focused on reanimation or sacrificing creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creatures dictate the pace, Carrionette’s ability to subvert your opponent’s board strategies can be an unexpected game-changer, lending it relevance in shifting metas.


How to beat

Carrionette, a unique creature in the vast Magic: The Gathering universe, presents an intriguing challenge to players. Outsmarting this card requires a strategic approach. Unlike other creatures that simply rely on brute force, Carrionette can utilize its activated abilities from both the battlefield and the graveyard, disrupting opponents’ strategies. Overcoming this requires careful planning. Solid graveyard management is key; cards that exile creatures from the graveyard render Carrionette’s reactivation ability obsolete. Graveyard hate cards, like Rest in Peace, can preemptively negate its power.

Spot removal isn’t always enough to keep this creature away. However, efficient board wipes that remove all creatures at once can ensure that Carrionette doesn’t come back to haunt your game. Instant-speed interaction can be crucial when dealing with an active Carrionette on the battlefield. It’s essential to time your spells wisely to avoid its ability to sacrifice itself and take down another creature with it. With these strategies, players can navigate the challenges Carrionette poses and maintain control over the game state.


Cards like Carrionette

Carrionette in MTG stakes its claim to uniqueness with its ability to remove creatures from the game, setting a niche for itself among creature control cards. When looking at parallels, Unsummon comes to mind, but instead of exiling creatures, it simply returns them to the owner’s hand, offering a temporary solution. Carrionette ups the game by offering a more permanent resolution, albeit with a higher mana cost and its requirement to be in the graveyard to execute it’s effect.

Another card worth mentioning is Swords to Plowshares, renowned for its efficient one-mana exiling effect on creatures. While it cannot be reactivated from the graveyard like Carrionette, the absence of life gain for the opponent gives it an edge in certain strategic scenarios. Lastly, Path to Exile is a formidable comparison, exchanging the exiled creature for a basic land for the opponent. It’s a trade-off – disruption of the board versus potential mana acceleration for your adversary.

Ultimately, while there are many nuanced options for creature control within MTG, Carrionette offers a blend of reusability and thorough dispossession, marking it as a card that can confront and adapt to an array of battlefield circumstances.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Path to Exile - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Carrionette MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Carrionette and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Carrionette has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Carrionette 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 A creature with Protection from Creatures can’t be targeted by this card’s ability.
2004-10-04 Since it is exiled as part of the effect and not part of the cost, you can activate its ability more than once.

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