Abyssal Horror MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Horror
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Abyssal Horror excels in card control, forcing opponent hand disruption on entry.
  2. Its demand for specific mana and high casting cost may limit deck inclusion.
  3. Strategic for control decks, this card can disrupt numerous game plans effectively.

Text of card

Flying When Abyssal Horror comes into play, target player chooses and discards two cards.

It has no face of its own—it wears that of its latest victim.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Abyssal Horror card offers a significant edge through its enter-the-battlefield ability, allowing you to strip two cards from an opponent’s hand. This not only disrupts their strategy but also tips the balance of card numbers in your favor, ensuring you maintain a substantial level of control over the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Abyssal Horror itself doesn’t directly provide mana or resource acceleration, it can essentially serve as a resource denial mechanic by disrupting your opponent’s hand. This kind of indirect resource acceleration can limit your opponent’s capacity to respond, effectively giving you a faster route to your game-winning plays.

Instant Speed: Abyssal Horror operates at sorcery speed; however, its intimidating presence can alter how your opponent plays, potentially making them hold back instant speed removals or counterspells in fear of your looming threat. This psychological impact can indirectly mimic the advantages typically afforded by instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Abyssal Horror necessitates discarding two cards upon entering the battlefield. This can significantly set back your hand, especially if you’re unable to leverage the discarded cards for additional value or if you are already struggling with card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black and generic mana, Abyssal Horror’s casting cost can be restrictive. It demands a solid base of black mana, which may not always align with multi-colored or less mono-focused decks, limiting its inclusivity in various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With six mana to get Abyssal Horror into play, the cost is relatively steep for its 6/6 stats and enters the battlefield effect. In many scenarios, players might find other six mana creatures or spells that provide a greater immediate impact or value without the detrimental discard requirement.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Abyssal Horror offers an element of control due to its ability to force an opponent to discard cards upon entering the battlefield. This makes it a useful addition to black control decks or any strategy looking to deplete an opponent’s hand.

Combo Potential: This creature pairs well with reanimation tactics or any deck that thrives off graveyard strategies. By repeatedly casting Abyssal Horror, players can consistently distress opponents by attacking their hand, making it a persistent threat in longer games.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that favors creature-based decks or those with heavy reliance on hand synergies, including Abyssal Horror can provide crucial disruptions. Its presence can sway the tempo of the game and offers a strategic edge against decks that require a full grip of cards to execute their strategy effectively.


How to beat

Confronting the Abyssal Horror can challenge many MTG players due to its ability to unnerve opponents when it lands on the battlefield. This shadowy creature often demands an immediate answer; otherwise, it’s capable of wreaking havoc on one’s game plan. To successfully counter this formidable foe, focusing on swift removal is essential. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can exile Abyssal Horror before it makes a notable impact on the game. Alternatively, ensuring that your own creatures can outclass the Horror in battle is another strategy.

Counterspells are also a reliable tool to prevent Abyssal Horror from ever entering the fray. By holding up mana for spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak when your opponent has four mana open, you can effectively neutralize the threat. Should it manage to slip through your defenses, turning to board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the field. Lastly, leveraging graveyard manipulation with Rest in Peace or Tormod’s Crypt can further diminish the chances of an Abyssal Horror returning from the beyond.

Overall, maintaining versatile and responsive plays in your deck will enhance your resilience against Abyssal Horror and similar threats, keeping you one step ahead in the vast and strategic realm of MTG.


Cards like Abyssal Horror

Abyssal Horror stands as an intriguing creature in the Magic: The Gathering universe. Residing in the same brooding space as Faceless Butcher, both cards offer the utility of removing an opponent’s resources upon entering the battlefield. Abyssal Horror, however, demands a steeper price, asking players to relinquish two cards from their hand, as opposed to Faceless Butcher’s temporary exile of a single creature.

Delving further into the depths, we encounter Phyrexian Gargantua. Similar in the aspect of providing card advantage, this grotesque creature also penalizes with life loss, a different resource than cards. It’s a balance between affecting the board state and managing your life total.

Crafty players might equate the Horror’s effect to that of Hypnotic Specter, a creature feared for its ability to disrupt hands. While the Specter nibbles at opponents’ choices with each attack, Abyssal Horror devours a chunk instantly. With each card offering its unique spin on hand disruption, Abyssal Horror claims its niche in MTG as a creature with a formidable presence and psychological pressure on opponents.

Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Gargantua - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - Torment (TOR)
Phyrexian Gargantua - Apocalypse (APC)
Hypnotic Specter - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

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

Nightmare - MTG Card versions
Demonic Hordes - MTG Card versions
Ihsan's Shade - MTG Card versions
Necrosavant - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Lancer - MTG Card versions
Face of Fear - MTG Card versions
Wire Surgeons - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Chittering Harvester - MTG Card versions
Crossway Troublemakers - MTG Card versions
Anurid Murkdiver - MTG Card versions
Gempalm Polluter - MTG Card versions
Nefashu - MTG Card versions
Twisted Abomination - MTG Card versions
Iname, Death Aspect - MTG Card versions
Deathcurse Ogre - MTG Card versions
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth Demon - MTG Card versions
Ascendant Evincar - MTG Card versions
Bog Hoodlums - MTG Card versions
Nightmare - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Demonic Hordes - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Ihsan's Shade - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Necrosavant - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Dakmor Lancer - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Face of Fear - Odyssey (ODY)
Wire Surgeons - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Grave Titan - Fallout (PIP)
Chittering Harvester - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Crossway Troublemakers - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)
Anurid Murkdiver - Onslaught (ONS)
Gempalm Polluter - Legions (LGN)
Nefashu - Scourge (SCG)
Twisted Abomination - Scourge (SCG)
Iname, Death Aspect - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Deathcurse Ogre - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Yawgmoth Demon - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ascendant Evincar - Tenth Edition (10E)
Bog Hoodlums - Lorwyn (LRW)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Abyssal Horror MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Starter 1999, 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 Abyssal Horror and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Abyssal Horror Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 1151997normalblackrk post
21999-07-01Starter 1999S99 631997normalwhiterk post
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 115★1997normalblackDaren Bader
42001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1151997normalwhiteDaren Bader

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Abyssal Horror has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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