Phyrexian Reaper MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Zombie
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	117
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Sam Wood

Key Takeaways

Offers deck filtering for strategic play, enhancing card advantage during critical game phases.
Instant speed allows for flexible play and opponent disruption, adding significant tactical value.
Demands hand discard, posing risk when low on cards, potentially disadvantaging its controller.

Text of card

Whenever Phyrexian Reaper becomes blocked by a green creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated.

It desires only to help others shed the itchy wet skin of life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Phyrexian Reaper enables strategic deck filtering by letting players sift through their library, potentially burying unwanted cards and drawing into more potent options. This subtle shift can provide a decided edge by ensuring access to the most beneficial cards during the phases of a match where it counts most.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the ability to eliminate smaller creatures contributes to resource acceleration by clearing the path for your more significant threats. As less mana is spent dealing with opposing creatures, your resources can be redirected into casting game-changing spells sooner.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Phyrexian Reaper offers the tactical advantage of timing. Deploy it precisely when it yields the most benefit, be it disrupting an opponent’s combo or waiting until the last possible moment to make a pivotal move, thus keeping them guessing about the contents of your hand.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Phyrexian Reaper demands a card discard from your hand, which can be a tough price to pay, especially when your hand is already running thin. This cost can sometimes backfire, leaving you at a disadvantage against opponents with fuller hands.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of the Phyrexian Reaper includes Phyrexian mana, which can restrict its seamless integration into a wide array of deck types. This specificity can sometimes limit strategic flexibility and deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an elevated mana cost for its abilities, the Phyrexian Reaper may not be the most mana-efficient creature you could play. In fast-paced games where efficiency is key, having a potentially costly card like this might impede your momentum on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Phyrexian Reaper in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Reaper serves as a robust component in a wide array of decks. Its adaptability lies in fulfilling multiple roles, whether as an aggression tool in fast-paced decks or as a stalwart defense in control strategies.

Combo Potential: Harness the Reaper’s synergies to bolster your deck’s performance. Its mechanics often complement strategies revolving around creature sacrifice, life drain, or infect, providing a tactical edge by interacting with a multitude of other cards.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-evolving landscape of the meta-game, the Phyrexian Reaper has found its niche. Whether combating a swarm of small creatures or tipping the scales in attrition wars, its relevance in the current competitive environment makes it a valuable addition to your arsenal.

How to beat

The Phyrexian Reaper card in MTG presents a unique set of challenges on the battlefield, thanks to its infamous poison counters mechanic. To effectively counteract the threat it poses, one must employ strategic play. Firstly, it’s essential to leverage removal spells that can target it before its poisonous ability triggers. Swift action is key as allowing it to accumulate poison counters can quickly escalate to a losing scenario.

Additionally, utilizing cards that grant hexproof or shroud to your creatures can prevent them from becoming targets of the Reaper’s abilities. Players should also consider including more creature-based removal in their deck to bypass Phyrexian Reaper’s potential protection from spells. Cards with exile effects are particularly powerful against it as they prevent any graveyard-based recursion.

Combat-wise, ensure to have blockers ready to intercept the Phyrexian Reaper or use techniques to tap it and prevent it from attacking. By keeping these strategies in mind, you can neutralize the Reaper’s impact and maintain an advantage over your opponents in the game of MTG.

Cards like Phyrexian Reaper

Phyrexian Reaper holds a specific role in the dark arsenal of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. Its most notable comparison can be with cards such as Messianic Myr, which also harnesses infect, a mechanic that deals damage in the form of -1/-1 counters. Yet, Phyrexian Reaper is more formidable given its ability to potentially wipe out larger creatures due to its substantial power.

Similarly, Plague Stinger stands as another close peer, equipped with both infect and flying, providing an evasive edge. Although it might have lower power, the flying trait allows it to bypass ground defenses, rendering it a different type of threat. Then there is Whispering Specter, blending infect with evasion and a disruptive hand-attack ability. Like Phyrexian Reaper, it serves as a swift and potent vector for infect counters but adds a layer of strategy with hand disruption.

Upon examining each card’s nuances and the diverse strategies they unfold, Phyrexian Reaper delivers a powerful punch in the realm of infect creatures, carving its niche among those who favor a more direct and formidable approach to diminishing an opponent’s life total.

Cards similar to Phyrexian Reaper by color, type and mana cost

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Reaper MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Phyrexian Reaper and other MTG cards: