Torment of Scarabs MTG Card


Forces opponents into tough choices every turn, dwindling their resources and giving you an edge. Enhances black deck strategies focused on attrition, synergizing with other discard and sacrifice mechanics. Positioned well in metagames where opponents rely on heavy creature or hand preservation.
Torment of Scarabs - Hour of Devastation
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura Curse
Abilities Enchant
Released2017-07-14
Set symbol
Set nameHour of Devastation
Set codeHOU
Number78
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byBastien L. Deharme

Text of card

Enchant player At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player loses 3 life unless he or she sacrifices a nonland permanent or discards a card.

Like a carpet unrolling for their god, the scarabs poured out from the necropolis.


Cards like Torment of Scarabs

Torment of Scarabs stands out in the realm of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering with its persistent effect that slowly grinds down an opponent. It mirrors the attrition strategy seen in cards like Trial of Ambition, which forces an opponent to sacrifice a creature. While Torment of Scarabs applies pressure each upkeep, Trial of Ambition’s impact is immediate but doesn’t recur unless bolstered by other mechanics.

Another comparable card is Cruel Reality, a more powerful curse enchantment that escalates the demand on your opponent, coercing a sacrifice of a creature or planeswalker each turn and inflicting substantial life point penalties. Indeed, it comes with a heftier mana investment, reflecting its greater potential impact on the game. The pricing difference between Torment of Scarabs and Cruel Reality is an important consideration, with the former being more manageable in the early to mid-game.

Ultimately, when evaluating cards that wear down opponents over time, Torment of Scarabs provides a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and strategic depth in Magic: The Gathering, enabling a style of play that taxes and potentially cripples your adversary’s resources turn by turn.

Trial of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Cruel Reality - MTG Card versions
Trial of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Cruel Reality - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Torment of Scarabs by color, type and mana cost

Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Night of Souls' Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Measure of Wickedness - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Night of Souls' Betrayal - MTG Card versions
Measure of Wickedness - MTG Card versions
Grave Pact - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Torment of Scarabs provides continuous card advantage by putting your opponent in a predicament each turn. They must choose between losing life, discarding a card, or sacrificing a nonland permanent, steadily depleting their resources over time.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana acceleration, Torment of Scarabs indirectly accelerates your resource advantage. By diminishing your opponent’s board and hand presence, it effectively fast-tracks you towards a winning state while they struggle to keep up.

Instant Speed: Despite not being an instant itself, Torment of Scarabs influences the pace of the game. Its recurring trigger at the beginning of the opponent’s upkeep demands an immediate response. This opens strategic plays for you, as opponents must consider the enchantment’s effect each turn, possibly at the cost of not deploying other threats or answers promptly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One significant downside of Torment of Scarabs is its requirement for opponents to discard, which may become ineffective if they have no cards left in hand or a way to generate card advantage, thus mitigating the card’s potential impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Featuring a specific mana cost that includes black, this card is constrained to black decks or those with sufficient mana fixing, potentially limiting its versatility across the various MTG archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands four mana, including three of which must be black, Torment of Scarabs stands at a higher mana tier. This puts it in competition with other impactful four-mana spells, which may offer immediate board presence or game-changing effects right away.


Reasons to Include Torment of Scarabs in Your Collection

Versatility: Torment of Scarabs is a unique enchantment that fits well within a variety of black control or attrition strategies. Its ability to steadily drain your opponent’s resources each turn makes it a consistent threat, no matter the board state.

Combo Potential: This card works beautifully with other discard or sacrifice effects. It compounds the pressure on your opponent by forcing difficult decisions and synergizes with cards that capitalize on your opponent’s loss of life or decrease in hand size.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with decks that focus on keeping a full hand or preserving creatures, Torment of Scarabs can disrupt your opponent’s plans significantly. As a recurring source of damage and disruption, it can be a serious thorn in the side of more passive decks that rely on set piece combos or incremental advantage.


How to beat

Torment of Scarabs is a persistent threat in MTG that can slowly whittle down an opponent’s resources. Its ability forces a player to sacrifice something valuable each turn, be it life, cards, or creatures on the battlefield. However, despite its strength, there are strategies to effectively counter this troublesome enchantment.

Firstly, consider using enchantment removal spells which are a direct answer to Torment of Scarabs. Spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can remove it from play, stopping its effects immediately. Another approach is to play spells that grant you hexproof, like Shalai, Voice of Plenty, making you immune to Torment of Scarabs’ effects as it can no longer target you. Additionally, leveraging cards that allow you to gain life consistently can help offset the life loss Torment of Scarabs causes, reducing its impact on your game. Remember also to maintain a healthy hand size to absorb the potential card loss penalty without affecting your gameplay significantly. Ultimately, preparation and inclusion of counter-strategies in your deck can turn the tide against the relentless pressure of Torment of Scarabs.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deciphering the advantages and limitations of Torment of Scarabs can transform your MTG experience, especially if you favor strategies that steadily chip away at your opponent’s resources. Employing this enchantment effectively can be your beacon to outwitting rivals in a game of strategy and patience. As you consider incorporating cards like Torment of Scarabs into your arsenal, it’s crucial to understand and explore their synergies and counters. Delve deeper into the metagame, sharpen your deck-building skills, and leverage the strategic insights of seasoned players to fortify your position at the table. Keen to harness the full potential of Torment of Scarabs and dominate your matches? Join the BurnMana community to discover, learn, and master more strategic gameplay facets.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Torment of Scarabs MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation, 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 Torment of Scarabs and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Torment of Scarabs 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 Torment of Scarabs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2017-07-14 While resolving the triggered ability of Torment of Scarabs, the enchanted player chooses a card to be discarded without revealing it, chooses a nonland permanent to be sacrificed, or chooses to do neither. Then that player discards that card, sacrifices that permanent, or loses 3 life. That player can always choose to lose 3 life, even if they have cards to discard or nonland permanents to sacrifice.