Fell Specter MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Specter
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Fell Specter grants card advantage and damage through an opponent’s discard actions, pressuring the opponent’s game plan.
  2. High mana cost and discard reliance are considerations when integrating Fell Specter into multicolored or tempo decks.
  3. Versatility and meta-relevance make Fell Specter a valuable inclusion for players targeting opponent hand disruption.

Text of card

Flying When Fell Specter enters the battlefield, target opponent discards a card. Whenever an opponent discards a card, that player loses 2 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fell Specter’s ability to force an opponent to discard a card upon entering the battlefield, coupled with its ability to deal damage whenever an opponent discards a card, grants a clear card advantage. This dual effect maintains pressure on the opponent by diminishing their hand while potentially accelerating your lead.

Resource Acceleration: Each time an opponent discards a card, whether it’s due to Fell Specter’s entering ability or another card effect, Fell Specter inflicts 1 point of damage to that opponent. This steady source of damage chips away at the opponent’s life total, indirectly accelerating your resources towards a win condition without additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: While Fell Specter itself does not operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with spells that force your opponent to discard cards at instant speed. This synergy allows for unexpected plays, especially during your opponent’s turn, aligning with a strategy that can surprise and destabilize the other player’s game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The abilities of Fell Specter pivot heavily on your opponent discarding cards. This reliance means without a setup for forced discard, it loses significant impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Bearing a mana cost that necessitates both black mana and generic mana, this card is less flexible and more challenging to cast on curve in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at four mana may seem steep when you’re weighing the potential tempo it grants versus other options in the same mana range. While it does bring a unique mechanic to the table, other cards could offer more immediate board presence or value.


Reasons to Include Fell Specter in Your Collection

Versatility: Fell Specter fits into any black deck that seeks to capitalize on its opponent’s misfortunes. Doubling as both a creature and a way to whittle down an opponent’s life total when they discard, it thrives in a variety of strategies from control to discard-focused builds.

Combo Potential: It works well with cards that force opponents to discard, amplifying the pain by dealing damage each time they lose a card. Pairing Fell Specter with a Liliana’s Caress or Waste Not can turn the tide of a game quickly.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where hand disruption is key to dismantling your opponent’s plans, Fell Specter can be a relentless deterrent. Its ability to passively cause life loss with each discard can give you the upper hand in prolonged matches and against decks that rely on card synergy.


How to beat

Fell Specter is a card that embodies control tactics and punishes opponents for discarding cards in MTG. This menacing specter can quickly become a nuisance, making each card an opponent discards a source of damage. Effective strategies against it could involve cards that grant hexproof to your hand, such as Teyo, the Shieldmage, which makes your cards immune to targeted discard effects.

Another approach is prioritizing removal spells that can deal with Fell Specter directly, such as Murder or Cast Down. Consider also enchantment-based solutions like Pacifism, which neutralizes the creature’s abilities without having to remove it from the battlefield. Enhancing your game with instant-speed draw spells such as Opt or Think Twice, which allow you to keep a robust hand size, might also help mitigate the impact of Fell Specter’s triggered ability.

Ultimately, keeping a proactive strategy, prioritizing hand-size, and employing efficient creature removal will help maintain an edge against decks utilizing Fell Specter. This strategy can cushion the damage and disruption caused by the specter, and keep you one step ahead in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the dynamic interplay of MTG cards is essential for any player looking to finesse their way to victory. The Fell Specter card exemplifies the cunning balance between offensive capability and strategic hand disruption, serving as a linchpin in discard-focused deck builds. As you consider adding this spectral threat to your arsenal, we urge you to reflect on how its unique abilities can reshape the battlefield, providing that critical edge against opponents. Dive deeper with us into the world of MTG strategy, optimize your deck compositions, and ensure that every duel you partake in echoes the calculated prowess of a seasoned player. Elevate your game—learn more and harness the true power of Fell Specter in your next battle.


Cards like Fell Specter

Fell Specter elevates discard strategies to a new level in Magic: The Gathering. Within the realm of cards that punish opponents for discarding, Fell Specter finds company with the likes of Liliana’s Caress. Liliana’s Caress inflicts damage whenever an opponent discards a card, though it does so at a lower cost without the aerial threat of the specter.

Megrim is another card with a similar detrimental effect on the opponent’s discard, yet again it lacks the body to apply direct pressure on the battlefield. While both Liliana’s Caress and Megrim can rack up damage quite effectively, what sets Fell Specter apart is its ability to attack and block, providing both offensive and defensive utility.

Cards such as Waste Not push this discard synergy into broader strategic advantages by offering card draw, mana acceleration, or zombie tokens, depending on what card type is discarded by the opponent. This versatility is valuable, but it doesn’t directly deal damage like Fell Specter’s triggered ability. Collectively, when evaluating the tactical benefits of these discard-related cards, Fell Specter carves out its niche by combining a damage-dealing effect with a creature that can influence the board state directly.

Liliana's Caress - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Waste Not - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Caress - Magic 2011 (M11)
Megrim - Stronghold (STH)
Waste Not - Magic 2015 (M15)

Cards similar to Fell Specter by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions
Crowd of Cinders - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Crowd of Cinders - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fell Specter MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019 and Jumpstart, 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 Fell Specter and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Fell Specter Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-07-13 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Dimitar Marinski.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 962015normalblackDimitar Marinski
22020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2332015normalblackDimitar Marinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fell Specter has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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