Menace
| Menace | |
|---|---|
|
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Menace.png}}|70x70px]] | |
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Evasion |
| Introduced |
Fallen Empires (mechanic) Magic Origins (keyword) |
| Last used | Evergreen |
| Reminder Text | Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.) |
| Statistics |
291 cards  0.7%  0.3%  40.5%  30.9%  1%  1.7%  5.8%  2.1%  1%  0.7%  5.2%  1.7%  4.1%  3.8%  0.3% |
| Other Symbols | |
| [[File:{{#setmainimage:Duels Menace.png}}|70x70px]] | |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Menace" | |
Menace is an evergreen keyword ability. Creatures with menace can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.[1]
History
Menace was introduced in Magic Origins to replace Intimidate which had turned out to be too "swingy"—its strength varied too heavily based on the colors of the opponent's deck. The Menace mechanic had existed since Goblin War Drums from Fallen Empires and used to be primary in black and secondary in red.[2][3][4] Nowadays menace is primary in both black and red. There's been some talk that a third color should be secondary or tertiary.[5]
Some older cards with this ability received errata so they now have menace.
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths introduced menace counters.
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Menace
- An evasion ability that makes creatures unblockable by a single creature. See rule 702.111, “Menace.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 702.111. Menace
- 702.111a Menace is an evasion ability.
- 702.111b A creature with menace can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures. (See rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
- 702.111c Multiple instances of menace on the same creature are redundant.
Rulings
- Once a creature with menace is legally blocked by two or more creatures, removing those blockers from combat won't change or undo the block.
Example
Example
Boggart Brute 
Creature — Goblin Warrior
3/2
Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Cards that grant menace
- Angrath, Captain of Chaos (planeswalker)
- Anikthea, Hand of Erebos (enchantment creatures)
- Artillery Enthusiast (Modified)
- Atarka Pummeler (Formidable)
- Baleful Beholder (Fear Ray)
- Barbarian Class (Class)
- Beamtown Beatstick (Equipment)
- Belligerent Sliver (Slivers you control)
- Blight Mound (Attacking Pests)
- Blood-Chin Rager (Warriors you control, on attack)
- Blood Curdle (as a menace counter)
- Book of Mazarbul (
III) - Call of the Death-Dweller (as a menace counter)
- Captain's Hook (equipment)
- Caterwauling Boggart (Goblins and Elementals you control)
- Chitinous Cloak (Equipment)
- Demoralize (each creature)
- Draugr's Helm (Equipment)
- Drey Keeper (Squirrels)
- Driven // Despair (Creatures you control)
- Falthis, Shadowcat Familiar (Commanders you control)
- Firemantle Mage (Creature you control when an Ally enters)
- Frenzied Rage (Aura)
- Frillscare Mentor (as a menace counter)
- Frontier Warmonger (creatures attacking opponents or their Planeswalkers)
- Giant Spectacle (Aura)
- Gift of Wrath (Aura)
- Gimli's Axe (equipment)
- Glaive of the Guildpact (equipment)
- Gleaming Overseer (Zombie tokens you control)
- Goblin Haberdasher (Creatures you control wearing hats in their artwork)
- Goblin War Drums (Enchantment)
- Gorilla War Cry (instant)
- Graf Harvest (Zombies you control)
- Grusilda, Monster Masher (Combined, Enchanted, Equipped creature you control)
- Gruul War Chant (enchantment)
- Hag of Noxious Nightmares (Warlocks)
- Hagra Constrictor (creatures you control with a +1/+1 counter)
- Hazmat Suit (Used) (un-Aura)
- Imposing Visage (Aura)
- Iroas, God of Victory (God)
- Kaito's Pursuit (Rogues and Ninjas you control)
- Kathril, Aspect Warper (as a menace counter)
- Komainu Battle Armor (equipment)
- Lord of the Accused (zombies)
- Lose Calm
- Lucielle (equipment)
- Madcap Skills (Aura)
- Moodmark Painter (Undergrowth)
- Myrkul's Invoker (creatures you control)
- Nezumi Road Captain (Vehicles you control)
- Odric, Lunarch Marshal (if a creature you control has menace)
- Piper of the Swarm (Rats you control)
- Purphoros's Emissary (if Bestowed)
- Pyreheart Wolf (on attack)
- Ravager's Mace (Equipment)
- Rogue Class (Class)
- Saverok, Ferocious Usurper
- Scrounged Scythe (Equipment if Human)
- Sethron, Hurloon General (Minotaurs)
- Skanos, Black Dragon Vassal
- Sticky Fingers (Aura)
- Stirring Bard
- Swarm Guildmage
- Tentative Connection
- Terror of Kruin Pass (Werewolves you control)
- Two-Headed Sliver (Slivers you control)
- Untamed Hunger (Aura)
- Vow of Torment (Aura)
- Wilson, Fearsome Bear
Super menace
Some creatures have an evasion ability that stops them from being blocked by less than three creatures (compared with two creatures in regular menace).[6] This ability could be called "super menace" as slang.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 09, 2018). "Are you happy with menace, as it exists today?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 8, 2015). "Evergreen Eggs & Ham". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Matt Tabak (June 22, 2015). "Magic Origins Mechanics Article". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (July 8, 2015). "Magic Origins Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 29, 2023). "Have you guys thought about changing menace so something like menace X". Blogatog. Tumblr.