Minister of Pain MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Shaman |
| Abilities | Exploit |
| Released | 2015-03-27 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dragons of Tarkir |
| Set code | DTK |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 111 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Izzy |
Key Takeaways
- The exploit ability can decimate swarms of smaller creatures, tilting control in your favor.
- Playing at instant speed with Minister of Pain provides a significant tactical edge.
- Despite its benefits, the card requires careful deck integration due to mana and cost considerations.
Text of card
Exploit (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a creature.) When Minister of Pain exploits a creature, creatures your opponents control get -1/-1 until end of turn.
Draconic words need not be shouted. A whisper will suffice.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Minister of Pain provides the ability to potentially clear out multiple weaker creatures in one go. When exploited, the Minister grants a temporary boost that can disrupt your opponent’s board, effectively subtracting from their resources while you maintain yours. This can tip the scales in your favor, especially in games where field presence equates to control.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Minister of Pain itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the act of removing smaller threats can pave the way for more efficient plays. By clearing blockers or potential threats, the Minister can indirectly accelerate your game plan by giving your more impactful creatures a clearer path to your opponent.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of playing this card at instant speed lies in its exploit mechanic. This allows you to wait for the optimal moment to use the Minister’s ability, such as in response to an opponent’s move or at the end of their turn. By having the choice of when to play it, you keep your options open and retain a tactical advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Minister of Pain demands a creature card to exploit from your hand or the battlefield, which could deplete your forces or key cards needed for later strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that specifically needs one black, it might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks that are not heavily invested in black mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a converted mana cost of three for a single mass weakening effect, there are more cost-effective means to debuff an opponent’s forces, which could make Minister of Pain’s impact on the game less significant, especially in faster-paced or mana-efficient decks.
Reasons to Include Minister of Pain in Your Collection
Versatility: Minister of Pain offers a wide range of utility, capable of being slotted into various deck archetypes. Its exploit mechanic allows it to serve as both a creature and a situational board wipe, dealing with a myriad of pesky token strategies.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with persist creatures or any strategy revolving around undying. Its ability to give every creature -1/-1 can reset your own creatures for additional uses or disrupt opponent’s boards when timed correctly.
Meta-Relevance: When creature-heavy decks or those relying on small utility creatures dominate the play environment, Minister of Pain can act as an equalizer. It’s particularly useful for preparing the board state against aggressive starts or stifling the growth of your opponent’s board, ensuring you remain competitive.
How to beat
Minister of Pain is an intriguing creature card that can have substantial effects when playing against decks with numerous low-toughness creatures due to its exploit ability. When you cast it, if you sacrifice another creature, Minister of Pain grants all your opponent’s creatures -1/-1 until the end of the turn. This effect can be fatal for any token strategies or creatures on the verge of survival.
To get the upper hand against Minister of Pain, it’s essential to rely on creatures with higher toughness to withstand its temporary debuff. Another strategy is to hold instant-speed removals or counterspells to handle the Minister before it can exploit and activate its ability. Alternatively, using cards that regenerate or protect your creatures from being easily picked off can prove effective in preserving your board state.
Ultimately, when facing Minister of Pain, it’s about timing your plays effectively and maintaining a robust presence on the field that is not excessively vulnerable to its -1/-1 ability. Adjusting your strategy to account for its exploitative nature can help you maintain control over the game.
Cards like Minister of Pain
Minister of Pain offers a unique and versatile role within the realm of creature-based MTG strategies. Much like the renowned Massacre Wurm, Minister of Pain can be instrumental in wiping clean a battlefield of tiny threats. While Massacre Wurm targets a wider range of creatures by giving a potent -2/-2 to all your opponent’s creatures upon entering the battlefield, the Minister of Pain allows its controller to choose the timing of the activation, trading this impact for a more modest but still significant -1/-1 effect through its exploit mechanic.
Another card making waves in this space is Nausea, allowing players to apply a similar -1/-1 effect across the board for a low mana cost, without the need for a creature on the field. The trade-off here is the lack of a body on the field, which Minister of Pain provides. Lastly, Festering March offers a more prolonged threat, giving multiple opportunities to inflict -1/-1 debuffs, but with a higher mana investment and less immediate board presence compared to Minister of Pain’s one-time exploit ability.
In sum, Minister of Pain secures its spot amongst these similar cards by balancing immediate board impact with strategic flexibility, providing value to players who harness it in their deck-building.
Cards similar to Minister of Pain by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Minister of Pain MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Minister of Pain 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 MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Minister of Pain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Minister of Pain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-02-25 | A creature with exploit “exploits a creature” when the controller of the exploit ability sacrifices a creature as that ability resolves. |
| 2015-02-25 | If the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield as the exploit ability resolves, you won’t get any bonus from the creature with exploit, even if you sacrifice a creature. Because the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield, its other triggered ability won’t trigger. |
| 2015-02-25 | You can sacrifice the creature with exploit if it’s still on the battlefield. This will cause its other ability to trigger. |
| 2015-02-25 | You can’t sacrifice more than one creature to any one exploit ability. |
| 2015-02-25 | You choose whether to sacrifice a creature and which creature to sacrifice as the exploit ability resolves. |
