Tragic Slip MTG Card


Instant speed casting of Tragic Slip adds reactive flexibility to control the battlefield. Morbid ability significantly enhances its removal power when a creature dies. Efficient cost and versatility make it a formidable inclusion in black-based decks.
Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Morbid

Text of card

Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Morbid — That creature gets -13/-13 until end of turn instead if a creature died this turn.

Linger on death's door and risk being invited in.


Cards like Tragic Slip

Tragic Slip stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a potent removal card, offering considerable flexibility. Its likeness can be seen in Fatal Push, another removal spell that can also destroy creatures with a low cost and the potential for greater power under the right conditions. While Fatal Push requires a permanent you control to leave the battlefield to activate its full potential, Tragic Slip takes advantage of any death trigger by unleashing a devastating -13/-13 on a target creature, a bonus dramatically more than enough to tackle most threats.

Analogous in function to Doom Blade, Tragic Slip offers a similar creature removal at a single black mana. However, Tragic Slip does not restrict its target by color and potentially can become significantly more powerful with morbid activated. Looking to broader options like Go for the Throat, which destroys nonartifact creatures, Tragic Slip’s low cost and situational power boost deliver versatility to adapt to a wider array of in-game scenarios without the limitation of the target’s characteristics.

By evaluating effectiveness and utility, Tragic Slip is undoubtedly a dynamic asset within Magic: The Gathering’s array of removal spells. Its capacity for dramatic swings in creature control provides players with a cost-efficient and potentially game-altering tool for their decks.

Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tragic Slip by color, type and mana cost

Howl from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
Sacrifice - MTG Card versions
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Dredge - MTG Card versions
Vendetta - MTG Card versions
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Fade from Memory - MTG Card versions
Duh - MTG Card versions
Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Stop That - MTG Card versions
Disembowel - MTG Card versions
Howl from Beyond - MTG Card versions
Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
Sacrifice - MTG Card versions
Darkness - MTG Card versions
Marsh Gas - MTG Card versions
Gravebind - MTG Card versions
Misinformation - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Tutor - MTG Card versions
Dredge - MTG Card versions
Vendetta - MTG Card versions
Coffin Purge - MTG Card versions
Defile - MTG Card versions
March of Wretched Sorrow - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Fade from Memory - MTG Card versions
Duh - MTG Card versions
Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Stop That - MTG Card versions
Disembowel - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WBGWBG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-04-27
Mono-Black MidrangeMono-Black Midrange GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024
Mardu SacrificeMardu Sacrifice GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Golgari GardensGolgari Gardens PauperGolgari GardensPauper Challenge 64 2023-12-03 (1)
Mardu AggroMardu Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 11 2024
Dimir DelverDimir Delver PauperDimir ControlPauper Jungle
Rakdos AggroRakdos Aggro GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Golgari AggroGolgari Aggro PauperBLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup
UBRUBR PauperPauper Challenge 64 2024-02-04
BGBG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-01-06

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tragic Slip can be a game-changer in any MTG matchup. By ensuring the removal of a critical creature, it disrupts opponent strategies, effectively serving as a one-card solution to potential threats without sacrificing your own hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Tragic Slip itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its low mana cost allows players to efficiently manage their mana pool. This leaves resources available for further plays within the same turn, maintaining tempo and maximizing in-game efficacy.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Tragic Slip at instant speed provides a strategic advantage. This allows for reactive play during an opponent’s turn, potentially eliminating creatures boosted by combat tricks or engaging in lethal combat, further increasing its utility and surprise factor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tragic Slip demands a creature to die in order to unlock its full potential, a stipulation that might not align with your board state, leaving you with less control over its enhanced effect.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring black mana, this card is exclusively beneficial in mono-black or multicolor decks that can generate that mana, creating a dependency on certain land types or mana-providing cards.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though Tragic Slip itself has a low casting cost, the need to trigger morbid for its -13/-13 effect means you might be dedicating additional mana and resources to create the death-triggering situation, covertly raising its cost relative to other removal spells.


Reasons to Include Tragic Slip in Your Collection

Versatility: Tragic Slip is incredibly flexible, suitable for a multitude of decks that need efficient removal options. Whether you’re defending against aggressive creatures or looking to clear a path for your own attackers, this card provides a solution for just one mana, making it a staple for decks prioritizing efficiency and responsiveness.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that can easily trigger its morbid ability for maximum effect. When paired with sacrifice outlets or self-destructive creatures, Tragic Slip can easily turn into a powerful tool that can remove even the most formidable creatures from the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creatures play a central role, having access to a low-cost, high-impact removal like Tragic Slip can give you an edge. It’s a timely response to powerful creatures and can quickly turn the tides of a match, making it a valuable addition to your arsenal, especially when facing decks that rely on creature-based strategies.


How to Defeat Tragic Slip in MTG

Tragic Slip is a highly versatile removal card found in many MTG decks due to its low cost and the potential to give a creature -13/-13, which can eliminate virtually any threat on the board. The key to countering this card lies in controlling the morbid trigger, which activates the larger effect only if a creature died this turn.

To overcome this spell, consider using indestructible creatures or those with regeneration abilities that can survive the initial -1/-1 effect, rendering Tragic Slip’s morbid boost irrelevant. Alternatively, playing cards that grant hexproof can protect your creatures from being targeted. Additionally, saving instant-speed removal or exile effects for creatures your opponent could sacrifice can help avoid triggering morbid. Counter spells also serve as a direct way to prevent Tragic Slip from resolving in the first place.

In essence, the ideal strategy against Tragic Slip is to minimize opportunities for your opponent to activate morbid or to deploy creatures and effects that aren’t susceptible to -13/-13. By carefully navigating around the conditions that maximize Tragic Slip’s potential, you can effectively blunt its impact and maintain a strong board presence.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deep into the strategic play of MTG can utterly transform your experience. With cards like Tragic Slip offering nuanced options for creature removal, understanding each card’s pros and cons is essential. Leveraging its full potential when a creature has fallen ensures you maintain the upper hand. And while facing its limitations requires shrewd planning, mastering these details can be incredibly rewarding. As you refine your collection and hone your tactics, embrace the dynamic nature of such cards. Keen to unlock more insights and strategies that could pivot the outcome of your matches? Pursue new learnings with us and forge your path to victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tragic Slip MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Tragic Slip and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tragic Slip Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-02-03Dark AscensionDKA 762003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
22014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 662003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
32014-06-06ConspiracyCNS 1282003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
42014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1672015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
52015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 492015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
62016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1092015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
72019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7992015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
82020-09-26The ListPLST C14-1672015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
92022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4782015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
102022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 742015NormalBlackYuichi Murakami
112023-03-21Shadows of the PastSIS 352015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
122023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1922015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
132023-11-17Special GuestsSPG 222015NormalBorderlessScott M. Fischer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tragic Slip has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal