Oblivion's Hunger
Instant
Target creature you control gains indestructible until end of turn. Draw a card if that creature has a +1/+1 counter on it. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy the creature.)
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Zendikar Rising
- Price
- $0.12
- EDHREC rank
- #10230
Oblivion's Hunger puts a +1/+1 counter on a creature and makes it indestructible until end of turn for one mana — protecting a key piece while growing it at instant speed. It's a natural fit in counter-stacking strategies, and Sarulf, Realm Eater is the poster commander for it: every counter added to Sarulf is one step closer to wiping the board on a schedule you control.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Sarulf, Realm Eater
Sarulf, Realm Eater runs Oblivion's Hunger because every +1/+1 counter loaded onto Sarulf accelerates the board-wipe clock, and the indestructible clause means you can protect Sarulf through combat or a targeted removal spell in the same turn you're stacking counters.
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave keeps its counters through zones, so Oblivion's Hunger does double duty — growing Skullbriar into a faster kill while shielding it from the removal that opponents lean on hardest against a voltron threat.
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 |
Oblivion's Hunger is legal across Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Vintage, Pauper, and Oathbreaker, though it sees meaningful play almost exclusively in Commander. In 60-card formats the effect is simply too narrow — one mana for a single +1/+1 counter and conditional indestructibility doesn't move the needle in Modern or Pioneer, where tempo and card advantage demands are higher. In Pauper it's legal but competes with more efficient protection and pump spells. Commander is where Oblivion's Hunger earns its slot, specifically in decks that care about +1/+1 counters as a resource rather than just a stat bump.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.12 bulk tier
At $0.12, Oblivion's Hunger is bulk — grab a copy out of any common box without thinking twice. Bulk commons at this price point rarely move unless a new pushed commander creates a sudden spike in demand, so don't expect the price to change meaningfully in either direction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Sarulf, Realm Eater
- Skullbriar, the Walking Grave
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.