Lash of the Whip
Instant
Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Theros
- Price
- $0.05
- EDHREC rank
- #27919
Lash of the Whip gives a target creature -4/-4 until end of turn for five mana at instant speed — that kills most utility creatures and shrinks big threats, but five mana is a steep ask for a non-permanent effect. Better removal exists at every price point, and this only earns a slot when you're deep in the bulk bin and need bodies answered.
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, Lash of the Whip competes against unconditional removal like Doom Blade and Go for the Throat that cost two mana less and leave no survivors — five mana at sorcery speed would be borderline, so instant speed barely rescues it. Pauper is the one format where the card pool is shallow enough that instant-speed -4/-4 carries real weight, and Lash of the Whip sees occasional play there in black control shells. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer the competition is so efficient that this never shows up. Oathbreaker mirrors Commander's verdict: the effect is real but the rate is not.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.05 bulk tier
At $0.05, Lash of the Whip is pure bulk — you're paying for cardboard, not power. The price is accurate and stable; there's no demand driver that would push it higher.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.