Phage is decent but the only way to use her safely is combined with the platinum angel and by the time you get that combo started you'd lose to anyone above novice level.

  -- By Jay Bohannon from Georgia on April 01, 2011

Seriously?? It's kinda funny; either you love Phage or you think she's a waste of a card slot from the set. Running Esper colors you can use both Angel's Grace + Ressurection spells, and Volrath's Shapeshifter as alternate means to getting Phage into play safely, and protect her azz with Lightning Greaves and counter spells(though, I must say, I'm getting tired of Counterbalance/Top being run by everyone who plays control at Tourney).

  -- By Jay from Minneapolis, MN USA on June 01, 2010

The cost is very big and you must have at least four black mana when cast it. It's seems that if she's dangerous card. But the power/toughness are elevated, and how a pity that she doesn't have any protection for herself. I give five stars to be great legendary cards for collection only.... In casual play, you might try use her in your Mono Black Control. With the powerful anti-creature that can clean opposing creatures, the Phage will deliver a damage to end the game... don't forget to Duress or Hymn before playing her...

  -- By Jace Beleren from Bandung on June 01, 2010

@ By Anonymous from USA on June 10, 2009 - Please don't call people who actually know how to play this game retards, it's not nice. Phage the unplayable is not necessarily unplayable but if you're trying to hard cast her you're probably a bad player. The only instance I can think of where you should EVER be hardcasting her is if you're playing mono-black control and your cabal coffers are already pumping out 10 black mana a turn. She is easily killable as she's only a friggin 4/4. Not gonna lie, I haven't seen a deck playing Phage win a tournament in Rochester in............ever. @ Phage the unplayable - While not unplayable, the only 2 valid ways to play her competitively at this point are by either using her in mono-black control, which generates enough mana to pay for her exceedingly steep cost or you could run a slightly more functional deck like full english breakfast. For those of you unfamiliar with Full English Breakfast the deck uses the card Volrath's Shapeshifter which takes on all the properties of the top creature card in your graveyard. So what you do is attack with your 0/1 shapeshift and then after blockers are declared you use the shapeshifters discard ability to discard either Phage or Phyrexian Dreadnought or whatever else you want to use. Since Phage's "You lose the game" ability triggers on it being brought into play it never triggers since the shapeshifter just takes on it's abilities without it coming into play. There you are, now you have a way to play this card. Happy?

  -- By Khurtz from Fairport, NY on February 26, 2010

this is a very good card just use whisper silk cloak and that's game. I think it's worth the 7 mana just use dark ritual.

  -- By Anonymous from Ca on February 12, 2010

this is a very good card when played correctly, i run a dek based around phage geting it out and killing my opponent with it, i have found its very useful especially against elf decks or white decks that revolve around life gain. the only thing is getting phage into your hand and getting it out quickly in the first 4 turns, but there are so many combos you can use to protect phage/use all her abilities to your advantage that its well worth it. and all you people who say shes absolutely terrible are very wrong

  -- By bloodbath mcgrath from Fitchburg, MA on July 23, 2009

Um, for all you retards who say this is unplayable because of the prohibitive mana cost and easy counters to it, there are countless fast mana generating methods for that are legal even in Legacy format, like Ancient Tomb, Basalt Monolith, Charmed Pendant, Lotus Bloom, Lotus Blossom, Lake of the Dead, etc. and, for all you idiots who think you can just cast a two spell mana card without abandon to make this card screw its caster, Chalice of the Void can be used universally and successfully against lots of decks with the number 1 for its variable, which would make it counterspell your Turn to Mists and Otherworldly Journey, so do some research before you spout for venom, morons.

  -- By Anonymous from USA on June 10, 2009

Who says you can't play her outta your graveyard. I got one word for you...STIFLE!

