Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp
Creature — Human Rogue // Enchantment — Aura
This creature can't block.
When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #16938
Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp puts a -1/-1 counter on an opponent's creature the moment it enters, then threatens to transform into an Aura that drains life and locks down a creature permanently — all for two mana. The front side is a fine speed bump; the back side is the real prize, and decks that can kill their own creature on demand get both halves cheaply.
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 Commander, Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp fits best in black decks that kill their own creatures for value — sacrifice outlets flip it immediately, and Strangling Grasp's drain trigger stacks up over a long game. Modern and Pioneer have the tools to flip it fast, but two mana for a 2/1 with a minor enters trigger competes poorly against dedicated removal spells in those formats, so it mostly shows up in niche aristocrats lists. Legacy and Vintage have no interest; the power floor is too low for those formats. Commander is where this card earns its slot.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Vengeful Strangler // Strangling Grasp is deep bulk — pick up as many as you need without a second thought. Bulk rares with narrow applications rarely climb unless a combo emerges, so treat it as a cheap role-player and nothing more.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.