Thorn-Thrash Viashino MTG Card
2008-10-03 - Number 116
2012-06-01 - Number 52
2016-11-25 - Number 52
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Viashino Warrior |
| Abilities | Devour |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Devour 2 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with twice that many +1/+1 counters on it.) : Thorn-Thrash Viashino gains trample until end of turn.
Cards like Thorn-Thrash Viashino
In the expansive world of Magic: The Gathering, Thorn-Thrash Viashino offers a unique combination of abilities for creature-focused decks. Its ability to convert +1/+1 counters into a trample effect allows for increased damage potential, reminiscent of cards like Endless One. Both creatures flexibly scale with available mana, but Thorn-Thrash Viashino stands out with its built-in evasion ability.
Another card that echoes a semblance of this Viashino’s versatility is Managorger Hydra. Both cards thrive in environments rich with spells, growing increasingly formidable over time. However, Managorger Hydra gains counters passively, while our Viashino friend requires a more active strategy for counter management. Comparing to Feral Hydra, players can add counters at will, offering a different angle of strategic growth and resource allocation – though it lacks the trample-endowing ability.
Analyzing these counterparts showcases Thorn-Thrash Viashino’s distinct balance of aggression and adaptability. Its ability to be both a growing threat and an instant-speed trampler positions it uniquely in creature-based strategies within Magic: The Gathering’s diverse ecosystem.
Cards similar to Thorn-Thrash Viashino by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thorn-Thrash Viashino allows players to convert creatures into card power. By sacrificing another creature, you beef up Thorn-Thrash Viashino, essentially turning that creature into a form of card advantage as you accumulate a more powerful presence on the board.
Resource Acceleration: As a part of the Gruul clan, which is known for its aggressive mana generation, this creature helps in resource acceleration by lending itself to strategies that exploit creatures for benefits, such as the “devour” mechanic, allowing for a greater utilization of your available board state.
Instant Speed: Although Thorn-Thrash Viashino doesn’t operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with instant speed cards that can create tokens or creatures that can be devoured for its benefit. Its presence on the board also demands an answer from your opponent, which can lead to advantageous plays at instant speed in response to their actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Thorn-Thrash Viashino demands a card to be discarded to unleash its full potential. This feature can turn into a setback when your hand size is already diminished, making it a risky play for those with fewer cards in hand.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise combination of mana to cast, with a notable amount of green mana needed. This necessity often restrains deck flexibility, compelling players to build around a Gruul color basis or have an ample mana-fixing mechanism in place.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in with a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its creature abilities, there are alternatives in the vast card pool that could provide a more cost-effective creature presence on the battlefield. Its mana intensity could lead to suboptimal pacing against swifter decks.
Reasons to Include Thorn-Thrash Viashino in Your Collection
Versatility: Thorn-Thrash Viashino offers flexible options for a variety of deck builds. Its graft ability allows you to manipulate +1/+1 counters, not only boosting its own power but also enhancing other creatures on the battlefield to suit your strategic needs.
Combo Potential: This card shines in synergistic play, working well with other cards that thrive on +1/+1 counter mechanics. Integrate it into a deck with proliferate effects, or use it to empower creatures with evolve for a dynamic battlefield presence.
Meta-Relevance: Given the persistent popularity of counter-centric decks in various formats, Thorn-Thrash Viashino can be a cost-effective addition to your arsenal. Its potential to become a formidable force offers considerable benefits, particularly in metagames that favor long-term creature growth.
How to beat
Thorn-Thrash Viashino is a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering, bringing versatility to the table with its ability to gain trample until end of turn. Understanding its Graft mechanic is crucial when facing it in battle. Unlike other creatures, its power can fluctuate, making it unpredictable. Having removal spells ready can be a game-changer. A good strategy is to use instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push before the opponent can fully utilize the graft ability or give it trample.
To further control the Thorn-Thrash Viashino, counteracting the graft mechanism is effective. Cards that prevent counters from being placed on creatures or abilities that remove counters can significantly weaken the Viashino’s presence on the battlefield. Additionally, since it relies on trample to deal significant damage, introducing creatures with deathtouch or enough block to absorb the damage can nullify its trample advantage. Keeping these tactics in mind can help you assert dominance when Thorn-Thrash Viashino enters the fray.
Overall, strategies that involve direct removal, disrupting its grafting ability, or negating the trample effect can turn the tide against this formidable creature. Adequate preparation and adaptive gameplay are key to conquering the challenge it presents during a match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thorn-Thrash Viashino MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Planechase 2012, 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 Thorn-Thrash Viashino and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Thorn-Thrash Viashino Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2016-11-25. Illustrated by Jon Foster.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-10-03 | Shards of Alara | ALA | 116 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jon Foster | |
| 2 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 52 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jon Foster | |
| 3 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 52 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jon Foster |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thorn-Thrash Viashino has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thorn-Thrash Viashino card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | If multiple creatures with devour are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, you may use each one’s devour ability. A creature you already control can be devoured by only one of them, however. (In other words, you can’t sacrifice the same creature to satisfy multiple devour abilities.) All creatures devoured this way are sacrificed at the same time. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you cast this as a spell, you choose how many and which creatures to devour as part of the resolution of that spell. (It can’t be countered at this point.) The same is true of a spell or ability that lets you put a creature with devour onto the battlefield. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may choose not to sacrifice any creatures for the Devour ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice only creatures that are already on the battlefield. If a creature with devour and another creature are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, the creature with devour can’t devour that other creature. The creature with devour also can’t devour itself. |