Soul Scourge MTG Card


Soul Scourge - Torment
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Nightmare Horror
Abilities Flying
Released2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set nameTorment
Set codeTOR
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number85
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCarl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

  1. Soul Scourge excels in turning games by bolstering hand resources and offering potential pivotal draws.
  2. Its graveyard synergy and resource acceleration can set the stage for commanding mid to late-game plays.
  3. Flexibility at instant speed allows strategic adaptation, keeping the upper hand in fast-paced matches.

Text of card

Flying When Soul Scourge comes into play, target player loses 3 life. When Soul Scourge leaves play, that player gains 3 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Offering a unique approach to hand replenishment, the Soul Scourge card enables players to regain the upper hand, turning the tide of the game by potentially drawing into key resources or answers.

Resource Acceleration: This card is adept at speeding up your game plan. By manipulating graveyards and other synergies, it can effectively generate additional resources, setting up for a powerful mid to late-game presence.

Instant Speed: The alacrity of being able to play Soul Scourge at instant speed provides players with the flexibility to adapt dynamically in response to an opponent’s actions, maintaining a strategic advantage and control over the pace of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Soul Scourge obliges players to discard another card to unleash its full potential, which impairs your hand and can be particularly constraining when your resources are already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting both black and red mana in its casting cost, this card requires a dedicated color commitment, making it less flexible and harder to incorporate into multi-colored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that requires a notable investment, players might find that there are alternative creatures or spells that offer more impactful board presence or immediate effects for the same, or even lower, mana cost.


Reasons to Include Soul Scourge in Your Collection

Versatility: Soul Scourge brings flexibility to your arsenal, fitting seamlessly into decks that prioritize life point swings and aggressive strategies. Its ability to immediately impact your opponent’s life total makes it a solid choice for various game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies emphasizing life loss and gain. Imagine the possibilities when pairing Soul Scourge with other cards that leverage life as a resource or amplify damage effects, augmenting its inherent value within your deck’s combo framework.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where life totals can be a tightrope walk, having a card like Soul Scourge can tilt the balance in your favor. It can serve as an unexpected trump card, dealing decisive blows to decks that are unprepared for such direct life total manipulation.


How to beat Soul Scourge

Soul Scourge, a creature that dips into a player’s life total, can pose a threat if left unchecked on the battlefield. To counteract this menace, one effective strategy is direct removal. Employing removal spells such as Doom Blade or Murder can swiftly handle the creature before it starts its life-draining ability. If removal isn’t at hand, another approach could be to use lifegain strategies to offset the life loss caused by Soul Scourge. Cards such as Rest for the Weary or the well-known Kitchen Finks can help maintain your life total in a perilous situation.

Alternatively, countering the creature spell outright is a clean solution. Counterspells like Cancel or Mana Leak can prevent Soul Scourge from ever entering the battlefield. Lastly, beating Soul Scourge might also mean playing defensively. Wall of Omens or Guard Gomazoa can block it effectively without much cost. When sizing up how to maintain an upper hand against Soul Scourge, consider these tips based on your deck’s strengths and make timely decisions to nullify its impact.


Cards like Soul Scourge

Delving into the world of black flying creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Soul Scourge carves out its niche among other haunters of the skies. It invites a comparison with cards like Abyssal Nightstalker, which also offers flying but has a conditional discard ability that Soul Scourge lacks. Both cards demand a tactical understanding of timing and hand management, with Soul Scourge providing an upfront detrimental effect to the opponent’s life total upon entering and exiting the battlefield.

Considering Skulking Ghost, another creature that haunts the battlefield with evasion, we see that while it’s cost-effective, it doesn’t impact life totals as Soul Scourge does. The immediate life loss with Soul Scourge intensifies the pressure on the opponent, granting it a distinctive edge in specific builds that aim to deplete an opponent’s life directly.

Examining these comparisons showcases Soul Scourge’s unique role within MTG; it plays a dual-threat role through its enter and exit effects. While other cards in its category share attributes like flying mobility, Soul Scourge’s consistent life-draining ability sets it apart, making it a valuable piece in an aggressive black deck strategy aimed at swiftly reducing the opponent’s life total.

Abyssal Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Skulking Ghost - MTG Card versions
Abyssal Nightstalker - Portal Second Age (P02)
Skulking Ghost - Mirage (MIR)

Cards similar to Soul Scourge by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - Tempest (TMP)
Entropic Specter - Exodus (EXO)
Predatory Nightstalker - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fallen Angel - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Stone Catapult - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sengir Vampire - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Hollow Dogs - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Grotesque Hybrid - Torment (TOR)
Earwig Squad - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Indulgent Tormentor - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sootfeather Flock - Legions (LGN)
Zombie Cutthroat - Scourge (SCG)
Gluttonous Zombie - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Vermiculos - Mirrodin (MRD)
Woebearer - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Wei Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Halo Hunter - Zendikar (ZEN)
Malakir Bloodwitch - Zendikar (ZEN)
Caustic Crawler - Worldwake (WWK)
Shriekmaw - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Soul Scourge MTG card by a specific set like Torment, 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 Soul Scourge and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Soul Scourge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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