Go for the Throat
Instant
Destroy target nonartifact creature.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Magic Online Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #360
Go for the Throat destroys any nonartifact creature at instant speed for two mana — that's one of the cleanest rates removal has ever had. The artifact clause barely registers in most metas, and Toshiro Umezawa decks run it in over 63% of lists specifically to flash it back for free value.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Toshiro Umezawa
Toshiro Umezawa's ability lets you flash back instants whenever a creature dies, and Go for the Throat is exactly the kind of cheap, efficient spell you want to recur — kill a blocker on their turn, trigger Toshiro, cast it again on the next attack.
Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit // Sam, Loyal Attendant
Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit // Sam, Loyal Attendant wants to stay in the shadows and navigate a hostile board, so Go for the Throat serves as reliable interaction that clears blockers without requiring color-intensive mana.
Imotekh the Stormlord
Imotekh the Stormlord generates Necron Warrior tokens when creatures die, and Go for the Throat both removes threats and feeds that engine — any nonartifact creature it kills is a Warrior trigger waiting to happen.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Ezio Auditore da Firenze kills opponents' commanders and other threats as part of the game plan, and Go for the Throat is clean backup removal that handles anything Ezio himself can't reach.
Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine operates in a sacrifice-and-transform shell where clearing blockers matters, and Go for the Throat handles the nonartifact creatures that would otherwise roadblock combat damage or threaten Vincent directly.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Go for the Throat is a format staple — two mana at instant speed to destroy any nonartifact creature is a baseline every black deck should clear, and most do. The artifact exclusion is a real but minor caveat in a format where Thopter tokens and Darksteel Colossus exist, but the card still cleanly answers the vast majority of threats you'll face at any table. In competitive formats like Modern and Legacy, it sees play as a sideboard option and occasional maindeck inclusion where the artifact meta is thin enough to justify it over unconditional alternatives. Pauper lists value it similarly — instant-speed two-mana removal at common is a genuine resource.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Price data for Go for the Throat isn't available in the current context, but it has been reprinted multiple times and typically sits well under a dollar for most printings — check Scryfall for the cheapest copy. At that price floor, there's no reason to run a worse two-mana removal spell in black.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Toshiro Umezawa
- Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit // Sam, Loyal Attendant
- Imotekh the Stormlord
- Ezio Auditore da Firenze
- Vincent Valentine
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.