Strangling Spores
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Core Set 2019
- Price
- $0.06
- EDHREC rank
- #28092
Strangling Spores gives a target creature -4/-4 until end of turn for four mana at sorcery speed — that kills most utility creatures but whiffs on the big threats that actually end games. Better removal exists at every price point, so this slot should almost always go to something instant-speed or permanent.
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 |
Strangling Spores is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Vintage, Pauper, and Oathbreaker, but competitive play in any of those formats has no reason to reach for it. In Commander, four mana at sorcery speed for a temporary -4/-4 is well below the bar — you need removal that answers a resolved Blightsteel Colossus or at least trades efficiently at instant speed. Pauper is the one format where the card is theoretically in the conversation, but even there black has Victim of Night and Chainer's Edict at the same or lower cost with more reliable coverage. Strangling Spores doesn't have a home format.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.06 bulk tier
At $0.06, Strangling Spores is deep bulk — you won't lose money buying it, but you also won't need to. It holds no meaningful value and is unlikely to see demand unless a narrow combo application surfaces.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.