Phyrexian Defiler MTG Card
1999-02-15 - Number 60
2010-03-19 - Number 12
2014-06-16 - Number 133
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Carrier |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage by combining creature summoning with opponent’s discard, altering hand dynamics substantially.
- Restrictive mana cost limits deck compatibility, making it a niche choice in certain MTG deck types.
- With the right deck synergy, it’s a potent addition, elevating infect strategies and controlling gameplay tempo.
Text of card
oc T, Sacrifice Phyrexian Defiler: Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
"The third stage of the illness: muscle aches and persistent cough." —Phyrexian progress notes
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Phyrexian Defiler provides a distinct edge by enabling you to force your opponent to discard a card while you get to summon a potent creature onto the battlefield. This dual action can often lead to a significant swing in card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Tapping into the inherent resource acceleration, this card effectively diminishes your adversary’s resources. Its ability can set back your opponent’s strategy, providing you a window to forge ahead.
Instant Speed: Although the Phyrexian Defiler doesn’t operate at instant speed itself, it encourages a deck strategy that maximizes the use of instant speed spells. By pressuring your opponent’s hand, you pave the way for your own instant speed interactions to occur with less resistance.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Phyrexian Defiler obliges players to pitch a card upon activation of its ability, which can put you at a disadvantage when your hand is already depleted.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirement for Phyrexian Defiler is particularly color-intensive, necessitating a heavy commitment to black mana and potentially restricting its inclusion in multi-colored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana value to bring this creature into play, its cost-effectiveness may be questioned, especially when benchmarked against other cards that provide similar or greater impact for the same or lower investment.
Reasons to Include Phyrexian Defiler in Your Collection
Versatility: Phyrexian Defiler offers a unique blend of offensive capability and board impact. Its poisonous ability brings a different win condition to your games, diversifying the ways you can claim victory.
Combo Potential: This creature thrives in environments where proliferate strategies are common. It can quickly escalate the poison counters on your opponents, synergizing well with other infect creatures or spells that add or manipulate counters.
Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are ever-present in various metas, Phyrexian Defiler can provide an edge by requiring opponents to handle not just a creature but the looming threat of incremental, unhealable damage through poison counters.
How to beat
The Phyrexian Defiler presents a unique challenge on the battlefield for MTG players. With the ability to sap the strength of creatures and deal direct damage to players, it’s a formidable presence. To overcome this threat, a strategic blend of removal spells and creature protection is required. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile are efficient means to remove the Defiler before its abilities can have a debilitating effect on your gameplay. Shielding your creatures with hexproof or indestructible statuses also thwarts the Defiler’s efforts to weaken your defenses.
Maintaining a hand that can react quickly to the Defiler’s deployment is crucial. Counterspells are invaluable, offering a direct method to prevent the Defiler from entering the battlefield in the first place. Balancing both proactive and reactive strategies will ensure that you’re not caught off guard by this powerful menace. Remember, the key to success against the Phyrexian Defiler lies in readiness and resource management, ensuring you have the answers you need at the critical moment.
Ultimately, while the Phyrexian Defiler may test your resolve, incorporating versatility and adaptability into your deck can secure your triumph against this potent adversary.
Cards like Phyrexian Defiler
The Phyrexian Defiler occupies a unique position in the universe of creature cards in MTG due to its ability to decimate opponent life points while fortifying your own battlefield presence. It mirrors the traits of creatures like Nekrataal, with both having enter-the-battlefield effects that can impact the game significantly. However, Phyrexian Defiler offers the added benefit of recurring poison counters, aligning with the Phyrexian faction’s overarching theme of gradual yet inevitable victory.
Comparing it to Skinrender, another creature that also provides a battlefield impact by distributing -1/-1 counters, Phyrexian Defiler brings a different flavor of pressure with its poison counters. Skinrender lacks the poison aspect but has a more immediate board impact which can be pivotal in many scenarios. Conversely, a card such as Contagious Nim presents a more straightforward approach to proliferating poison counters but lacks the immediate board interaction that Phyrexian Defiler offers upon entry.
Assessing the various facets and strengths of these creatures, Phyrexian Defiler stands out not just for its role in poison counter strategies but also for the element of control it exerts on the game, reflecting the sinister and controlling nature of Phyrexians in MTG.
Cards similar to Phyrexian Defiler by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Defiler MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition, 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 Phyrexian Defiler and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Phyrexian Defiler Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by DiTerlizzi.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-02-15 | Urza's Legacy | ULG | 60 | 1997 | normal | black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 2 | 2010-03-19 | Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition | DDE | 12 | 2003 | normal | black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 3 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 133 | 2015 | normal | black | DiTerlizzi |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Defiler has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
