Skullcrack
Instant
Players can't gain life this turn. Damage can't be prevented this turn. Skullcrack deals 3 damage to target player or planeswalker.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Breaking News
- Price
- $0.19
- EDHREC rank
- #9705
Skullcrack deals 3 damage and shuts off life gain and damage prevention for the turn — all on an instant for two mana. It's a clean, efficient burn spell that earns its slot in any red deck that needs to push through Lifegain or race a Soul Warden.
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 |
In Modern and Pioneer burn, Skullcrack is a staple — the life-gain-prevention clause directly answers Leyline of Sanctity-adjacent lifegain strategies and makes it a must-run in aggressive red shells. Legacy has access to stronger options, so Skullcrack sits on the fringe there. Commander is where it underperforms most: 40 life means 3 damage is nearly irrelevant on its own, and one-shot life-gain hate rarely justifies a card slot when you need sustained pressure across multiple opponents. If your Commander meta is saturated with Aetherflux Reservoir or Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, it earns a look — otherwise, cut it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.19 bulk tier
At $0.19, Skullcrack is pure bulk — you're paying for function, not scarcity. It holds this floor comfortably given its consistent demand in Modern burn, so there's no reason to hesitate picking up copies.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.