Excise the Imperfect
Instant
Exile target nonland permanent. Its controller incubates X, where X is its mana value. (They create an Incubator token with X +1/+1 counters on it and "
: Transform this token." It transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- March of the Machine Commander
- Price
- $0.42
- EDHREC rank
- #6767
Excise the Imperfect exiles a nontoken creature and leaves a Phyrexian Mite token behind — instant-speed removal that replaces itself on the board rather than just trading down. Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos turns that Mite into a resource, which is exactly why this card pulls above its weight in proliferate and incubate strategies.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos runs Excise the Imperfect in over half its decks because the Mite token it generates is a direct fuel source — Brimaz proliferates it, incubates off it, and converts it into a threat while the removal itself answers a problem permanent.
Elesh Norn
Elesh Norn's token-and-proliferate engine finds value in Excise the Imperfect for the same reason: the Mite isn't a consolation prize, it's a counter vector that feeds the broader Phyrexian synergy package.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Excise the Imperfect earns its slot — the Mite token has compounding value in any deck running proliferate, and instant-speed exile removal is always at a premium in a format full of indestructible and recursive threats. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but irrelevant; three mana for creature removal doesn't clear the bar when those formats move faster and cheaper interaction exists in abundance. Excise the Imperfect is a Commander card through and through, built for the Phyrexian synergy shells that reward every token and counter it generates.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.42 bulk tier
At $0.42, Excise the Imperfect is bulk — easy to pick up as a four-of or a playset for any Phyrexian Commander build without thinking twice about the cost. Bulk rares with a specific home tend to stay flat unless the archetype spikes, so treat it as a cheap pickup now rather than a spec.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
- Elesh Norn
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.