Lethal Sting
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast this spell, put a -1/-1 counter on a creature you control.
Destroy target creature.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- The List
- Price
- $0.10
- EDHREC rank
- #17621
Lethal Sting destroys a creature outright — the catch is you put a -1/-1 counter on one of your own creatures to pay for it. In a Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons deck, that drawback becomes a trigger, making the cost an actual benefit.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons turns the self-inflicted -1/-1 counter from Lethal Sting into a free 1/1 deathtouch token, so the spell reads: destroy target creature, create a creature — at instant speed for two mana.
The Scorpion God
The Scorpion God draws a card whenever any creature gets a -1/-1 counter, so Lethal Sting replaces itself while removing a threat — exactly the kind of incidental value the deck wants on every piece of interaction.
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, Lethal Sting is a role-player, not a staple — it earns a slot specifically in -1/-1 counter synergy builds where the cost is a bonus. Outside those shells, three mana for unconditional removal is below the bar when Doom Blade effects and feed-the-swarm style spells exist. In Pauper it's legal but competes with a deep pool of efficient black removal at common, so it doesn't see play there either. Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer have no interest in it — constructed formats demand one or two mana for this effect at most.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.10 bulk tier
At $0.10, Lethal Sting is firmly bulk — you're not paying a premium for access to this effect. That price is stable by definition; bulk commons don't drop further, and there's no crossover demand from competitive formats to push it upward.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
- The Scorpion God
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.