  -- By Xarr from CO on May 22, 2009

The greatest black creature. However, if an opponant plays otherworldy journey, you lose the game, however that's a balanced risk worthy of taking and you will see why in a moment... People rated this low for three reasons... #1 She costs alot. #2 She could be destroyed by a burn/counter spell. #3 Otherworldly Journey/Turn to mist is an instant win. #1 Although all her cards say, "minion legend" the official rulings now say that Phage is a zombie, so now you can essentially use three Undead Warchief's to play her for four swamps, AND make her a 10/7. And not to mention cards like cabal ritual. #2 ANY creature can be destroyed by a burn or counter spell, even creatures with shroud can be destroyed by a counterspell, so putting that arguement on Phage is genuinely unfair, also using my previous argument, if you used four undead warchief's in conjunction with her she could have up to eight power, and that's not even including other tribal zombie boosters like death baron and lord of the undead. She's not so hard to burn now is she? #3 Cards that force you to return her to play from outside your hand will cause you to lose instantly, but that should only be considered fair, considering she also causes the opponant to lose instantly. Also, a nice way to make her unblockable is to use her with the "Zombie Master" and "Urborg, tomb of yawgmoth" or "blanket of night".

  -- By Nema, the necromancer from the plane of Grixis on April 30, 2009

it stops those pesky telemin performances from milling out my creatureless deck

  -- By nathan from thumb, mi on March 20, 2009

This creature is just great. in a black and green deck, entomb +regrowth if you've only got one in your deck. throw a nemesis mask or a lure on one of your your 1/1 for 1 wheine creatures, bam, or just get a whisper silk cloak. You would have to be fighting a one or two turn time walk deck to lose with it, unless you get plain unlucky and your entombs and regrowths dont show up =\

  -- By Anonymous from MI on March 18, 2009

Casual play with no restriction? this card can definitely be played but i do think that this isnt more than a promotional card for wizards of the coast, ofcourse this card led the death touch ability that most players love and hate. but i dont think this would fare well in tournaments since there are alot of things to counter it and there is alot of ways to counter those counters but it comes with a price. mana cost is too much? there are alot of cards that can make those costs easier example blacklotus/lotus bloom/channel/ there are alot of possibilities with this card but it is again, too risky for tournament plays although u might suprise you if a deck revolving around phage wins a tourney.

  -- By Luigi Garcia from BcVancouver, CA on March 11, 2009

actually i thought about it and changed my mind...: 7 mana, 3 of which is black, is just...a lot. this'll just sit in your hand, unless of course you have other incredibly high-costed cards in your hand too. once you play it, it's a 4/4 with deathtouch that has to be blocked. no big deal...and if get one out, and your opponent o-rings it, then o-rings their o-ring, this comes into play and you lose.

  -- By greg from here on February 02, 2009

I still remember when this card came out. Phage was like the Polar Kraken when I first started playing, every new play I knew had to have one because of the power presented by the card, yet never took into consideration the cost and effectiveness of using it. I'm not saying she is a bad card, but there is more effective ways of winning a game without using this novelty card. I would give her a 3.5 If I could.

  -- By John from Indiana on January 14, 2009

a slightly limited card, though good when given fear or shadow. O yea shadow definitley. very high mana cost but the upside is that she can stop liliana vess from using her minus 8 ability.

  -- By elliot from canada on January 10, 2009

turn to mist pwns phage

  -- By k from on December 01, 2008

u fill your deck with lots of counter spells also terror,soul reap, and unmake wait out the storm...then u use 1 of the tutor's to grab these cards whispersilk cloak and Phage the Untouchable... whispersilk cloak = target creature gets shroud and is unblockable...there u go game over.........

  -- By GJlethal from Sacramento, CA on October 29, 2008

I have a deck with 4 of these, sacrifice, dark rituals, and various other cards especially in the Mirrodin sets, like artifact creatures that give you mana when it comes into play, and Urza's Saga creature that costs 3 mana but gives you 3 mana when it comes into play makes up for this cards high mana cost. I call it my "Phage Deck." The deck focuses on filtering cards out and getting the mana to bring her out as soon as possible, while making her also, unblockable and untargetable using artifact cards from Mirroden sets, lightning greaves just in case I get her out fast enough I can send her to the player. It is all about working this card, of course honestly my deck is sometimes hit or miss, all in all I have managed to get phage out in maybe an average of 5 turns? One time, I got her out in the 2nd term. This card rocks, SEARCH the entire Magic collection and find the cards that work with this one, and what do you want? Unblockability, and mana to get her out FAST. TRUST ME, there are PLENTY of magic cards out there for it, especially black cards that give you mana like Dark Ritual. Enjoy and think ouside the box, find ways to get that mana as fast as you can without the lands needed. It works!

