Syphon Flesh MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Syphon Flesh creates creature tokens, providing a board presence and potential combo synergies.
  2. It may not fit all deck types due to a specific mana cost and high casting cost.
  3. Strategic play, including counter strategies and creature protection, can mitigate its impact.

Text of card

Each other player sacrifices a creature. You put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token onto the battlefield for each creature sacrificed this way.

Necromancers deal in commodities far more precious than gold and grain.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Syphon Flesh gives you the upper hand by forcing each of your opponents to sacrifice a creature, potentially netting you multiple creature tokens. This not only disrupts their board presence but also fills yours, turning the tide in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Syphon Flesh doesn’t directly accelerate your mana resources, the creature tokens it creates can serve as vital blockers or can be utilized in conjunction with other cards to boost your mana pool or enact synergistic strategies.

Instant Speed: Although Syphon Flesh is a sorcery, its ability to create multiple blockers can have an impact similar to casting a spell at instant speed by effectively stalling your opponents’ attacks. This function allows for a surprise shift in board state at a crucial moment in your main phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Syphon Flesh forces each player to sacrifice a creature, which can backfire if you’re playing a creature-light strategy and end up sacrificing a valuable asset on your board.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands both black and generic mana, Syphon Flesh may not easily slot into multi-colored decks that aren’t base black or lack sufficient mana-fixing options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five mana to cast, this card competes with other impactful plays at the same cost bracket, potentially making it a less attractive option in a game where tempo and efficiency are key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Syphon Flesh can serve multiple roles within your deck. Its ability to force each opponent to sacrifice a creature while you gain a token for each creature sacrificed allows it to perform well in multiplayer formats such as Commander, where it can shift the board state in your favor.

Combo Potential: The creature tokens generated through Syphon Flesh enable synergy with decks that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield or dying. This can lead to powerful combinations with effects like aristocrats, where creatures dying benefit you, or with token multiplication strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where opponents often rely on creature-based strategies, Syphon Flesh acts as a scalable removal. It can disrupt opposing plans and enhance your board presence, making it a timely inclusion for those looking to stay one step ahead in multiplayer engagements.


How to beat

Syphon Flesh is a card that can shift the tide of a multiplayer game, giving the caster a significant creature advantage. This black card forces each opponent to sacrifice a creature, and you get a 2/2 black Zombie creature token for each creature sacrificed this way. To navigate around Syphon Flesh, having creatures that are expendable or tokens that you don’t mind losing can mitigate its impact. Additionally, effects that grant your creatures indestructible or hexproof for a turn can help preserve your board position.

Incorporating graveyard retrieval spells can also turn Syphon Flesh’s downside into an advantage, by returning the lost creatures back to your hand or directly to the battlefield. Counter magic is also a straightforward approach, preventing Syphon Flesh from resolving in the first place. Lastly, playing with low creature count strategies or creatures that provide benefits when they die also could reduce the benefit your opponent gains from playing Syphon Flesh and even turn the ecosystem of that match in your favor.

Overall, the key to defeating the challenge Syphon Flesh presents is to anticipate and prepare for the sacrifice mechanic, protecting your valuable creatures, or using the situation to your own advantage with strategic deck building and play style.


BurnMana Recommendations

As we’ve disassembled the mechanics and potential of Syphon Flesh in MTG, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to optimize your deck and adjust your strategy. Whit its possibility to swing the game in multiplayer scenarios, it’s an interesting choice for players who enjoy interactive gameplay and calculated maneuvers. Should Syphon Flesh resonate with your style or seem like a thrilling addition to your collection, consider the strategic implications it introduces. Embrace the cunning of black mana to outwit your adversaries and remember to stay adaptive. Enhance your deck’s potency by learning more about integrating this versatile card into your game plan.


Cards like Syphon Flesh

Syphon Flesh stands out in the realm of creature control cards in MTG. It’s often compared to cards such as Gruesome Fate, which relies on a large number of creatures on the board to drain life from opponents. Syphon Flesh, however, provides a different twist by forcing each opponent to sacrifice a creature, and then rewards you with token creatures for each sacrifice made. This not only diminishes your opponents’ boards but also builds up your own.

Analogous to Syphon Flesh is the card Barter in Blood, which compels each player to sacrifice two creatures. Although it affects all players, including yourself, it doesn’t offer the creature token benefit. Conversely, Fleshbag Marauder is a creature with a similar effect to Syphon Flesh, requiring each player to sacrifice a creature upon its entry to the battlefield. While it’s a body on the board, it doesn’t yield additional tokens for the controller like Syphon Flesh does.

When considering the ability to disrupt opponents while bolstering your own creature presence, Syphon Flesh provides a unique advantage. These comparisons highlight its strategic value in games where controlling the board state is paramount. Its combination of disruption and reward positions it as a card to watch in MTG’s creature control strategies.

Gruesome Fate - MTG Card versions
Barter in Blood - MTG Card versions
Fleshbag Marauder - MTG Card versions
Gruesome Fate - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Barter in Blood - Mirrodin (MRD)
Fleshbag Marauder - Shards of Alara (ALA)

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

Reign of Terror - MTG Card versions
Soul Shred - MTG Card versions
Living Death - MTG Card versions
Soul Feast - MTG Card versions
Dregs of Sorrow - MTG Card versions
Haunting Echoes - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Unrest - MTG Card versions
Coveted Prize - MTG Card versions
Final Punishment - MTG Card versions
Sever Soul - MTG Card versions
Mind Sludge - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Bidding - MTG Card versions
Aether Snap - MTG Card versions
Vicious Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Dance of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Brainspoil - MTG Card versions
Head Games - MTG Card versions
Rise from the Grave - MTG Card versions
Voices from the Void - MTG Card versions
Promise of Power - MTG Card versions
Reign of Terror - Mirage (MIR)
Soul Shred - Portal (POR)
Living Death - The List (PLST)
Soul Feast - Tenth Edition (10E)
Dregs of Sorrow - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Haunting Echoes - Odyssey (ODY)
Beacon of Unrest - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Coveted Prize - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
Final Punishment - Scourge (SCG)
Sever Soul - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Mind Sludge - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Patriarch's Bidding - Modern Horizons 2 (MH2)
Aether Snap - Commander 2014 (C14)
Vicious Betrayal - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Dance of Shadows - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Brainspoil - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Head Games - Tenth Edition (10E)
Rise from the Grave - Zendikar Rising Commander (ZNC)
Voices from the Void - Conflux (CON)
Promise of Power - Commander 2014 (C14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Syphon Flesh MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2011 and Commander Anthology, 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 Syphon Flesh and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Syphon Flesh Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2011-06-17 and 2021-09-24. Illustrated by Ironbrush.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1032003normalblackIronbrush
22017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 692015normalblackIronbrush
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 792015normalblackIronbrush
42021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1292015normalblackIronbrush

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Syphon Flesh has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

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