Marker Beetles
Creature — Insect
When this creature dies, target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
, Sacrifice this creature: Draw a card.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Urza's Destiny
- Price
- $0.10
- EDHREC rank
- #27342
Marker Beetles enters and puts a -1/-1 counter on up to three target creatures — three separate pieces of interaction stapled to a single ETB, no targeting restriction. The cost is a five-mana 1/1, which means you're paying a steep rate for that distribution and relying entirely on the ETB to justify the slot.
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 |
Marker Beetles sees essentially no competitive play in Legacy or Vintage, where five mana buys threats that end games rather than chip at stats. Pauper is the format where Marker Beetles is most discussable — -1/-1 counter synergies exist at common, and the ETB distributing three counters lines up with undying and persist engines — but even there the rate is slow. In Commander, the card is niche at best: it fits dedicated -1/-1 counter decks helmed by commanders like Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons or Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, where each counter placed triggers additional value, but outside that specific archetype there is no reason to run it over more efficient removal.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.10 bulk tier
At $0.10, Marker Beetles is deep bulk — you're paying for cardboard, not scarcity. That price is stable simply because demand is narrow and supply is unlimited; don't expect movement in either direction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.