Crypt Rats MTG Card


Offers board control by wiping out numerous threats at once, potentially swinging the game in your favor. Instant speed activation allows for flexible gameplay strategies, making Crypt Rats a valuable asset. Despite its versatility, its mana-intensive nature can be a limiting factor in multicolor or mana-efficient decks.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Rat
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

oo X Crypt Rats deals X damage to each creature and player. Spend only black mana in this way.

"Once I dreamt of death, but now it dreams of me / And only rats and rotting flesh can hear my silent plea." —Mundungu chant


Cards like Crypt Rats

Crypt Rats holds its own in the niche of pestilence-type effects within Magic the Gathering. It shares a common ability with cards like Pestilence and Thrashing Wumpus, permitting players to pay mana to deal damage to each creature and player. What sets Crypt Rats apart is its versatility, being on a creature card rather than an enchantment like Pestilence, which allows for creature synergies. Moreover, it can expend any amount of mana at once to activate its ability, offering potential game-ending power.

Comparably, Plague Spitter also deals damage to each creature and player, but its effect triggers automatically during your upkeep and doesn’t offer the same control over timing as Crypt Rats. Whereas, Infected Vermin can replicate the effect, it’s more constrained with a higher activation cost and only being able to use the ability as a sorcery.

Choosing Crypt Rats for its ability to control the board and threaten life totals at instant speed showcases its dominance in the realm of universal damage-dealers within Magic the Gathering. Its command over the board state makes it a formidable card among its peers.

Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Thrashing Wumpus - MTG Card versions
Plague Spitter - MTG Card versions
Infected Vermin - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Thrashing Wumpus - MTG Card versions
Plague Spitter - MTG Card versions
Infected Vermin - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Crypt Rats. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari GardensGolgari Gardens PauperGolgari GardensPauper Challenge 64 2024-04-28
BRGBRG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-04-28
BGBG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-04-28
Golgari GardenGolgari Garden PauperGolgari GardensAWESOME PAUPER
Jund GardensJund Gardens PauperGolgari GardensPauper Challenge 64 2024-04-28

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When piloting a deck with Crypt Rats, you easily control the board by decimating swarms of smaller creatures. This destruction often leads to a favorable shift in the balance of cards on the board, especially if you are able to eliminate multiple threats with a single activation.

Resource Acceleration: As a key piece in many combo decks, Crypt Rats can work in tandem with cards that untap creatures or generate additional mana, allowing for powerful turns where you can wipe the board while continuing to develop your own game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Crypt Rats at instant speed provides a strategic depth to gameplay. You can end your opponent’s turn by adjusting the life totals as needed, respond to incoming threats, or simply use the element of surprise to your advantage. This flexibility makes Crypt Rats a versatile tool in any MTG player’s arsenal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players often consider the activation cost of Crypt Rats, which requires mana that could otherwise be used for playing other cards or abilities, as a tactical disadvantage in tight situations where resources are scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Although versatile in its mana requirement for activation, being primarily a black mana card means Crypt Rats aligns mostly with mono-black or black-intensive decks, potentially limiting its utility in multi-colored decks where black mana isn’t as readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its activation cost is quite steep when needing to deal substantial damage across the board. Players might find other cards with lower activation costs able to achieve similar results for less, making Crypt Rats a weighty investment in decks that value mana efficiency.


Reasons to Include Crypt Rats in Your Collection

Versatility: Crypt Rats is a card that excels in its flexibility. Capable of fitting comfortably in a variety of decks, this card can potentially clear board of pesky creatures while also offering a way to deal direct damage to opponents in a pinch.

Combo Potential: Its ability to scale the damage according to available mana means it can be a linchpin in combos, especially those looking to capitalize on life total manipulation or death-triggered effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta swarming with creature-based strategies, Crypt Rats can dramatically shift the game’s momentum, acting as a deterrent or a game-ending threat when the board state grows cluttered.


How to beat

Crypt Rats unleashes potent board-wide damage in Magic: The Gathering, capable of sweeping away swathes of creatures in one fell swoop. This fearsome card allows players to pay any amount of mana to deal that much damage to each creature and player. When facing such a threat, the key is to keep the battlefield light with creatures that can withstand the damage, have hexproof, or possess indestructibility.

Employing instant speed removal can efficiently target Crypt Rats before its controller gets the opportunity to activate its ability. Furthermore, strategies involving graveyard manipulation can preemptively remove the Rats or restrict their resurgence from the graveyard, mitigating the potential for repeated board clears. Artifacts and enchantments that neutralize activated abilities can also render Crypt Rats ineffective, securing your creatures’ safety and maintaining board presence. In short, a combination of strategic creature selection, timely removal, and shutting down activated abilities can overcome the destruction wielded by Crypt Rats in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deepening your understanding of multifaceted cards like Crypt Rats enhances your gameplay in MTG. This powerhouse not only controls the creature-heavy metagame but also integrates into myriad deck strategies. Its combo potential and instant speed activation make it a card to watch in your arsenal. Whether you’re a seasoned player or crafting your initial deck, recognizing the tactical applications of Crypt Rats could be pivotal in your path to victory. We invite you to explore its strategic depth with us and unravel ways to exploit its board-wiping potency to your advantage. Enhance your collection and gameplay now by delving deeper into the world of Crypt Rats.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crypt Rats MTG card by a specific set like Visions and Seventh Edition, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Crypt Rats and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Crypt Rats Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1997-02-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-02-03VisionsVIS 551997NormalBlackPaul Lee
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1251997NormalWhiteMatt Cavotta
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 125★1997NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
42005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A282003NormalWhiteMatt Cavotta
52006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 282003NormalWhiteMatt Cavotta
62019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 842015NormalBlackMatt Cavotta
72020-09-26The ListPLST VIS-551997NormalBlackPaul Lee
82022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 3922015NormalBlackMatt Cavotta

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crypt Rats has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal