Scar
Instant
Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BR
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Shadowmoor
- Price
- $0.17
- EDHREC rank
- #18993
Scar puts two -1/-1 counters on a creature for one mana — that's efficient removal in any deck that wants counters on the board, and a free card draw trigger in The Scorpion God. Outside dedicated -1/-1 counter synergies it's too narrow to justify the slot, but inside them it's exactly what it claims to be.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
The Scorpion God
Scar does two things The Scorpion God wants: it distributes -1/-1 counters to trigger the draw engine, and it can shrink a creature to zero toughness outright for one mana. The combination of card advantage and removal on a single spell is why Scar shows up in roughly a third of Scorpion God lists.
The Reaper, King No More
The Reaper, King No More runs a -1/-1 counter theme that Scar feeds directly — two counters for one mana is strong rate, and spreading counters across multiple creatures over time generates real value in that shell.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Scar is a card built for Commander, specifically for -1/-1 counter commanders, and that's where it earns its keep. In Legacy, Modern, and Vintage it's legal but irrelevant — one mana for two -1/-1 counters doesn't compete with the interaction density of those formats. Pauper is the one competitive format where Scar could theoretically find a home if a dedicated -1/-1 counter shell ever materialized, but no such archetype exists at a meaningful level. Stick to Commander.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.17 bulk tier
At $0.17, Scar is bulk — pick it up without thinking twice if The Scorpion God or any -1/-1 counter commander is in your pile. Bulk commons rarely move on price, so there's no urgency to stock up and no concern about it becoming expensive.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- The Scorpion God
- The Reaper, King No More
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.