Expunge MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Cycling

Key Takeaways

  1. Card draw advantage when meeting threshold, solidifying control in gameplay.
  2. Instant speed allows for tactical responses, enhancing in-game strategy.
  3. The cycling ability adds to deck fluidity, especially in graveyard-centric decks.

Text of card

Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. That creature cannot be regenerated this turn. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Expunge is an asset in maintaining lead in card utility, permitting the removal of a target creature while unfolding the potential for card draw if its threshold condition is met.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a means of resource acceleration, the efficient mana cost of Expunge aids in preserving resources for further plays within the turn, leading to an indirect acceleration of game tempo.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed is a tactical boon, allowing players to react swiftly to threats on the battlefield. This flexibility also enables more strategic decisions during both the player’s and opponent’s turns, effectively keeping them ahead in the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Expunge necessitates the surrendering of a card from your hand, which can be a strategic setback when your hand size is critically depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that includes black mana, Expunge can’t be included in decks that lack the proper mana base, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the mana investment against the card’s capability can be enlightening; at three mana, there are alternative removal options that might offer a lower cost or additional benefits that could be more beneficial in your deck’s strategy.


Reasons to Include Expunge in Your Collection

Versatility: Expunge is easily adaptable across various deck archetypes. Its flexibility to be used as both creature removal and a way to push through damage makes it valuable in numerous game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This spell synergizes well with graveyard-based strategies, especially when you’re aiming to cycle through your deck and exploit death triggers or benefit from casting spells from the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with creature-dependent decks, Expunge stands out as an efficient tool to remove key threats. Its usability in both mainstream and budget decks increases its relevance in the current metagame.


How to beat

Expunge serves as a versatile removal tool in many decks particularly in formats where monoblack is a strong contender. This card has the potential to disrupt your game plan by targeting and destroying your creatures that are not black or artifact. One effective strategy to overcome Expunge involves diversifying your board presence. Incorporating creatures that have hexproof or indestructible attributes can neutralize the threat posed by Expunge. Additionally, playing cards that can regenerate your creatures or grant them protection from black temporarily deflects the effect of Expunge and ensures your key creatures survive.

Another tactic is to put pressure on your opponent’s mana. Since Expunge has a cycling ability that can be activated if your opponent is short on targets, encouraging them to use their mana elsewhere can limit their use of Expunge to its full advantage. Moreover, being strategically careful when advancing your non-black, non-artifact creatures onto the battlefield when your opponent might have untapped mana for Expunge can be crucial. Sometimes, having a read on your opponent’s hand and playing around this removal can make all the difference in maintaining board control.

All in all, while Expunge can pose a threat to many strategies, there are numerous effective methods to mitigate its impact and maintain your footing in the game. Utilizing these tactics, players can adeptly navigate around this problematic card and keep their creatures safe from its grasp.


Cards like Expunge

Expunge is an intriguing removal spell in the realm of MTG, offering a solid combination of effects. This card echoes the functionality of other removal spells, such as Murder, which eliminates creatures without condition. However, Expunge brings a unique twist, only allowing the removal of nonartifact creatures and potentially at a lower cost if cast with the advantage of its cycling ability.

Disfigure is another card worthy of comparison, renowned for its mana efficiency. It requires only one black mana, considerably less than Expunge, but it only reduces a creature’s power and toughness by two. This limitation means it cannot deal with larger threats as decisively as Expunge. Ultimate Price also serves as a similar option; restricted by its limitation to only target monocolored creatures, it exemplifies the trade-offs in different removal strategies each card presents.

Ultimately, in evaluating Expunge alongside its counterparts, it holds a noteworthy spot within the array of removal spells in MTG, balancing cost with flexibility and offering strategic depth particularly in formats where cycling can be a significant advantage for deck fluidity.

Murder - MTG Card versions
Disfigure - MTG Card versions
Ultimate Price - MTG Card versions
Murder - Magic 2013 (M13)
Disfigure - Zendikar (ZEN)
Ultimate Price - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Expunge by color, type and mana cost

Spoils of Evil - MTG Card versions
Dark Banishing - MTG Card versions
Carrion - MTG Card versions
Sick and Tired - MTG Card versions
Corpse Dance - MTG Card versions
Bone Harvest - MTG Card versions
Slay - MTG Card versions
Hapato's Might - MTG Card versions
Afflict - MTG Card versions
Dismember - MTG Card versions
Body Count - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Graves - MTG Card versions
Execute - MTG Card versions
Kill! Destroy! - MTG Card versions
Sudden Death - MTG Card versions
Footbottom Feast - MTG Card versions
Fevered Strength - MTG Card versions
Hideous End - MTG Card versions
Corpse Lunge - MTG Card versions
Necrobite - MTG Card versions
Spoils of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Dark Banishing - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
Carrion - Mirage (MIR)
Sick and Tired - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Corpse Dance - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Bone Harvest - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Slay - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Hapato's Might - Sega Dreamcast Cards (PSDG)
Afflict - Odyssey (ODY)
Dismember - Modern Event Deck 2014 (MD1)
Body Count - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Reaping the Graves - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Execute - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Kill! Destroy! - Unhinged (UNH)
Sudden Death - Time Spiral (TSP)
Footbottom Feast - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Fevered Strength - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Hideous End - The List (PLST)
Corpse Lunge - Innistrad (ISD)
Necrobite - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Expunge MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Vintage Masters, 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 Expunge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Expunge Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1351997normalblackChristopher Moeller
22014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 1182015normalblackChristopher Moeller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Expunge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-10-01 Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.

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