Carnophage MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Early pressure with Carnophage can dictate game pace and force opponent responses, potentially gaining card advantage.
  2. Carnophage’s low casting cost and instant-speed flexibility enable aggressive strategies without resource overcommitment.
  3. Life payment and color-specific mana costs are strategic considerations when deploying Carnophage in a deck.

Text of card

During your upkeep, pay 1 life or tap Carnophage.

Eating is all it knows.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: In the context of Carnophage, the advantage may not be direct in drawing cards but lies in efficiently deploying a threatening creature early in the game. It provides pressure on the opponent, forcing them to react, which could indirectly lead to card advantage as you dictate the pace of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Carnophage excels in an aggressive deck by being a 2/2 creature for just one black mana. Its cost-effectiveness means you’re accelerating your board presence without expending significant resources, allowing you to allocate mana for other impactful plays in the subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: While Carnophage itself is not an instant, its low cost allows you to summon it while keeping mana open. This flexibility lets you play other instant-speed interaction, such as removal or hand disruption, without sacrificing your turn’s development.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Carnophage, each turn begins with a tough decision, as it demands a discard if you can’t make the life payment. This can quickly erode your hand size and leave you at a disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Carnophage’s reliance on black mana restricts its inclusion to decks with a strong black mana base, potentially limiting deck-building versatility and synergies with cards of other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Carnophage’s upfront cost is moderately low, its cumulative life payment can be considered a hidden mana cost. As the game progresses, you might find that maintaining this creature on the battlefield rivals the cost of more potent creatures or spells.


Reasons to Include Carnophage in Your Collection

Versatility: Carnophage, though a classic card from the Exodus set, can still find a home in aggressive black decks thanks to its cost-effective stats. Its ability to come into play early makes it a relevant choice for strategies focused on quick damage.

Combo Potential: The life loss from Carnophage can be utilised in decks that benefit from life-payment mechanics. It fits well with synergies that exploit life loss for gain, or with effects that negate the drawback such as life gain or damage redirection.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where the pace of gameplay favors early threats and quick wins, Carnophage can still be a formidable card to reckon with. Its relevance gets a boost particularly in “suicide black” or similar archetypes that prioritize aggressive starts over long-term survival.


How to Beat Carnophage

Carnophage stands out in the realm of early aggressive creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It has the notable trait of dealing damage to its controller during the upkeep if not fed mana, a small price for its efficient cost-to-power ratio. In this aspect, it bears some resemblance to the classic card Sarcomancy, which also presents an aggressive stance with a manageable upkeep sacrifice.

Likewise, it reminds seasoned players of Blood Pet. This vampiric creature also deals damage to its user but offers mana once sacrificed. Despite the similarities, Carnophage’s continuous threat on the board distinguishes it. The key to overcoming Carnophage lies in leveraging its upkeep cost. Control the pace with instant-speed removals or stalling tactics that exhaust your opponent’s resources. It’s about seizing the right moment to turn the tide, when the upkeep cost becomes a liability for its controller.

Understanding this subtle dance of advantages and costs makes it easier to navigate matches against Carnophage. It’s not merely a creature; it’s a double-edged sword that demands strategic respect. Victory often hinges on forcing your opponent to face the full weight of the card’s downside while minimizing its offensive impact on your life total.


Cards like Carnophage

Carnophage stands out as an efficient creature in Magic: The Gathering, offering an aggressive starts for players utilizing black mana. This early game piece bears a resemblance to creatures such as Sangrophage, which also demands a life payment during your upkeep. However, Sangrophage requires two mana to cast and demands a higher life payment each turn, making Carnophage a more nimble option for players.

Examining another equivalent, Vampire Lacerator presents itself as a formidable challenger to Carnophage, sharing the same casting cost and power/toughness ratio. It also afflicts its controller with life loss unless an opponent has 10 or less life, a condition that’s sometimes easier to meet than having to pay life every turn in the case of Carnophage.

To wrap things up, Carnophage exemplifies a well-balanced card for players looking to apply early pressure with minimal investment. While similar cards exist within Magic: The Gathering, Carnophage’s low cost, and straightforward requirement make it a prime choice for many aggressive black decks.

Sangrophage - MTG Card versions
Vampire Lacerator - MTG Card versions
Sangrophage - Time Spiral (TSP)
Vampire Lacerator - Zendikar (ZEN)

Cards similar to Carnophage by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Insidious Bookworms - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Zodiac Rat - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Champion of the Perished - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Will-o'-the-Wisp - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Vampire Bats - Renaissance (REN)
Bog Rats - Chronicles (CHR)
Insidious Bookworms - Alliances (ALL)
Sewer Rats - Mirage (MIR)
Muck Rats - Portal Second Age (P02)
Vebulid - Urza's Saga (USG)
Zodiac Rat - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Urborg Skeleton - Invasion (INV)
Carrion Rats - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Champion of the Perished - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Dark Supplicant - Legions (LGN)
Bile Urchin - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Rimebound Dead - Coldsnap (CSP)
Plague Beetle - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Festering Goblin - Modern Masters (MMA)
Sleeper Agent - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Carnophage MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and Friday Night Magic 2001, 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 Carnophage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Carnophage Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-15ExodusEXO 531997normalblackPete Venters
22001-01-01Friday Night Magic 2001F01 101997normalblackPete Venters
32002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 361001997normalblackPete Venters
42014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 1072015normalblackPete Venters
52015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 842015normalblackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Carnophage has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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