Phyrexian Ingester MTG Card


Phyrexian Ingester offers card advantage and board presence by exiling creatures and gaining power. While versatile and meta-relevant, the high mana cost can be restrictive in faster-paced formats. Counterplay includes instant-speed removal, protection abilities, and sacrifice outlets to minimize its impact.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Beast
Abilities Imprint
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Imprint — When Phyrexian Ingester enters the battlefield, you may exile target nontoken creature. Phyrexian Ingester gets +X/+Y, where X is the exiled creature card's power and Y is its toughness.


Cards like Phyrexian Ingester

Phyrexian Ingester emerges as a unique entity within the realm of creature removal spells in MTG. It shares a resemblance with the classic Duplicant, which also exiles creatures to adopt their power and toughness attributes. However, the Ingester advances this effect by gaining +1/+1 counters equivalent to the exiled creature’s power, not merely copying stats. This makes it potentially more formidable as it permanently integrates the consumed power into its own.

Another peer in this sphere is the Ravenous Chupacabra, a creature renowned for its simplicity in dealing with threats by destroying a target creature upon entry to the battlefield. The Chupacabra lacks the capacity to absorb attributes from its victims, presenting a straightforward, but less strategically expandable removal option. Then there’s the Meteor Golem, which offers a broader range of destructive capabilities by targeting any nonland permanent, not just creatures. Yet, unlike Phyrexian Ingester, it doesn’t provide the continuous board presence advantage after its removal duty is fulfilled.

In juxtaposing these cards, Phyrexian Ingester reveals itself as a powerfully adaptable force in MTG. With its ability to grow stronger through its exiling mechanic, this card stands out for players seeking dynamic threat responses and a progressively threatening board presence.

Duplicant - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Chupacabra - MTG Card versions
Meteor Golem - MTG Card versions
Duplicant - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Chupacabra - MTG Card versions
Meteor Golem - MTG Card versions

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: By exiling a creature, Phyrexian Ingester becomes a sizable threat on the board while also effectively removing an opponent’s key creature. This two-for-one interaction often results in a significant swing in card economy, enhancing your field presence as your adversaries lose theirs.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly affecting resources, the efficient removal provided by Phyrexian Ingester can indirectly accelerate your game plan. By dealing with a high-value target, you effectively nullify the resources your opponent invested in it, which can lead to a tempo advantage on your side of the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While Phyrexian Ingester itself does not operate at instant speed, its place in decks often goes hand-in-hand with control strategies that rely on instant speed interaction. Being a creature that can immediately impact the board, it ensures that your mana spent on the previous turns keeps contributing to the game state, even when summoned during your own main phase.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Requirement: Phyrexian Ingester’s cost demands both generic and blue mana, requiring a dedicated source within a player’s deck. This can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that may struggle with mana consistency. Meeting this requirement can be a hurdle in decks that are not predominantly blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of seven mana to cast, Phyrexian Ingester sits at the higher end of the mana curve. This can be quite demanding, especially in formats where the pace of the game is quicker and lower-cost creatures are essential for establishing early board presence.

Discard Requirement: While Phyrexian Ingester does not have a discard requirement itself, its high mana cost implies a significant opportunity cost. By investing a substantial amount of mana into one creature, players may find themselves discarding other potential plays during the course of the turn. As such, this can indirectly lead to a disadvantageous card advantage situation.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Ingester offers a unique blend of creature removal and board presence, making it a flexible addition to a variety of decks, particularly in formats where large threats commonly need to be dealt with.

Combo Potential: Its ability to exile creatures and grow in power makes it a prime candidate for synergies with cards that care about creature size or graveyard manipulation, paving the way for powerful interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments rich with indestructible or regenerated creatures, Phyrexian Ingester provides an answer that bypasses these protective measures, allowing it to adapt to and excel in shifting metagames.


How to Beat Phyrexian Ingester

Phyrexian Ingester is a creature that can pose significant challenges on the battlefield. When it enters the battlefield, it exiles target nontoken creature and gets +X/+Y, where X is the exiled creature’s power and Y is its toughness. The key to overcoming Phyrexian Ingester lies in preventing this interaction or minimizing its impact.

Instant-speed removal spells are among the best answers to Phyrexian Ingester. You can remove the Ingester in response to its entering the battlefield before its ability resolves, neutralizing the threat before it can become more powerful. It’s also vital to keep your crucial creatures protected with hexproof or shroud to sidestep the Ingester’s targeting capabilities. Cards that offer sacrifice outlets allow you to make use of your creature’s value before the Ingester can exile them, mitigating the potential power swing.

Ultimately, having a robust response plan for when Phyrexian Ingester hits the table is crucial. Prioritize maintaining instant-speed interaction and proactive protection methods in your deck so you can efficiently handle these situations and maintain your board presence.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depths of MTG offer a haven for players who strive to outwit and outmaneuver their opponents. Understanding the nuances of Phyrexian Ingester can transform your gameplay, leveraging its dual utility as a threat and removal. Dive deeper into the strategic plays, deck synergies, and countermeasures of this impactful card. Strengthen your collection and broaden your tactical horizons with cards like Phyrexian Ingester that defy traditional boundaries and carve a path to victory. Embrace this knowledge and join a community passionate about deck innovation and gameplay excellence. Discover more on how to optimize your MTG experience with Phyrexian Ingester.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Ingester MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Commander 2014, 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 Phyrexian Ingester and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Ingester Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Chris Rahn.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 412003NormalBlackChris Rahn
22014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1192015NormalBlackChris Rahn
32016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 662015NormalBlackChris Rahn
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4552015NormalBlackChris Rahn
52020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-662015NormalBlackChris Rahn
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1112015NormalBlackChris Rahn

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Ingester has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-06-08 Abilities that define a creature’s power and toughness apply while that card is in exile, but abilities that add or subtract from it don’t. For example, the ability of Battle Squadron applies to determine Phyrexian Ingester’s power and toughness, but the ability of Werebear doesn’t. Phyrexian Ingester’s power and toughness are constantly updated if the exiled card’s power and/or toughness change.
2016-06-08 If the card in exile isn’t a creature card (perhaps because it was a land that was temporarily a creature while on the battlefield), Phyrexian Ingester doesn’t get a bonus.
2016-06-08 Phyrexian Ingester will get bonuses based on the card’s power and toughness in exile. Counters, Auras, and Equipment it had on it before it was exiled won’t add to those numbers.