Wretched Banquet MTG Card

Wretched Banquet provides efficient removal, targeting creatures with minimal power for tactical advantages. This card’s one-mana cost and instant speed give players flexibility and preserves resources for further plays. Its requirements and casting restrictions can limit versatility, impacting card and deck choices in MTG.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2009-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conflux
Set code	CON
Number	56
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nils Hamm

Text of card

Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures in play.

"The meek inherit nothing." —Sedris, the Traitor King

Cards like Wretched Banquet

Wretched Banquet holds a unique position in the realm of creature removal spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives, such as Innocent Blood and Barter in Blood, share the theme of non-targeted destruction but differ notably in execution. Wretched Banquet selectively removes the creature with the least power, which potentially bypasses larger threats on the board, whereas Innocent Blood stipulates a more democratic approach by making each player sacrifice a creature.

Exploring alternatives, we stumble upon Gruesome Fate, which also leverages the number of creatures on the battlefield but instead inflicts direct damage to opponents. Although not a removal spell, its reliance on creature quantity can sometimes achieve a similar result in reducing the opposition’s life total. Compare this to Wretched Banquet, which works best when your strategy avoids the battlefield becoming too crowded with powerful creatures.

Despite the situational nature of Wretched Banquet, its low mana cost makes it an intriguing, if not always reliable, tool for early-game board control. When evaluated against a range of creature removal spells in Magic: The Gathering, Wretched Banquet’s specific conditions for demolition give it a niche, albeit situationally powerful, role in player arsenals.

Cards similar to Wretched Banquet by color, type and mana cost

Bloodcurdling Scream - MTG Card versions

Call to the Netherworld - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wretched Banquet stands out due to its potential to handle creatures on the board efficiently. This card can remove a creature with the least power, which can often translate to eliminating utility creatures or mana dorks that are crucial to your opponent’s strategy. By dealing with these key creatures, you’re not just removing a threat; you’re also hindering your opponent’s board development and gaining a tactical edge.

Resource Acceleration: Although Wretched Banquet doesn’t directly generate additional resources, it offers a cost-effective removal option. This allows players to maintain mana for other spells and abilities, thereby accelerating the overall resource availability. By spending just one mana, you free up your resources to cast more impactful spells earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Wretched Banquet at instant speed cannot be overstated. It enables reactive gameplay, allowing you to remove an opponent’s creature during their turn which can disrupt their combat strategies or end-of-turn plays. Since timing is key in MTG, being able to dictate when to strike can be as valuable as the removal itself.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Wretched Banquet can serve as an effective removal spell under certain conditions, it comes with a discard requirement. This could be hindering when you are trying to maintain card advantage or have a hand that you don’t want to diminish, potentially forcing you to make tough decisions about resource management during the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Wretched Banquet needs a precise mix of mana to cast, which requires at least one black mana. This specific mana requirement restricts its inclusion to black-inclusive decks, limiting the card’s versatility across the variety of deck archetypes. Decks not running black or those running on tight mana bases might find this card inconsistent or incompatible with their strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost-efficiency of Wretched Banquet can be subject to debate amongst MTG players. While it does offer a source of creature removal, there are alternatives that could be less restrictive or offer additional benefits for a similar, or sometimes lower, mana investment. In the highly competitive environment of MTG, where every mana point counts, this can sometimes render Wretched Banquet less favorable compared to its rivals.

Reasons to Include Wretched Banquet in Your Collection

Versatility: Wretched Banquet is a unique removal spell that proves to be particularly effective in decks designed to control the board state. Its ability to destroy the creature with the least power makes it a strategic tool against token decks and utility creatures.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that manipulate creature power levels, setting up situations where it can specifically target key creatures your opponent controls. This makes it ideal for decks that like to dictate the pace of creature combat.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with decks that rely on early creature-based strategies, Wretched Banquet can serve as an efficient and low-cost method for keeping the opponent’s side of the field clear, allowing for more control-oriented decks to reach the late-game stage where they thrive.

How to Beat Wretched Banquet

Wretched Banquet holds its own in Magic: The Gathering as a unique removal spell that targets the creature with the least power. In dealing with this card, understanding the power dynamics of your creature lineup is key. Ensuring that the creatures on your board are not the weakest can frustrate attempts by your opponent to use this removal tactic effectively.

To thwart the impact of Wretched Banquet, having creatures with variable power helps, particularly ones that can temporarily increase their power during your opponent’s turn. This may compel your adversary to hesitate, unsure of who the banquet will target next. Including creatures that benefit from dying or leaving the battlefield can also turn the tables on your opponent, making Wretched Banquet’s effect less devastating and even advantageous to you.

In strategic play, consider holding back on casting weaker creatures if you suspect an opponent is poised to play Wretched Banquet. Emphasizing control elements or spells that can protect your creatures will also undermine the effectiveness of such single-target removals. By always being one step ahead in power management and counter-play, Wretched Banquet becomes a far less frightening prospect on the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wretched Banquet MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Wretched Banquet and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wretched Banquet 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 Wretched Banquet card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2009-02-01	Wretched Banquet may target any creature. The creature’s power is checked only as Wretched Banquet resolves. If another creature has less power than the targeted creature at that time, Wretched Banquet does nothing.