While this card didn't exactly invent Suicide Black, it has become a staple of such decks. The fact that it came from the same set as Hatred is amusing, too.
paradigm316
★☆☆☆☆ (1.3/5.0)(12 votes)
WTF!?!?!!! dude this card Rocks 1b for a 2/2 whose upkeep you dont have 2 pay and can still use it there are many a black cards that can and will benefit from this creature.....2nd turn i have hit my opponent for 12!!!! this card deserves a 6th star for being versitile and exceptional!!!!!
Mode
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
I like the new alternative from Zendikar, Vampire Lacerator. I still prefer good old Carnophage, though.
Serpentario
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Today I get him for my zombie deck and it was awsome XD He rules the firsts turns
HairlessThoctar
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(7 votes)
While Vampire Lacerator is almost completely better because it can turn off, this guy is still very much playable.
Kryptnyt
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(5 votes)
warcraft 3 ghoul rushes have nothing on this.
qaq456
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
paradigm316 how did you do that on turn two the most you could do with a turn one carnophage is 6'ish unless you used dark ritual or something sigh i give up its funny with sacrophage or something is the new version of it two black for 3/3 and pay 2 life at upkeep
And I would even add, Carnophage has an effect not mentionned on the card. Play 3 of them on turn 1 with dark ritual, and you're on the winning side of psychological warfare! I've seen many so stressed out by such a timely appearance that it made them do foolish mistakes with their own decks!
Omenchild
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"2nd turn i have hit my opponent for 12" alright paradigm.. i doubt that 12 was delt only because of carnophage. there ton of ways to outdo that, and whatever way you did it with carnophage, you must admit would be better with something better
not saying its not a bad cards, its good as far as black goes. just not rly a do 12 damage the turn it can attack lol like phyrexian dreadnaught + stifle ;)
Bluecash
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolutely love this guy. One of the best black creatures for my money.
CeremonialBathory
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@HairlessThoctar - I don't understand your comment. This guy is more reliably "turned off" than Vampire Lacerator. During your upkeep you can say "I don't want to pay for Carnophage, so I'll tap him". Laccy only turns off if you're winning.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(6 votes)
Great art, real shocker! And no, that was NOT sarcasm, I lurv this art!
sagegreenOBELISK
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
one of the best "suicide black" cards in the game. oh, there are bigger, badder, scarier ones to be sure, but this guy has scored me more wins than not. <3 u Carnophage!
ZombieBadger
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
Art kinda looks like Carnage from Spidey. Name too: Carn(oph)age.
Exelent creature, exelent art, exelent flavor text, God I love this card.
whoiam
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I feel like this card is going to be reprinted in Innistrad. Just a lucky guess.
Woozly
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Great shcoker! Reel STEEL
tavaritz
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Phages are viruses that infect something, 'carno-' is flesh, so this is fleshinfecting virus.
Blackworm_Bloodworm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@tavaritz: Actually, the suffix "-phage" originates from Greek, and means "To consume". Carnophage is a flesh-eater.
GraemeGunn
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
@tavaritz: NO, it's not "fleshinfecting virus", it's "Carnophage". That doesn't even make sense, when they made this card, they probably were not thinking about "flesh-infecting viruses".
Dream_Twist
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Is there some reason this card isn't a 5/5? How could you possibly ask for a better one drop in black?
TheZombifier
★★☆☆☆ (2.6/5.0)(4 votes)
I wonder how this thing got better rating than Diregraf Ghoul... ...Diregraf Ghoul is awesome Zombie...
Ratazana
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This is the real raw power of black magic!
The fact that it was printed as a common makes all the difference.
Reversed
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It's way above the curve for black one-drop creatures, that much is undeniable. The problem is, black does better things for one mana than play a one-drop creature. For example, Thoughtseize or Dark Ritual.
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Still efficient. Given it's been a decade and then some; that's saying something. There are still no 1-drop 2/2s that can do everything this guy can (I.E. are a creature, can attack and block as normal each turn, and aren't conditionally 2/2.)
Mirrordin_Pure
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Good ol' suicide black.
MechaKraken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a pretty cool card. The fact that you are losing life due to this creature will make the opponent possibly think twice about removing it. That can work in your favor, if you manage to deal 2 damage with it while only paying 1 life per turn. A 2/2 creature for only is also pretty good.
A similar scenario exists with Cloistered Youth and Herald of Torment. They can be pretty strong during the early game, but late game they start to become a hindrance since the opponent may just immobilize them with something like Pacifism or Guard Duty and let you keep taking life loss during your upkeep. Fortunately, this card in particular lets you choose whether to tap it to avoid the life loss, so that actually makes it better then Cloistered Youth in some ways.
Pretty nice design and very much in flavor with black. Try to hurt them more then you hurt yourself.
Comments (30)
He rules the firsts turns
Except that carnophage has massive amounts of nostalgia backing it up.
alright paradigm.. i doubt that 12 was delt only because of carnophage. there ton of ways to outdo that, and whatever way you did it with carnophage, you must admit would be better with something better
not saying its not a bad cards, its good as far as black goes. just not rly a do 12 damage the turn it can attack lol like phyrexian dreadnaught + stifle ;)
And no, that was NOT sarcasm, I lurv this art!
The fact that it was printed as a common makes all the difference.
A similar scenario exists with Cloistered Youth and Herald of Torment. They can be pretty strong during the early game, but late game they start to become a hindrance since the opponent may just immobilize them with something like Pacifism or Guard Duty and let you keep taking life loss during your upkeep. Fortunately, this card in particular lets you choose whether to tap it to avoid the life loss, so that actually makes it better then Cloistered Youth in some ways.
Pretty nice design and very much in flavor with black. Try to hurt them more then you hurt yourself.