Flesh Allergy MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2010-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Scars of Mirrodin
Set code	SOM
Number	62
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Vance Kovacs

Key Takeaways

Flesh Allergy serves as a scalable creature removal, transforming board deaths into an offensive advantage.
Instant speed allows disruptive play, but the card’s restrictive mana and sacrifice cost may deter usage.
Despite its drawbacks, Flesh Allergy’s damage potential makes it a meta-relevant card for strategic deck-builders.

Text of card

As an additional cost to cast Flesh Allergy, sacrifice a creature. Destroy target creature. Its controller loses life equal to the number of creatures put into all graveyards from the battlefield this turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flesh Allergy provides a strategic upper hand by offering a removal option that scales with the number of creatures that have died during the turn, potentially decimating an opponent’s board presence and swinging the tide in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By leveraging the death of creatures, it can work as a force multiplier, creating scenarios where the loss of a single creature on the board paves the way for a more advantageous board state, indirectly accelerating your own resources by diminishing your opponent’s.

Instant Speed: Its instant speed gives you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s plans at a moment’s notice. It can be particularly devastating during combat or in response to an opponent’s spells, making it a versatile tool in any strategic arsenal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Flesh Allergy obliges players to sacrifice a creature as part of its casting cost. This can be a hurdle when you’re aiming to maintain board presence or when you have no creatures to sacrifice, rendering the card unplayable in such situations.

Specific Mana Cost: With a cost that demands both black and generic mana, Flesh Allergy may not easily fit into multi-colored decks that can’t reliably produce both types of mana, potentially limiting its versatility across various archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The card’s initial investment is considerable, given that it costs three mana to cast. When factoring in the additional sacrifice of a creature, the total cost to play and get the desired effect from Flesh Allergy can seem steep compared to other removal options available in the format.

Reasons to Include Flesh Allergy in Your Collection

Versatility: Flesh Allergy offers a valuable addition to any collection, as it serves a dual purpose of creature removal and potential damage to the opponent. This makes it adaptable for both aggressive and control-oriented decks that seek to manage the board while applying pressure.

Combo Potential: With the ability to scale its damage based on the number of creatures sacrificed this turn, Flesh Allergy can work wonders in decks that capitalize on creature sacrifice mechanics. It can easily become a game-changer in the right setup, turning your sacrifices into significant advantages.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creatures are pivotal to strategy, Flesh Allergy shines by disrupting opponent’s board presence. Its presence in your deck can tilt matchups in your favor, especially against adversary strategies reliant on creature synergies.

How to beat Flesh Allergy

Flesh Allergy presents a unique challenge for players navigating the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. This card sets a trap that triggers when a creature is sacrificed, dealing damage to its controller equal to the number of creatures that died this turn. Such a nefarious mechanism can turn the tide against an unprepared opponent.

To successfully circumvent Flesh Allergy’s hazardous effects, strategic deck building is crucial. Cards with indestructible attributes or those that can regenerate can nullify the imminent threat of creature loss, their ability to withstand or recover from the battlefield going a long way. Similarly, prioritizing the control of when and how many creatures are sacrificed becomes key. Amassing a robust counter spell lineup can also blunt Flesh Allergy’s impact, allowing players to counteract the spell before it takes root and disrupts their board state.

Navigating this card requires a deep understanding of sacrifice mechanics, board state control, and timing. By integrating these elements into your gameplay, Flesh Allergy’s advantage can be diminished, ensuring you maintain the upper hand throughout the match and safeguard your creatures from an untimely demise.

Cards like Flesh Allergy

Flesh Allergy adds a unique twist to the array of creature removal spells available to players of Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards such as Go for the Throat, since both allow players to destroy target nonartifact creatures. However, Flesh Allergy includes an additional benefit of causing an opponent to lose life equal to the number of creatures that went to the graveyard from the battlefield this turn. This is not an aspect that Go for the Throat offers.

Moving to another comparable card, we have Mortify. Aside from destroying creature cards, Mortify can also target enchantments, providing broader utility. Yet, it lacks the potential for direct life reduction that Flesh Allergy provides. Then there’s Diabolic Edict, forcing opponents to sacrifice a creature of their choice, which is valuable against indestructible creatures. Unlike Flesh Allergy, Diabolic Edict does not offer any life loss mechanic.

In essence, Flesh Allergy presents itself as a robust option in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering removal spells. Its ability to turn a simple creature removal into potential significant life loss gives it a distinct position in strategic gameplay, setting it apart from other similar cards.

Cards similar to Flesh Allergy by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flesh Allergy MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Flesh Allergy and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flesh Allergy has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2011-01-01	Flesh Allergy counts each creature put into a graveyard from the battlefield that turn, including token creatures, the creature sacrificed to cast the spell, and the targeted creature (if it is destroyed).
2011-01-01	If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Flesh Allergy resolves, the spell doesn’t resolve. No player will lose life.
2011-01-01	You can target a creature you control, then sacrifice that creature to pay the additional cost. However, if you do, Flesh Allergy won’t resolve for having an illegal target. You won’t lose any life.
2013-04-15	Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
2013-04-15	You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.
2013-07-01	If Flesh Allergy resolves but the targeted creature is not destroyed (because it has indestructible or enchanted by an Aura with totem armor, for example), its controller will still lose life.