Bite Down
Instant
Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature or planeswalker you don't control.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Foundations
- Price
- $0.28
- EDHREC rank
- #2747
Bite Down kills any creature with power 3 or less on the spot — instant speed, no conditions, just a dead blocker or a stopped threat. At two mana it's not premium removal, but in green, where fight spells are often the only option, Bite Down earns its slot under Legolas, Master Archer where triggering it off an ability rather than combat keeps your creatures safe.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Legolas, Master Archer
Legolas, Master Archer taps to deal 1 damage to a creature, and Bite Down on top of that 1 damage kills anything with power 4 or less — effectively expanding the range of what Legolas can pick off without ever swinging into combat.
Shelob, Child of Ungoliant
Shelob, Child of Ungoliant wants creatures to die so she can exile them and generate Food, and Bite Down at instant speed lets that engine fire on an opponent's turn without ever needing to attack.
Fynn, the Fangbearer
Fynn, the Fangbearer wins through deathtouch creatures connecting, and Bite Down clears the blockers standing in the way — instant-speed removal that keeps the poison clock running.
Wolverine, Best There Is
Wolverine, Best There Is accumulates counters whenever it deals damage, so Bite Down clearing a blocker before the attack step directly translates into more counters and more wound triggers.
Vraska, the Silencer
Vraska, the Silencer wants creatures to die on your terms, and Bite Down is a clean instant-speed answer that can trigger her death-matters effects without telegraphing the kill a turn ahead.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Bite Down is a budget-tier role-player that earns its slot specifically in deathtouch and combat-damage strategies — outside those contexts, green has better options. In Pauper it's a legitimate removal spell, since common-legal instant-speed creature removal is scarce in green and two mana is competitive at that power level. In Modern and Pioneer, Bite Down doesn't make the cut — the power ceiling is too high and dedicated green removal like Dismember or Tear Asunder does more for similar cost. Legacy and Vintage don't give it a second look.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.28 bulk tier
Bite Down is bulk at $0.28 — you buy it for pennies and never think about the price again. It won't hold or gain value, but for a conditional removal spell in a Commander slot, the cost is irrelevant.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.