Choking Fumes
Instant
Put a -1/-1 counter on each attacking creature.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Mirrodin Besieged
- Price
- $0.12
- EDHREC rank
- #24872
Choking Fumes puts -1/-1 counters on every creature an opponent controls — instant speed, no targeting, no exceptions for hexproof or shroud. Three mana for a one-sided board debuff is a narrow rate, and outside dedicated -1/-1 counter synergies, more efficient removal almost always exists.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Choking Fumes is a niche include — it earns a slot only in dedicated -1/-1 counter decks like Hapatra or Yawgmoth, where each counter placed has compounding value beyond the stat reduction. In Legacy and Vintage it's essentially invisible; those formats end games before a three-mana debuff matters, and targeted removal or countermagic does the job more efficiently. Modern technically has access to it, but the same logic applies — the rate doesn't compete. Choking Fumes is a Commander card in practice, and even there, only in the right shell.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.12 bulk tier
At $0.12, Choking Fumes is deep bulk — the price reflects its narrow playability rather than any supply issue. It's a safe pickup for -1/-1 counter builds without any budget concern, but don't expect the price to move.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.