Gurmag Rakshasa
Creature — Demon
Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
When this creature enters, target creature an opponent controls gets -2/-2 until end of turn and target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 6
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Tarkir: Dragonstorm
- Price
- $0.08
- EDHREC rank
- #21154
Gurmag Rakshasa lands as a 4/4 flying deathtouch for five mana — a threat that trades up against anything and flies over most boards. The cost is real: five mana is a lot for a vanilla-statted creature in formats that demand more.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Gurmag Rakshasa fills a supporting role in decks that want cheap, reliable flying deathtouch bodies — think Dimir or Sultai strategies that need blockers with teeth and can't afford to spend five mana on pure beatdown. In competitive formats like Modern and Pioneer, five mana for a creature without an ETB, protection, or build-around upside doesn't clear the bar — there are simply better threats at this cost. Legacy and Vintage won't touch it. Standard is the one context where a 4/4 flying deathtouch at five can legitimately show up in midrange or control sideboards when the format's ground threats demand a clean blocker.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.08 bulk tier
At $0.08, Gurmag Rakshasa is deep bulk — no financial reason to hesitate on picking up copies. Bulk rares with narrow competitive application don't appreciate, so treat this as a pure gameplay pickup and nothing else.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.