Fetid Horror MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Shade Horror
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	123
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Gary Leach

Key Takeaways

Its ability to disrupt opponent plans grants card advantage and alters the game’s dynamic.
Mana cost specifics and required discard can challenge resource management and deck diversity.
Fetid Horror’s versatility supports various strategies, especially around graveyard mechanics.

Text of card

oo B +1/+1 until end of turn

"Of the six who went down the Uuserk Trail to scout ahead, one returned. She clawed at her eyes and nostrils and sobbed with horror. I was curious about what she saw, but we chose another path." —Scout Ekemet, final journal

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Engaging in the deep strategy of magic, this card adds to your hand by causing your opponent to discard, tipping the balance of card numbers in your favor and disrupting their plan.

Resource Acceleration: With a mana-friendly curve, it efficiently exploits the resources available to you, paving the way for more formidable plays and enhanced board presence as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: Its versatile instant speed permits reactive gameplay, allowing you to adapt to unfolding threats or opportunities, demonstrating clear tactical foresight during the heat of battle.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Fetid Horror demands a discard from your hand to activate its key ability. This can deplete valuable resources, especially in tight situations where each card in hand is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Fetid Horror, a precise combination of mana is essential, including black mana, which could restrict deck-building options and may not align with the strategy of multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher investment required to get Fetid Horror on the field, players may find it less economical compared to other creatures that offer similar or greater power for less mana.

Reasons to Include Fetid Horror in Your Collection

Versatility: Fetid Horror is a creature that can slide into various deck builds, especially ones that capitalize on creature synergies and graveyard mechanics.

Combo Potential: With its inherent abilities, this card can work well within strategies aiming to manipulate creature death for benefit, triggering on-death effects, or enhancing reanimation tactics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that leans towards creature-based combat or strategies that exploit graveyard interaction, Fetid Horror’s traits could prove to be especially potent on the battlefield.

How to beat

Fetid Horror is known for its unsettling ability to regenerate, making it a resilient foe on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. To effectively counter this ghastly creature, consider employing removal spells that don’t destroy but exile creatures, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares. Additionally, strategies that involve reducing its toughness to zero will bypass the regeneration, as will effects that give it -X/-X until end of turn, such as Toxic Deluge.

Another approach is to use cards that prevent regeneration altogether, including spells like Wrath of God, which can clear the board while negating Fetid Horror’s tenacious survival ability. Tactics involving counterspells also work well, ensuring that Fetid Horror never gets the chance to haunt the board. Lastly, taking control of the combat phase by overwhelming it with a greater number of creatures or using those with deathtouch can ensure that even if Fetid Horror regenerates, it remains a lesser threat compared to your dominating presence.

Understanding how to neutralize key threats like Fetid Horror is crucial for players looking to maintain an edge in any match. By incorporating these strategies, you can ensure that even the most persistent horrors are reduced to whispers on the battlefield.

Cards like Fetid Horror

Fetid Horror may strike a chord with players familiar with the mechanic of creatures that become stronger under certain conditions. Comparable to Nightmare, a card best known for its power and toughness equal to the number of Swamps you control, Fetid Horror’s potential scales with the amount of black mana at your disposal. While Nightmare is a classic and more predictable force on the battlefield, Fetid Horror requires a bit more strategy to unlock its full potential.

Drifting Shade shares the same theme, allowing you to pump it for each black mana spent, making it a flexible threat as the game progresses. However, the core difference lies in their mana cost efficiency and base stats. Flesh-Eater Imp, another similar card, aside from gaining power with black mana, also has infect, adding a layer of complexity and a different path to victory.

In essence, while Fetid Horror might not be the most groundbreaking creature in its category, it offers a unique blend of scalability and surprise, maintaining an element of fear for the opponent as your mana pool grows. It’s a card that, when played wisely, can command a significant presence on the board.

Flesh-Eater Imp - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Fetid Horror by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fetid Horror MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Fetid Horror and other MTG cards: