Grim Affliction MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Proliferate

Key Takeaways

  1. Grim Affliction excels in board control by placing -1/-1 counters and offering transformative proliferate opportunities.
  2. Instant speed gives the player tactical flexibility to disrupt plays and leverage battle timing.
  3. Works best in decks designed with counter manipulation, enhancing both removal strategies and combo potential.

Text of card

Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature, then proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)

Even the small wounds let hope bleed out.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grim Affliction provides the player with the ability to place a -1/-1 counter on a target creature, which can be pivotal in controlling the board state. Additionally, the proliferate mechanic gives an opportunity to increase the number of counters already present on other permanents, thereby extending the reach of its initial effect and offering multiplicative value.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing mana resources, Grim Affliction’s ability to potentially weaken or remove an opponent’s key resource (their creatures) can lead to a more favorable position on the board. By impairing the opposing forces, it effectively works as indirect resource acceleration by helping maintain the player’s momentum and freeing up attacks or defenses.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of being an instant allows players to wait for the most opportune moment to cast Grim Affliction. Whether that’s disrupting an opponent’s combo, weakening their attackers right before combat, or simply applying additional counters in response to an action, the instant speed of this card ensures it can be a surprise factor in the heat of battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Grim Affliction does not require a card discard, it can still be underwhelming in a fast-paced game where every card in hand is pivotal for maintaining momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Grim Affliction requires both black and generic mana, which might restrict its playability to decks that are compatible with black mana sources, potentially limiting its utility in multicolored or colorless deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana for a single-target effect, Grim Affliction competes with other removal or control spells that could either be more cost-effective or offer additional benefits, thereby impacting its efficiency in a player’s deck.


Reasons to Include Grim Affliction in Your Collection

Versatility: Grim Affliction is a utility player in decks that aim to manipulate counters. Not only does it offer creature removal, but it can also enhance strategies revolving around proliferate mechanics, catering to various deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with other proliferate effects or when it’s used to turn the tides by expanding on existing counters that trigger off of growth, benefiting players that strategize around +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters in their deck designs.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the fluctuating nature of the meta, Grim Affliction stands out in environments where incremental advantage is key. It’s especially potent in formats where long-term board presence and control over creatures’ power and toughness can dictate the game’s outcome.


How to beat

Grim Affliction is a versatile card in MTG that can pose a significant threat on the battlefield by placing -1/-1 counters and proliferating, potentially crippling your opponent’s creatures. To effectively counteract Grim Affliction, the focus should be on strategies that neutralize or minimize the impact of counters. One method is using cards with hexproof or shroud to protect your creatures from being targeted. Such abilities ensure that your creatures are not directly affected by Grim Affliction’s debilitating effects.

Moreover, employing creatures that benefit from having counters or simply using cards to remove or prevent counters can also be an excellent tactic. Countering the spell itself is another straightforward approach; having instant-speed counter spells ready allows you to stop Grim Affliction before it can influence the game. Finally, remember that Grim Affliction requires a target to proliferate, so minimizing the number of counters on the field restricts its potential. Adapt your gameplay by keeping these strategies in mind, and you’ll stand a far better chance against this particular MTG card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deepening your MTG knowledge around cards like Grim Affliction can transform your gameplay. Understanding the synergies and potential of such versatile cards is crucial in deck building and in-game strategy. Whether it’s utilizing the proliferate mechanic effectively or spotting the right moment for creature removal, each decision impacts your path to victory. Let us guide you further into the tactics of counter manipulation and the inclusion of Grim Affliction in winning strategies. Enhance your collection with our insights and ready your deck for the nuanced battles ahead. Step up your game with us and tighten your grip on victory.


Cards like Grim Affliction

Grim Affliction stands out in the plethora of options for proliferate and counter manipulation spells within Magic: The Gathering. While most proliferate cards focus solely on increasing the number of counters, Grim Affliction brings a twist. Similar to Tezzeret’s Gambit, Grim Affliction not only proliferates but also serves as a removal tool by placing a -1/-1 counter on a target creature. In contrast, Tezzeret’s Gambit focuses on the card draw aspect, bonus proliferate, and sacrificing life points if you opt not to pay with Phyrexian mana.

Contagion Clasp shares a similar sphere of influence, proliferating counters across the board. However, Grim Affliction’s instant speed gives it a significant advantage, enabling reactive play to disrupt opponents’ strategies at critical moments. Instead, Contagion Clasp operates at sorcery speed and demands an initial investment to place the first -1/-1 counter. Steady Progress is another card in this comparison; while it also proliferates at instant speed and provides card draw, it fails to offer the immediate creature weakening that Grim Affliction provides.

Ultimately, Grim Affliction holds a solid position amongst its kin, offering a dual-purpose role that can be pivotal in turning the tides of a game with both its timely use and its ability to hinder an opponent’s threats.

Tezzeret's Gambit - MTG Card versions
Contagion Clasp - MTG Card versions
Steady Progress - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret's Gambit - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Contagion Clasp - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)
Steady Progress - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Grim Affliction by color, type and mana cost

Spoils of Evil - MTG Card versions
Dark Banishing - MTG Card versions
Carrion - MTG Card versions
Sick and Tired - MTG Card versions
Corpse Dance - MTG Card versions
Bone Harvest - MTG Card versions
Slay - MTG Card versions
Hapato's Might - MTG Card versions
Afflict - MTG Card versions
Dismember - MTG Card versions
Body Count - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Graves - MTG Card versions
Execute - MTG Card versions
Kill! Destroy! - MTG Card versions
Sudden Death - MTG Card versions
Footbottom Feast - MTG Card versions
Fevered Strength - MTG Card versions
Hideous End - MTG Card versions
Corpse Lunge - MTG Card versions
Necrobite - MTG Card versions
Spoils of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Dark Banishing - Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. Demonic (DVD)
Carrion - Mirage (MIR)
Sick and Tired - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Corpse Dance - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Bone Harvest - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Slay - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Hapato's Might - Sega Dreamcast Cards (PSDG)
Afflict - Odyssey (ODY)
Dismember - Modern Event Deck 2014 (MD1)
Body Count - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Reaping the Graves - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Execute - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Kill! Destroy! - Unhinged (UNH)
Sudden Death - Time Spiral (TSP)
Footbottom Feast - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Fevered Strength - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Hideous End - The List (PLST)
Corpse Lunge - Innistrad (ISD)
Necrobite - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grim Affliction MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Grim Affliction and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Grim Affliction Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Erica Yang.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 632003normalblackErica Yang
22015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 842015normalblackErica Yang
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 6782015normalblackErica Yang
42020-09-26The ListPLST MM2-842015normalblackErica Yang

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grim Affliction has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grim Affliction card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2011-06-01 The state-based action that removes matching +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters won’t check until after you proliferate and Grim Affliction finishes resolving. It’s possible to remove up to two +1/+1 counters from the creature by choosing to put a second -1/-1 counter on the creature when proliferating.
2011-06-01 You may choose the creature you put the -1/-1 counter on to get another -1/-1 counter when proliferating.

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