Leeches

Sorcery

Target player loses all poison counters. Leeches deals that much damage to that player.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (33)

leprechaunV on A Plague Upon Your House!

10 months ago

You might add Leeches in case another player grabs one of your creatures and starts poisoning you, or to use as a political play to remove poison from an opponent if they do something for you.

plakjekaas on Has Toxic fixed poison counters?

1 year ago

Intuitively, I get a bit icky about an infection you can't actually cure (except maybe with Leeches). That's a really ancient view on healthcare, if you ask me.

The fact that it's unhealable, cumulative damage that can't be healed back like regular lifepoints, on top of not needing as much to be lethal, and the only way to interact with it is to Proliferate, which only adds to it, and can't be reversed... I understand it can drive you to hopelessness and desperation if you're opposing the poison counter decks. That's the MO of Phyrexia I suppose.

I do think we need some interaction with it, some Vampire Hexmage that targets players, or a Suncleanser that can target yourself. Or contra-liferation, "choose any numbers of permanents/ players with counters on them. For each, remove 1 counter of any kind off them."

Being able to heal would also break the parallel with commander damage.

TheoryCrafter on Has Toxic fixed poison counters?

1 year ago

I don't really see poison fully fixed until:

-The ten poison counter state based rule is phased out with a spell and ability system that punishes players with poison counters (All Will Be One, Mycosynth Fiend, and the Corrupted ability are a start) and cards including, but not limited to, Crypt Cobra and Pit Scorpion are treated like alternate win cards.

And/or

-The one I prefer, WOTC breaks down and prints more cards like Leeches, Melira, the Living Cure, Melira, Sylvok Outcast and Solemnity where poison counters can be removed or restricted.

Coward_Token on Phyrexia: All Will Be One …

1 year ago

TheoryCrafter: Yeah it was a joke, partially as a reference to how much Mark Rosewater hates Leeches and the concept of poison counter removal in general.

TheoryCrafter on Phyrexia: All Will Be One …

1 year ago

My thoughts on this set:

Melira, the Living Cure should've been able to remove poison counters even if the ability was similar to Leeches.

All Will Be One and Soul-Scar Mage together just turned a lot of cheap cards pinging all creatures on the battlefield into board wipes. And if you happen to have Bonfire of the Damned to cast you could end up winning the game.

I know the stories explained it, but I would love to had seen cards explaining how Lukka and Nissa were compleated. Though compleating Nissa kinda irks me because the story she was in in The Brothers War implied she survived the war with New Phyrexia.

Nahiri, the Unforgiving and Bladegraft Aspirant could end up vital in Boros reconfigure decks.

I like Corrupted. A good way to take advantage of poison without directly using it to win. Vishgraz, the Doomhive is the poison Commander we deserve.

Only sacrifice to draw a card?? 5 of the Sphere lands feel underwheling compared to the rest.

If you are building a oil counter deck for an eternal format, make sure to add Nesting Grounds to the deck.

In Superfriends decks, Ichormoon Gauntlet and Kasmina, Enigma Sage together could result in multiple -12 activations in a turn.

With Vraska a primarily black Planeswalker and Tyvar also a {BG} Planeswalker, it fits that she got the monoblack card. Anyone else notice the similarities between the ultimates of Vraska, Betrayal's Sting and Vraska, Relic Seeker?

As happy as I am Terramorphic Expanse got reprinted into Standard, I think Evolving Wilds would've made for a more flavorful choice.

Thrun was declared the last Troll BEFORE the Phyrexians rose. So what's with Oil-Gorger Troll?

Kaito, Dancing Shadow should be a staple in Etrata, the Silencer decks.

TheoryCrafter on

2 years ago

You have a pretty good start here. Among the monowhite creatures with infect you still need are Lost Leonin and Tine Shrike

One issue with decks relying on poison counters for the victory is cards which can prevent them including, but not limited to, Melira, Sylvok Outcast and Solemnity. These can be dealt with cards including, but not limited to, Invoke the Divine and Revoke Existence. Elish Norn should be enough to keep Melira off the battlefield. Leeches (which would also coordinate alright with Phyrexian Unlife) could do damage to an opponent if they already have poison counters and you're unable to remove those cards.

I'll be adding more later. Happy Hunting!

legendofa on Reworked Alpha Boon Cycle. Thoughts?

2 years ago

Healing Prayer's second ability needs a little tweaking. I'm not quite sure what, but removing counters is generally more of a black deal, as seen on Hex Parasite or Aether Snap, and I think the only precedent for removing counters from players is Leeches. The first ability is fair as an option. Maybe "Target attacking or blocking creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn," like a better Gallantry, but that's stepping on green.

Ancestral Foresight is on the stronger end as an uncommon, but not unreasonable. I think this could work.

Black isn't in the mana ritual business as much anymore. I like the idea, it's just off-color now.

I think Lightning Squall is still too strong. Compare to Flame Rift, Thundering Rebuke, or Lava Coil. 4 damage to any target at MV 2 with no drawbacks is probably too much. Lightning Bolt + the "can't be prevented" clause is likely worth 2 mana at uncommon (Skullcrack is the closest example right now), but that breaks from the "raise to 4" idea.

Giant Surge is pretty good. Is it a sorcery or instant? Monstrous Growth and Titanic Growth are the comparisons here. This effect as an instant would be pushing it, but I might just be too cautious here. Sorcery is the safe option.

DemonDragonJ on Should Poison Counters Be Removable?

3 years ago

TypicalTimmy, yes, I know about those cards, but Leeches is extremely old, and the other one affects only opponents, not one's self.