Flayer Husk MTG Card


Flayer Husk is a tool for immediate board presence, offering both a creature and equipment in one card. It boosts early gameplay pressure by enhancing creature power without requiring additional mana. Living Weapon ensures a creature is equipped instantly, optimizing equipment-centric deck strategies.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip,Living weapon

Text of card

Living weapon (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, put a 0/0 black Germ creature token onto the battlefield, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +1/+1. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)


Cards like Flayer Husk

Flayer Husk is a unique piece in the Magic: The Gathering artifact landscape. It’s often compared to other equipment cards such as Trusty Machete or Bonesplitter, which also boost a creature’s power. Flayer Husk, however, has a distinct advantage – it brings a creature along with it, thanks to Living Weapon. This essentially gives you a 1/1 creature with the equipment already attached as soon as it enters the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Trusty Machete doesn’t create a creature, but offers a more substantial power and toughness boost. Bonesplitter similarly does not come with a creature, yet it provides an even greater power increase at a lower equip cost. Despite these differences, Flayer Husk remains a competitive choice for its immediate board presence. It’s particularly effective in strategies that benefit from having an extra creature on the field, whether for sacrificial mechanics, artifact count, or simply an additional blocker.

Evaluating Flayer Husk in the realm of MTG, its unique combination of creature creation and equipment utility certainly positions it as a versatile option, especially in decks that capitalize on synergies with artifacts and creatures.

Trusty Machete - MTG Card versions
Bonesplitter - MTG Card versions
Trusty Machete - MTG Card versions
Bonesplitter - MTG Card versions

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Urza's Chalice - MTG Card versions
Ivory Cup - MTG Card versions
Brass Man - MTG Card versions
Mana Vault - MTG Card versions
Soul Net - MTG Card versions
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Feldon's Cane - MTG Card versions
Throne of Bone - MTG Card versions
Meekstone - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
TronTron PauperTronPauper Challenge 32 2024-04-27
Mono-Green StompyMono-Green Stompy PauperMono-Green AggroSprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 1^ tappa PISA 2024
Golgari AggroGolgari Aggro PauperBLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup
Hammer TimeHammer Time ModernHammer TimeModern Preliminary 2023-12-11 (1)
Jeskai AffinityJeskai Affinity PauperJeskai AffinityPauper Challenge 64 2023-12-10 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flayer Husk offers an immediate presence on the board by creating a creature upon entering the battlefield. This can translate into card advantage, as it equips automatically to the Germ token it generates, effectively giving you two assets out of a single card.

Resource Acceleration: By providing an equipped creature with a small boost, Flayer Husk can help accelerate your board presence. Although it does not generate additional mana, the increase in creature power can be a resourceful way to apply pressure on your opponent early in the game.

Instant Speed: While the card itself is not an instant, the Living Weapon ability means that you get an equipped creature right away. This can be advantageous in decks that take advantage of equipment synergies or need to maintain a board presence with little to no downtime.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Flayer Husk lacks a discard mechanic, which may limit interactions within strategies that benefit from card discarding, like enabling reanimator tactics or triggering madness abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Flayer Husk requires colorless mana to cast, which isn’t generally a hurdle, but it can’t be used to contribute to colored mana costs for devotion or multicolored strategies that might not prioritize generic mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Flayer Husk’s combined mana and equip costs may be viewed as inefficient compared to other equipment cards that provide more significant or versatile buffs at a similar or lower total mana investment.


Reasons to Include Flayer Husk in Your Collection

Versatility: Flayer Husk offers a dual benefit as both an equipment and a creature due to its living weapon ability. This allows it to be a flexible option for decks looking to increase their creature count or improve their equipment synergy.

Combo Potential: The Germ token that Flayer Husk creates upon entering the battlefield can interact with various strategies, such as those that capitalize on sacrificing creatures or using artifacts. Its presence can enable or enhance intricate combos within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Flayer Husk’s ability to immediately impact the board with an additional creature can be a game-changer. Moreover, it remains useful as decks evolve to adjust to the current competitive scene.


How to beat

Flayer Husk is a versatile card in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal, known for its ability to beef up creatures with its subtle yet impactful Living Weapon ability. Upon entering the battlefield, it equips a creature with a +1/+1 token, and even after the creature’s demise, the Husk remains, ready to empower another. The key to dismantling this artifact’s advantage is targeting the additional value it brings to creatures. Artifact removal spells are your best bet, with options like Naturalize or Disenchant allowing for quick and cost-effective elimination.

Playing around the Husk involves simple strategy adjustments. Time your removal to reduce its impact – removing a creature before its augmented by Flayer Husk can save you hassle. Cards that specifically destroy equipment or exile artifacts like Release to the Wind also work effectively to neutralize the lingering threat of the Husk. Moreover, maintain pressure on your opponent, forcing them to use resources to re-equip the Husk, thus diverting them from their broader game plan.

Though it seems modest at first glance, Flayer Husk can prove a pesky component of an opponent’s strategy. But with calculated tactics and well-timed spell casting, its influence can be mitigated, paving the way to victory against any opponent wielding this dexterous artifact.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flayer Husk MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Planechase 2012, 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 Flayer Husk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Flayer Husk Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 1072003NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
22012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 1102003NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 2142015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
42016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 1102015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 15832015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
62020-08-07Double Masters2XM 2562015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
72020-09-26The ListPLST PCA-1102015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flayer Husk has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-08-07 If the Germ token is destroyed, the Equipment remains on the battlefield as with any other Equipment.
2020-08-07 If the living weapon trigger causes two Germs to be created (due to an effect such as that of Doubling Season), the Equipment becomes attached to one of them. The other will be put into your graveyard and subsequently cease to exist, unless another effect raises its toughness above 0.
2020-08-07 Like other Equipment, each Equipment with living weapon has an equip cost. You can pay this cost to attach an Equipment to another creature you control. Once the Germ token is no longer equipped, it will be put into your graveyard and subsequently cease to exist, unless another effect raises its toughness above 0.
2020-08-07 The Germ token enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature and the Equipment becomes attached to it before state-based actions would cause the token to die. Abilities that trigger as the token enters the battlefield see that a 0/0 creature entered the battlefield.