  -- By Anonymous from New York on October 22, 2008

primal rage, giant growth...i win?

  -- By Greg Johnston from Atlanta, GA USA on October 10, 2008

hey everybody search jinxed choker

  -- By sofa king we toddit from ha ha on September 22, 2008

Great tricks with Phage--use need for speed and a lotus petal or spirit guide with the rituals to 1st turn kill. Also add hermetic study for tap to kill whatever-even players. 7 mana rarely gets you something THIS bad.

  -- By Dinosaur from Capron, IL on September 19, 2008

Yeh, this card is pretty great but only in a combo. It's actually quite weak as a creature, sure it can destroy creatures and possibly end the game and in a combo with a card that makes it unblockable and a card that can keep it alive, it would be fantastic. However, if you don't have that combo, you can't ressurect it from your graveyard and it's too easy to get rid of without something to back it up. Great in a combo, not so great on it's own.

  -- By Eske from Brisbannnnnne on September 11, 2008

I like this card akroma may be able to overpower it but what are the odds! attach a veil of secrecy or whispersilk cloak! prepare for a game like no other

  -- By Anonymous from Who really cares Im sure the person reading this doesnt on August 10, 2008

First turn lay down with 5 cards. Swamp, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Dark Ritual, Phage. Second Turn Kill Kill Kill, awesome looking card, got out of serious play before Legions came out tho.

  -- By Donald from Washington State on August 09, 2008

One of my favorite cards ever! But it's so hard to get out....

  -- By Andy from Florida on July 26, 2008

I'm sorry but I have to agree... It's good but impractical... When my opponents play this in extended, I simply play otherworldly journey and end my turn...

  -- By Arkana from Atlantis on July 20, 2008

this is a good card but against any good deck there is no point of playing it. now i have heard of someone playing it from their graveyard with dread return and using Angels Grace so that they don't loose the game, but i always win because its a crap card that is just fun to have and show off but not to play with.

  -- By That Guy from europe on June 20, 2008

Combine with Protective Bubble, making it unblockable, and attack! Forget the high mana cost!

  -- By Anonymous from Poplarville, MS USA on May 28, 2008

Man, this is a great card for collections, but horrible in most decks. A guy I work with swears by this card, and builds decks around it, and has yet to with through phage dealing dmg.

  -- By Bill from Detroit, MI on April 30, 2008

Dear god, they brought it back to type two.... HELLLLLLO MONO BLACK!

  -- By Andrew from Missouri on October 16, 2007

i used to have 1 it was awesome.... but i traded it for a full deck

  -- By Anonymous from my computer on September 18, 2007

veil of secrecy anyone?

  -- By Anonymous from earth on June 27, 2007

Give it Whispersilk cloak!

  -- By ADDOOOBBBYYY from ADDOOOBBBYYY on June 03, 2007

This card sucks. There are too many ways for your oponent to abuse its ability to kill you and it is to fragile for the 4/4 body it has.

  -- By Logical Magic Player from Ralityville on May 06, 2007

It's hype comes from being a legend. Competetive decks should not be running this. First of all, it costs a lot(Can be solved by dark rituals). Plus, people will be chump blocking this thing, that or just killing it. By the time this comes into play, your opponent, if he/she is skilled, should be running you over. Still like Phage as Akroma's rival, but nothing more.

  -- By Anonymous from Jurai on March 16, 2007

Not sure what the guy who said that you can only play phage from the graveyard, but the card says you only lose if you DO play it from the graveyard or from your libary. but yea awesome card with Dauthi Embrace!

  -- By will huff from Scottsdale, AZ USA on March 13, 2007

The simple fact that you could (assuming you get 3 rituals and a dauthi embrace) get this out and make it unblockable on turn 3 makes it terrifying...and shes tough enough that a shock or lightning bolt wont kill her. she should have been more to cast or a 1/1~instead another broken card gets added to the list.

