Rabid Bite MTG Card


Secures card advantage by eliminating threats without depleting your hand, crucial for maintaining control. Enhances your attacking strategy by removing blockers, streamlining your path to victory. Mirrors instant-speed benefits, enabling combat maneuvers and generating surprise swings in board dynamics.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don't control.

"You should have seen the look on *both* their faces." —Morkamp, Lambholt innkeeper


Cards like Rabid Bite

Rabid Bite stands out as a notable removal option for players who favor green creature decks in Magic: The Gathering. It shares a functional resemblance to cards like Savage Swipe, which similarly allows for a targeted damage approach using a creature’s power. Both highlight green’s affinity for harmonizing creature strength with spell effects. Yet Rabid Bite has the advantage of not requiring the creature to be a 2 power to gain the additional benefit, unlike Savage Swipe.

Pounce is another equivalent, allowing for a creature you control to deal damage equal to its power to a creature you don’t control. Although Pounce’s requirement of similar power levels imposes a restriction, it does provide the flexibility of being an instant. This contrasts with Rabid Bite’s sorcery speed but offers a clear strategic edge in surprise maneuvers. Additionally, Nature’s Way allows a creature not only to deal its power in damage but also to gain vigilance and trample until the end of turn, adding beneficial effects but at a higher mana cost compared to Rabid Bite.

Assessing these cards, Rabid Bite earns its place for straightforward, cost-effective creature-based removal within Magic: The Gathering, providing players with dependable combat control without the extra conditions other similar spells may require.

Savage Swipe - MTG Card versions
Pounce - MTG Card versions
Nature's Way - MTG Card versions
Savage Swipe - MTG Card versions
Pounce - MTG Card versions
Nature's Way - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Rabid Bite by color, type and mana cost

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Superior Numbers - MTG Card versions
Summer Bloom - MTG Card versions
Elven Rite - MTG Card versions
Verdant Touch - MTG Card versions
Rampant Growth - MTG Card versions
Canopy Surge - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Blessing - MTG Card versions
Monstrous Growth - MTG Card versions
Nostalgic Dreams - MTG Card versions
Nylea's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Scrying - MTG Card versions
Wildcall - MTG Card versions
Revive - MTG Card versions
Weird Harvest - MTG Card versions
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Nature's Lore - MTG Card versions
Living Wish - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Rabid Bite doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it helps preserve your card advantage by removing threats without losing any cards from your hand. This efficient one-for-one removal can tip the scales in your favor during a match.

Resource Acceleration: Rabid Bite is not a resource acceleration card in the traditional sense of providing extra mana or resources. However, it offers a different kind of acceleration: it clears the path for your creatures to attack by removing blockers, which can accelerate your game plan towards victory.

Instant Speed: Although Rabid Bite operates at sorcery speed, its strategic impact mimics some of the advantages of instant speed spells by enabling planned combat tricks during your turn. This can result in favorable board states and surprise value shifts when timed well.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Rabid Bite, there is no discard necessary. The primary disadvantage is that it’s not a versatile removal, as it relies on having a creature on the battlefield to be effective.

Specific Mana Cost: Rabid Bite’s casting cost requires one green mana. This restriction means only decks that can produce green mana can utilize this card, potentially limiting its flexibility in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not excessively high, the total mana cost for Rabid Bite is two mana. In a fast-paced game where efficiency can dictate the outcome, there are instances where instant-speed removal at a similar or lower cost might be preferable despite not being as conditionally reliable.


Reasons to Include Rabid Bite in Your Collection

Versatility: Rabid Bite offers a straight-forward solution for creature removal that can slide into various green decks. Its simple, non-combat damage approach allows you to pick off problematic creatures while keeping your creature safe from reciprocated damage.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with creatures that have high power or possess abilities that trigger upon dealing damage. It can be a key component in strategies aimed at clearing the board while simultaneously activating your own effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies frequently dominate, Rabid Bite holds its ground by efficiently dealing with adversaries’ threats. Particularly in a standard or limited format, its importance rises when direct removal options are scarce within the green slice of the color pie.


How to beat

Rabid Bite is a versatile spell in Magic: The Gathering, adeptly combining creature removal with player safety by not engaging in combat. This particularity sets it apart from similar spells that typically involve attacking, which can expose creatures to danger. It’s akin to Prey Upon, another spell allowing a creature to deal damage equal to its power to target creature an opponent controls, but Rabid Bite avoids the reciprocal damage that can occur with Prey Upon.

Features that make other spells competitive with Rabid Bite include instant speed options like Pounce, granting flexibility during combat. Pounce, however, still requires the fight mechanic, where both creatures deal damage to each other. Then there’s Savage Stomp, which although costing more mana, offers the additional benefit of providing a +1/+1 counter to the chosen creature. These subtleties in mechanics can influence strategic decisions when building a deck.

Considering these aspects, Rabid Bite’s efficacy in creature control is evident. It’s particularly strong in decks focusing on creature superiority without risking their board presence. To counter Rabid Bite, ensure you have instant-speed responses or hexproof/shroud to protect valuable creatures from being targeted and thus maintaining an upper hand on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Considering the strategic depth Rabid Bite adds to your green deck, it’s an essential card for anyone looking to maintain card advantage and control the battlefield. Its role in board presence and creature-based strategies cannot be overstated, especially in standard and limited formats where removal options are limited for green mages. As you cultivate your collection, remember the importance of versatile spells that complement your creatures’ strengths. Rabid Bite is a prime example of such a spell. Dive deeper into the game and explore more tactics and synergies with our resources. Enhance your MTG prowess and outmaneuver your opponents with every play.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rabid Bite MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Welcome Deck 2017, 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 Rabid Bite and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rabid Bite Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2232015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
22017-04-15Welcome Deck 2017W17 262015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
32018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 1952015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
42019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 1902015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
52020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 1012015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
62020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 1992015NormalBlackJohn Thacker
72022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 1042015NormalBlackJohn Thacker
82023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 2102015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rabid Bite has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-07-12 If either creature is an illegal target as Rabid Bite tries to resolve, the creature you control won’t deal damage.