Quick Answer

Tainted Strike is a common Instant from SOM (SOM) costing {B}. Current price: $1.63 USD. Legal in Modern. Legal in Commander.

Tainted Strike MTG card

Tainted Strike

Instant

Card Text

Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains infect until end of turn. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)

"Welcome to perfection." —Sheoldred, Whispering One

Card Stats

common CMC: 1.0 SOM SOM 🎨 James Ryman

Market Prices

TCGPlayer
$1.63
Normal
Buy
TCGPlayer
$24.82
Foil
Buy
Card Kingdom
$1.99
Normal
Buy
Card Kingdom
$22.99
Foil
Buy
Cardmarket
€1.73
Normal
Buy
Cardmarket
€13.11
Foil
Buy
Prices updated: 2025-12-08

Format Legality

Commander Legal
Duel Legal
Legacy Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pauper Legal
Paupercommander Legal
Penny Legal
Predh Legal
Vintage Legal

Similar Cards

Community Stats

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Often Played With

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tainted Strike? Basics

Tainted Strike is a Instant card from the Magic: The Gathering trading card game.

Its ability reads: "Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains infect until end of turn. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)"

How much mana does Tainted Strike cost to cast? Basics

Tainted Strike has a mana cost of {B}, which equals 1.0 total mana (converted mana cost/mana value).

It requires B mana to cast.

What does mana cost mean in Magic: The Gathering? Basics

Mana cost is the amount and type of mana required to cast a spell in Magic: The Gathering.

Tainted Strike's mana cost of {B} means you need to pay that much mana from your lands or other sources.

Colored symbols (W=White, U=Blue, B=Black, R=Red, G=Green) must be paid with that specific color, while numbers can be paid with any color.

What is converted mana cost (CMC) or mana value? Basics

Converted mana cost (now officially called "mana value") is the total amount of mana in a card's mana cost, regardless of color.

Tainted Strike has a mana value of 1.0. This is important for effects that care about a spell's total cost, like cascade or cards that say "mana value 3 or less."

What is oracle text? Basics

Oracle text is the official, current rules text for a Magic card as maintained by Wizards of the Coast. It supersedes any printed text on older cards.

Tainted Strike's current oracle text is: "Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains infect until end of turn. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)"

What is the current price of Tainted Strike? Pricing

The current market price for Tainted Strike is approximately $1.63 USD on TCGPlayer.

A foil copy costs approximately $24.82 USD.

On Cardmarket (Europe), it's approximately €1.73 EUR.

Where can I buy Tainted Strike? Pricing

You can purchase Tainted Strike from major MTG retailers including:

Prices vary by condition and printing. Check multiple sellers to find the best price.

What is the difference between normal and foil cards? Pricing

Foil cards have a shiny, holographic finish that makes them more collectible. They are functionally identical to normal cards but typically cost more due to their rarity and visual appeal.

Tainted Strike normal: $1.63 | foil: $24.82

Is Tainted Strike legal in Standard? Legality

Format legality information for Tainted Strike in Standard is not available.

Standard is a rotating format that only allows cards from the most recent sets.

Is Tainted Strike legal in Modern? Legality

Tainted Strike is Legal in Modern format.

Modern includes all cards printed in a standard-legal set from 8th Edition forward.

Is Tainted Strike legal in Commander (EDH)? Legality

Tainted Strike is Legal in Commander (EDH) format.

Commander is a casual multiplayer format where you build a 100-card singleton deck around a legendary creature.

Is Tainted Strike legal in Pioneer? Legality

Format legality information for Tainted Strike in Pioneer is not available.

Pioneer is a non-rotating format that includes all standard-legal sets from Return to Ravnica forward.

Is Tainted Strike legal in Legacy? Legality

Tainted Strike is Legal in Legacy format.

Legacy allows almost all cards ever printed, with a substantial ban list for balance.

Is Tainted Strike legal in Vintage? Legality

Tainted Strike is Legal in Vintage format.

Vintage is the most permissive format, allowing almost all cards with only a minimal ban list. Some powerful cards are "Restricted" (limited to 1 copy).

Is Tainted Strike legal in Pauper? Legality

Tainted Strike is Legal in Pauper format.

Pauper only allows cards that have been printed at common rarity in a paper or online set.

What is format legality in MTG? Legality

Format legality indicates which official MTG formats allow a card to be played:

  • Legal: Card is allowed in the format
  • Banned: Card is prohibited from play
  • Restricted: Limited to 1 copy (Vintage only)
  • Not Legal: Card was never part of that format's card pool

Different formats have different banned lists based on power level and game balance.

What set is Tainted Strike from? Details

This printing of Tainted Strike is from SOM (SOM), with collector number 80.

Tainted Strike may also appear in other MTG sets with different art or special treatments.

What is Tainted Strike's rarity? Details

Tainted Strike is a common card in SOM.

Card rarity affects both availability and price. From rarest to most common: Mythic Rare → Rare → Uncommon → Common.

Who illustrated Tainted Strike? Details

Tainted Strike was illustrated by James Ryman.

Magic: The Gathering features artwork from hundreds of talented artists, and many cards have been reprinted with new art over the years.

💬 Card Discussion

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