  -- By jon from PA USA on March 09, 2007

Brilliant card, however, now Phage is banned in Tournament. :(

  -- By Magic Faerie from PA on March 06, 2007

DING, DING, DING, we have a winner!

  -- By Anonymous from wouldnt you like to know on January 04, 2007

ok...lets see if this one goes through...PHAGE SUCKS...well now that thats out...Phage (as me and my friends call it) the Unplayable is horrible. people, please read between the lines, phage cant be played due to these reasons. 1) mana cost is too high___2) COUNTERSPELL...costs 2 mana___3) any good burn spell___4)Phthisis___5)the solution to all creature problems...WRATH OF GOD........i could go on, but that list would go past the 2000 character limit...just remember, so much better cards could be played with 7 mana...like plated slagwurm...unless you have a deck that makes 127 mana(and yes ive counted) on turn 7...please dont run Phage the Unplayable

  -- By Paradox from behind you, foolish mortal on December 05, 2006

for starters phage is a chick! she is jeska as a planes walker, that aside it is an amazing card that pwns all! and if you have a vedalian orery and a donate in combo with a beacon of unrest you just won the game my friend pwned!

  -- By thechickmagnetnethandlewompa1 from new york on November 12, 2006

I cried when my friend beat me thirteen times in a row using Phage so I Bought one.

  -- By Anonymous from Carlsbad, CAL USA on October 06, 2006

I've run into this card 3 times playing magic the first time I just kept sucker blocking it and won the game, the second time I fried it with a pair of shocks and the third time I bounced it with outworldly jouney and won, my point is Phage isn't all that great and for the mana I'd rather have a kokosho.

  -- By Andrew Dickey from MI on June 13, 2006

ok, here is what you do: First turn, play a swamp and mox emerald, then play Summer Bloom. then play Lake of the Dead, sacking the original swamp, then play two more swamps. tap Lake of the Dead and sack a swamp, producing 4 black mana, tap the leftover swamp for a dark ritual and there you go, seven mana to play phage. 1st turn, mind you!

  -- By Ian Setser from Denver, CO USA on May 09, 2006

get mirror gallery out and have four of these!

  -- By Anonymous from r on April 06, 2006

This card is just not that good! It costs eight mana and is a 4/4 without flying, fear or shadow. That means, unless you combo this one out in the first four rounds your opponents are going to have stronger creatures when you get phage out and then she just dies taking a slightly stronger creatre with her for the cost of eight when a terror would have done the same thin for two. So in a combodeck its a winning formula, otherwise pretty bad. rock on dudes

  -- By Sindarin from goteborg, sweden on February 19, 2006

put a whisper silk cloak and can you say"over"?

  -- By Anonymous from paducah kentucky on December 05, 2005

a kick ass card

  -- By Anonymous from deleware on June 28, 2005

An awesome card! Use it with Death Pits of Rath and Ronin Cliffrider, or just a Reiver Demon and your opponent is open for you to send phage to attack! The reason i give it four stars is because back then it owned, but now you can easily kill it...

  -- By Kyle Katran from IL USA on June 02, 2005

Don't use Volrath's Shapeshifter, It will see phage as not being played by you hand. That is because Volrath's Shapeshifter is putting the card down not you. Same thing goes with elvish piper. Never understood why.

  -- By Anonymous from NN on May 23, 2005

Not a bad card the effect is beutaful (as long as you draw it and have enough mana) though they're are setback like how weak it is, Phage is weak overall with 4/4 while say...Akroma Angel of Wrath blocks the first strike will destroy phage while Akroma keeps it's life. 3/5 still not bad though, much cheaper in price compared to Akroma

  -- By Temujuin from Somewhere 0_0 on May 17, 2005

Wake up there aint anythin you caint do with a sword to plowshares, or radiants judgement, OR REPRISAL!

  -- By Anonymous from TEXAS on May 09, 2005

on of the main cards in my mono-black. I seldom have problems with getting her out. If you are add dark ritual to your deck. Also give her the Kusari-gama. I asked Magic about this combo and found out it works. If they block you kill everything they own do to phages ability. If they dont the lose. either way it sucks to be them.

