Eat to Extinction MTG Card


Eat to Extinction offers exile and strategic deck insight, crucial for black control decks. Its instant speed offsets a higher mana cost compared to other removal spells. With flexible utility, it remains a potent choice in diverse MTG metagames.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Surveil

Text of card

Exile target creature or planeswalker. Surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card into your graveyard.)


Cards like Eat to Extinction

Eat to Extinction stands out in the realm of removal spells within the game. It carries a resemblance to the renowned Vraska’s Contempt, as both offer exile effects for creatures or planeswalkers, providing a solution to undying threats. Unlike Vraska’s Contempt, Eat to Extinction doesn’t guarantee a lifegain, but it compensates with the perk of potentially altering the top deck fate through its surveil-like ability, offering strategic deck manipulation.

Analogous to this is Anguished Unmaking. Though a mana cheaper, it demands a payment of 3 life, which could sway a player’s decision based on their health reserves. Eat to Extinction doesn’t levy such a toll, opting for a peek into the future draws instead. In comparing it to hero’s Downfall, one notices that while Hero’s Downfall is more cost-effective, being a 3 mana instant, it lacks the exiling power and deck sifting strengths that Eat to Extinction possesses, nudging players towards the latter for more comprehensive control options.

Ultimately, Eat to Extinction holds its weight due to its dual ability to exile key opponents’ pieces and potentially improve upcoming draws, making it a versatile and formidable choice for players aiming for board control in Magic: The Gathering.

Vraska's Contempt - MTG Card versions
Anguished Unmaking - MTG Card versions
Hero's Downfall - MTG Card versions
Vraska's Contempt - MTG Card versions
Anguished Unmaking - MTG Card versions
Hero's Downfall - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Eat to Extinction sets you a step ahead by not only removing a threat but also giving you a peek at the top card of your library. The option to put that card into your graveyard can provide a significant strategic edge, particularly when it comes to setting up your next draws or fueling graveyard synergies.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t generate mana or additional resources directly, the selective graveyard placement of the top card of your library can accelerate your strategy indirectly. This is especially valuable in decks that thrive on delve mechanics or other graveyard interactions, enabling more potent plays sooner.

Instant Speed: The real power of Eat to Extinction lies in its instant speed execution. This allows you greater flexibility during the game, letting you wait for the perfect moment to disrupt your opponent’s strategy without compromising your own tempo. Being able to act during your opponent’s turn can be pivotal in swinging the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Eat to Extinction doesn’t require a card to be discarded, it does demand a different kind of resource commitment. Every use necessitates exiling a card from your graveyard, which can diminish your future play options or synergies, particularly in graveyard-reliant decks.

Specific Mana Cost: Eat to Extinction requires both black mana and colorless mana to cast. This specific mana cost can sometimes limit deck flexibility, requiring players to commit to a mana base that can consistently provide both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including two black, Eat to Extinction is priced at the higher end for single-target removal spells. There are alternatives in the game that may remove creatures or planeswalkers at a lower mana cost, leaving more resources available for other spells or abilities in a turn.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Eat to Extinction offers powerful options for nearly any black deck that aims to control the board. Its ability to exile a target creature or planeswalker is invaluable, bypassing graveyard-based strategies that many decks rely on.

Combo Potential: As a bonus, the card lets you peek at the top card of your library, potentially setting up your next move. This subtle form of library manipulation can synergize well with cards that care about the top card of the library or graveyard interaction.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where indestructible or recurring threats dominate, Eat to Extinction stands out as a clean answer. It’s a robust response to cards that otherwise are difficult to deal with, making it a strategic choice in the ever-evolving game environment.


How to beat

Eat to Extinction stands out as an exceptional removal tool within the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering. This powerful spell not only exiles a target creature or planeswalker, but also provides its caster with a peek at the top card of their library, offering a chance to surveil and potentially exile that card too. Yet, as formidable as this card is, there are strategies to outmaneuver it.

The key to overcoming Eat to Extinction is to utilize the indelible nature of hexproof or protection abilities for your important creatures or planeswalkers. By rendering your most valuable permanents untargetable, you effectively negate the threat of this removal card. Alternately, playing around this spell by maintaining a diverse and resilient board state can also dilute its impact. If you are able to constantly replenish or duplicate your threats, the one-for-one removal of Eat to Extinction loses its punch.

Overall, while Eat to Extinction can indeed alter the tides of a game, its power is not absolute. With thoughtful play and suitable countermeasures, savvy players can ensure their deck prevails against even the most potent of removal spells in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding Eat to Extinction’s place in MTG is key for any enthusiast aiming for dominance at the table. Its ability to exile and sift through the library makes it a formidable tool, particularly in metas where graveyard strategies are prevalent. Acknowledge its mana cost as an investment in control and consider the agility it brings with instant speed removal. As we’ve explored, matching it against the likes of Vraska’s Contempt and Hero’s Downfall, the card’s unique merits become clear. It’s not just about removing threats, but also sculpting your future moves. Dive deeper into strategic deck building and outsmart your opponents—learn more with us and embrace the depth of MTG’s gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Eat to Extinction MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Theros Beyond Death, 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 Eat to Extinction and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Eat to Extinction Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by Vincent Proce.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 799272015NormalBlackVincent Proce
22020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 3122015NormalBlackVincent Proce
32020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 90p2015NormalBlackVincent Proce
42020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 90s2015NormalBlackVincent Proce
52020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 902015NormalBlackVincent Proce

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Eat to Extinction has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Eat to Extinction card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-01-24 If the target creature or planeswalker is an illegal target by the time Eat to Extinction tries to resolve, the spell won’t resolve. You won’t look at or move the top card of your library.
2020-01-24 If you don’t put the top card of your library into your graveyard, it remains on top of your library.