Karstoderm
Creature — Beast
This creature enters with five +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever an artifact enters, remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Darksteel
- Price
- $0.06
- EDHREC rank
- #30867
Karstoderm enters as a 5/5 for four mana — above the rate curve — but sheds a -1/-1 counter at the start of each upkeep, giving it a hard clock of five turns before it's a 0/0 in the graveyard. Run it in decks that can reset those counters or exploit them; everywhere else, it's a beatstick that evaporates.
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, Karstoderm is a role-player in -1/-1 counter synergy shells — commanders like Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons or The Scorpion God can convert the self-countering into triggers and tokens, turning the liability into an engine. Outside that niche, the clock is a real cost in a format where games run long and a 0/0 by turn nine is just a wasted slot. In Legacy and Vintage, Karstoderm is outclassed by creatures that don't require management, and sees no competitive play. Modern has better four-drops with no strings attached. The card is legal in Oathbreaker and the same counter-synergy read applies at that power level.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.06 bulk tier
At $0.06, Karstoderm is deep bulk — the kind of card you pull from a common box, not a store page. It holds no monetary value and is unlikely to spike absent a new counter-synergy commander pushing demand.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.