  -- By Cole from TX on April 22, 2005

#1 minon!It is the cover of the booster pack!

  -- By boris chiu from hong kong on December 29, 2004

Bets card in the game PERIOD

  -- By Anonymous from saettle washington usa on October 15, 2004

this card is da bom! very instint kills, if you had whipersilk cloak it would be pretty hard to lose. buy this card, you wont regret it!

  -- By steve pruyn from bridgewater, MA, USA on June 16, 2004

its just plain this is one of the best cards ever

  -- By Anonymous from washington d.c USA on May 06, 2004

When Legions was about to make its debut, those who followed the Magic: the Gathering storyline knew that there were two big cards coming: Akroma and Phage, and in my vote, Phage takes the gold. Its ability is one never seen before, and can be used to your advantage in so many ways! It's perfect in monoblack control decks, discard decks, graveyard decks, and ESPECIALLY swampwalk decks (if you combine it with evil presence and filth you can't lose!). So, this card is pretty decent, but it can have its downsides (the whole ability that makes you lose if you play it from your graveyard or what have you,) but I still love it. I give this wondrous black legend a good 4 stars. I would've given it 5 except for the fact that it can be too dangerous at times. Enjoy!

  -- By Edd the Swampwalker from Chicago, IL on April 15, 2004

this has to be the best card in the game

  -- By Anonymous from cleveland/oh usa on April 13, 2004

Phage kicks ass put a fireshrieker on the and she can waste any creature and wispersilk her an she waste any any controler

  -- By Anonymous from stellenbosh South Africa on April 13, 2004

Any black creature that is somewhat decent i can play undead warchief (times 4 so all zombies get +8+4) then i can play conspiracy and choose zombie then i play belbe's portal to play any creatures i ever get in hand for 3 land AKA HYPNOX, PHAGE, NAKTUKO SHADE, ETC ALL ZOMBIES!

  -- By playboy from []O [] []v[] []O ville on March 20, 2004

Easy win. Get yourself 4 Zombie Trailblazers and and three or four Phages, just to make sure that you draw it. With the Trailblazer, turn an oppents land into a swamp and with an other zombie, give Phage swampwalk. If you have trouble getting enough mana out in you deck, then get a couple of Cabal Coffers as well.

  -- By Mike from Hays, KS on March 10, 2004

A absolutely brilliant card which i award 5 stars becasue she rocks is worth anothe 5 bucks then what it says there

  -- By HeHeman2003 from Oxford,U.K on February 09, 2004

eu o dennys compro a phage por 3,00

  -- By dennys from brasil on February 06, 2004

phage is the best card made and i have 4

  -- By Anonymous from fuck u on January 15, 2004

this is definitly one of the best black cards I LOVE IT

  -- By Anonymous from austria on December 31, 2003

okay all you noobs... this card is nothing special at all. okay so you deal damage and they lose the game. this just goes to show you that the new magic set are really starting to suck. if you dont play it from your had you lose the game which rules out reanimation and by the time your opponent gets out 7 mana a GOOD player should have the game over.

  -- By Phage Sucks from USA on December 02, 2003

Aside from Akroma, Angel of Wrath, this is a very good card. I mean think about it, you can win the game in two minutes! The mana cost is respectable, and you can even destroy a monster by doing damage to it. Although there is a small chance of you dieing if it doesnt come out of your hand, the probability isn't that high. This card is a must for all black decks.

  -- By Tonius Caesar from NY on November 25, 2003

This card is so the best i mean akroma sucks regarding her abilties. phage is the best in my opinion for all u suckers who like AKROMA. their is nothing better than her, NOT EVEN AKROMA!

  -- By Henry Valdes from DC, Washington USA on November 10, 2003

Phage isn't anything special. You people gotta realize that Phage doesn't go into any old deck. There's billions of ways to make Phage's controller lose the game via removing it from play until end of turn then bringing it back to play. Plus she costs 4 black mana and a combined cost of 7. What's that good about Phage? Not really that much... If you want a much better creature that's black and in Legions go for Scion of Darkness. You can Zombify it, exhume it etc. Much better.

