Skrelv, Defector Mite
Legendary Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Mite
Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.)
Skrelv can't block.
, 
: Choose a color. Another target creature you control gains toxic 1 and hexproof from that color until end of turn. It can't be blocked by creatures of that color this turn. ( can be paid with either 
or 2 life.)
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Phyrexia: All Will Be One Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #1127
Skrelv, Defector Mite is a one-mana legendary Mite that protects your best threat from a chosen color of removal while sneaking in toxic damage — the cost is paid the turn you play it. Commanders like Vishgraz, the Doomhive that want to keep key creatures alive love it, and Yomiji, Who Bars the Way turns its legendary status into a recursive insurance policy.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Vishgraz, the Doomhive
Vishgraz, the Doomhive is the premier home for Skrelv, Defector Mite — Vishgraz already wants to push toxic damage through, and Skrelv's protection ability makes that game plan resilient against the spot removal that would otherwise shut it down before poison counters stack up.
Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa
Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa needs its commander to connect with opponents, and Skrelv, Defector Mite gives Ixhel a cheap, repeatable way to dodge the color of removal most likely to eat her in any given game.
Elesh Norn
Elesh Norn runs Skrelv, Defector Mite because the protection ability lets a key attacker or Elesh Norn herself slip past blockers of the chosen color while gaining toxic triggers that Norn's proliferate effects can press further.
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos produces a steady stream of Phyrexian tokens, and Skrelv, Defector Mite keeps Brimaz on the battlefield long enough to snowball the board — losing the commander here means losing the token engine entirely.
Winota, Joiner of Forces
Winota, Joiner of Forces needs a non-Human attacker to trigger her ability, and Skrelv, Defector Mite fills that role at just one mana while also protecting Winota herself from a chosen removal color on the turn you go off.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Skrelv, Defector Mite earns its reputation — one mana for a legendary creature that protects your most important threat and deals toxic damage is exactly the kind of cheap, high-leverage play that multiplayer demands. In Modern and Pioneer, it competes in white aggressive and Phyrexian-themed shells as a low-cost protection piece, though the toxic angle is mostly incidental at those table speeds. Legacy and Vintage have access to so many redundant protection effects that Skrelv, Defector Mite rarely makes the cut over a Force of Will or Flusterstorm to protect a combo piece, but it's not unplayable in creature-forward builds. Pauper and Standard legality aren't in the picture, so Commander remains the clear primary format — and there, it's a staple.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Yomiji, Who Bars the WaySkrelv, Defector MitePhyrexian Altar
Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite storm count
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Current pricing data for Skrelv, Defector Mite isn't available in this snapshot, so check Scryfall or your preferred retailer for the live number. Given its 68%+ inclusion rate across tens of thousands of poison and Phyrexian Commander decks, it tends to hold value above casual bulk pricing — pick it up when you see it at a reasonable price rather than waiting.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.