Lesser Werewolf
Creature — Werewolf
: If this creature's power is 1 or more, it gets -1/-0 until end of turn and put a -0/-1 counter on target creature blocking or blocked by this creature. Activate only during the declare blockers step.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Legends
- Price
- $6.86
- EDHREC rank
- #30852
Lesser Werewolf drains an opponent's creature of -2/-2 each combat, stacking up to -6/-6 across three swings — that's a slow but repeatable board-control engine stapled to a three-mana body. It earns a slot in any deck that wants to shrink threats over time, but it's too slow for tables where creatures die before the third attack.
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 | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Lesser Werewolf fills a niche in Werewolf tribal or aristocrats shells that want incremental power reduction rather than outright removal — it buys time against voltron commanders and wide boards alike, though the three-turn ramp-up makes it weakest in high-speed pods. Pauper is where it sees the most competitive daylight; the -2/-2 debuff is real in a format full of small creatures, and three mana is acceptable for a persistent threat. Legacy and Vintage are legal on paper, but Lesser Werewolf doesn't come close to competing at those speeds — it's a curiosity, not a role-player.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Skinrender and Wasteland Strangler offer immediate -1/-1 or -3/-3 effects at similar mana costs and don't require multiple combat steps to get there. Lesser Werewolf's edge is repeatability without spending additional resources, but if your deck needs the debuff now rather than over three turns, either of those is a cleaner fit.
Price Context
Current price
$6.86 mid tier
At $6.86, Lesser Werewolf sits in mid-tier pricing — steep for a card with limited competitive presence and niche Commander appeal. The price is driven almost entirely by scarcity as an older card, not demand, so it doesn't hold value the way a staple would.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.