  -- By Dave. from Canada on October 26, 2003

I can't believe that no one wrote a review for this card i mean this card rocks, you what i mean. it is a 4/4 with if you deal damage to target creature it destroys that creature. not satisfied with that well look at this if it deals damage to target player you win the game. now that is sweetness.

  -- By Henry Valdes from Washington, DC USA on October 23, 2003

I love this card. But there are two problems with it. The first one is that it is not that powerful, being a 4/4 creature. The second is that it's mana cost is a little bit high. Besides that, it's an excellent card.

  -- By Anonymous from Portugal on May 11, 2003

I like it for fun casual games but if you want to win tournaments, keep her in your binder.

  -- By Anonymous from Htown on May 01, 2003

Wow some people need to learn how to play magic. This card isnt that great, its an overcosted novelty creature that shouldnt see real play save for FEB. Why waste 7 mana on this monstrosity?

  -- By Andy from The Real World on April 21, 2003

She's pretty good...but opponents delight in using Animate Dead if she's in the graveyard...

  -- By Anonymous from United States on April 14, 2003

This card is not as good as you guys think it is and it does not deserve 1 million stars.

  -- By Todd Jones from none of your business on April 13, 2003

ok this card is awesome. even though she is just 4/4, it is like a basilisk, but only better, since she kills you too if she deals you damage. wicked. but you can only summon her from your hand...so forget about getting her on turn two or three : )

  -- By Kevin from Mars on March 10, 2003

This card is to good it cant be real just like gremlins dwarves and eskimos

  -- By Homer donut master from Springfield on March 02, 2003

CONSIDERING THIS CARDS HIGH MANA COST, THIS CARD IS A MUST HAVE FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO COLLECT LEGENDS. IT ALSO HAS THE PROBLEM OF BEING DIRECTLY CAST, SO SOMEHOW YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT INTO THE GRAVEYARD, WHICH YOU COULD JUST PURPOSELY LET YOUR HAND OVERFLOW, AND DISCARD IT, BUT THEN THERE'S THE HARD PART, YOU HAVE TO BRING IT BACK FROM THE GRAVEYARD, THAT IS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE GAME, BUT I'VE GOT A CURE FOR THAT TO. YOU COULD EASILY USE THE NOSTALGIC DREAMS CARD FROM TORMENT. thEN TO FINISH THE GAME, YOU COULD GIVE IT FLYING, OR MAKE IT UNBLOCKABLE, AND YOU WIN!

  -- By Anonymous from Arlington VA USA on March 01, 2003

This card can be very usefull in an all all out suicide deck. The only bad part is somebody coud just chainers edict it, then use Balthor the Defields ability making Phages controller lose the game.

  -- By Anonymous from Greenland on February 27, 2003

this card has got to be the most powerful creature that is out in legions!

  -- By Anonymous from broughton on February 26, 2003

The #1 card in all of magic hands down!

  -- By Phage the Untouchable is #1 from Phages layer on February 24, 2003

I would give this card a million stars if I could. This card with dauthi embrace is a winning combo. Definitely one of the best black cards to ever hit print. This card has definitely moved up there with nantuko shade on my list.

  -- By Lee, Black Master from Double Springs, AL on February 18, 2003

this card is the best ever

  -- By Anonymous from anywhere on February 13, 2003

NOTE: This review is based on type I play, in type II it would be a mere 3. Phage is an incredible card that kills the opponent with just one swat (no pun intended). The problem with the card is getting it out. Well type I players, look no further 'cuz there is an answer to your questions - Volrath's Shapeshifter. By using Volrath's Shapeshifter, one can BECOME Phage legally (as long as you cast him from hand) to smack down on your opponent. You can even combine this with block dodgers such as Fear or Shadow to get through, then change to Phage when dealing damage. Vioala! Instant win! Keep in mind, the best support card for this is Survival of the Fittest.

  -- By Cyber Urza from Port Jervis, NY on February 11, 2003

Phage is an awesome card in a Multiplayer game with custody battle i just keep using phge to target opponent and they just keep losing.

  -- By Anonymous from From Nv on February 07, 2003

GAME OVER!

  -- By Anonymous from Ont. Canada on February 03, 2003