Puncturing Light
Instant
Destroy target attacking or blocking creature with power 3 or less.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #26092
Puncturing Light destroys a tapped creature with power 3 or less — conditional enough that it rarely earns a slot over unconditional removal. In Commander especially, the restriction bites hard: the biggest threats you need to answer are almost never tapped and almost never small.
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 |
Puncturing Light finds its most charitable home in Pauper, where the card pool is narrow enough that two-mana instant removal with any upside can pull weight in white aggressive or control builds. In Commander, the double condition — tapped and power 3 or less — means Puncturing Light whiffs on commanders, whiffs on most combo pieces, and whiffs on anything with summoning sickness that hasn't swung yet. Modern, Pioneer, and Legacy all have cheaper and cleaner answers that don't require the target to meet criteria, so Puncturing Light doesn't compete there. It's a Pauper-only consideration, and even there it's a sideboard card at best.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Puncturing Light is deep bulk — you'll find it in any common bin. There's no price floor to speak of; it won't hold value, but it costs almost nothing to pick up if you specifically need it for a Pauper list.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.