The 30 Best Bite and Punch Spells in Magic Ranked

Last updated on February 13, 2026

Hunt the Weak | Illustration by Mathias Kollros

Over the years, Magic: The Gathering has printed a vast category of removal spells, and each color has its own kind.

For example, black removal excels at destroy effects while red removal‘s specialty is direct damage spells.

The most common way in which green removal deals with other creatures on the board is through fight or bite spells.

Whether you look to capitalize on synergies or incorporate cards that benefit from dealing damage, exploring the best bite spells can enhance your gameplay. Let’s dive into the top bite spells and discover how to maximize their potential in your Magic journey!

What Are Bite Spells/Punch Spells in MTG?

Pyrogoyf | Illustration by Xabi Gaztelua

Bite and punch spells in MTG are cards that cause one of your creatures to deal damage equal to its power to another target creature without your creature taking any damage in return.

That's the key difference with fight spells: Unlike traditional fight spells, where both creatures deal damage to each other, bite spells only have your creature deal damage, making them helpful at removing threats without risking your creature.

A good example is Rabid Bite, where the “bite” slang name originates. These spells are also referred to as “punch” spells, but “bite” is the broader, most common term used to describe them.

Honorable Mentions

Chandra's Ignition and Waltz of Rage are one level up from bite spells because they latch onto multiple things and do not target your opponent's creatures. They are tied to your creature's power, so I figured it best to mention them here.

In essence, Ravenous Pursuit is a straightforward bite spell with very good upside. However, since it’s an Alchemy card only available on MTG Arena, I’ll give it an honorable mention and move on.

#30. Warstorm Surge

Not what you expected from a list of bite spells, was it? We usually think of green instants and sorceries when we talk about bite spells, but cards like Warstorm Surge have the same effect and fit our definition, so I'm including them here. If it makes your creatures deal damage to an opponent's creature and it scales with the power of your creature, it counts for this list.

While Warstorm Surge might be considered the ultimate bite spell, I placed this red enchantment at the bottom of the barrel simply because it’s way better than a bite spell. It’s often used as a win condition in Commander decks thanks to its ability to target anything – including other players.

#29. Flayer of the Hatebound

Similar to Warstorm Surge, Flayer of the Hatebound deals damage to any target when it or another creature enters the battlefield from your graveyard, making it a solid addition to any reanimation strategy. This red creature also has undying, meaning you don’t need any other spells to bring it back from the graveyard.

#28. Pyrogoyf

Another example of an upgraded “bite” spell is Pyrogoyf, a card that deals damage equal to its power to any target. It acts similarly to Tarmogoyf in terms of growing its stats. Again, this card isn’t higher because it’s not truly a 100% bite spell—it’s better.

#27. Bite Down and Keep Biting

Bite Down is a straightforward green removal spell where your creature deals damage equal to its power to another creature for 2 mana. Throughout Magic's history, there have been many variants that upgrade this to a green instant, and each adds its own twist depending on the flavor and setting.

For example, Rocky Rebuke as an instant shows how fast Toph interacts with rocks. Run Over gets a discount if you use a mount or vehicle, and Ram Through offers a bonus for trample creatures.

The options continue with Cosmic Hunger, introduced in March of the Machine, which adds the “battle” card type as part of its text, while Infectious Bite does almost the same but with the effect of giving a poison counter to each opponent.

This means that for 2 mana, there is consistently a bite spell with a similar effect to fit your deck’s composition. These variants are slightly better than each other and are situational.

#26. Betrayal at the Vault

Outlaws of Thunder Junction‘s Betrayal at the Vault is a bit expensive for what it does, but for 6 mana, you’re essentially casting two bite spells in one card.

#25. Spinning Wheel Kick

With Betrayal at the Vault in mind, Spinning Wheel Kick is an “improved” version of the card as this green sorcery does the same for the exact cost, with the added value that you can spend more mana to target more creatures or scale it down to X=1. It's a sorcery though, so it's prone to some real blow-out potential.

#24. Horrific Assault

For 1 mana, Horrific Assault from Modern Horizons 3 is a much-improved bite spell that gets additional value when you control an Eldrazi. Not great, but it’s not the worst either.

#23. Vivien's Invocation

Similar to Summoning Trap without the 0-mana side effect, this one does almost the same for 1 more mana. You might say Vivien's Invocation is more expensive, but the added bonus of this card is that the creature that enters the battlefield “bites” a creature your opponent controls.

#22. Too Greedily, Too Deep

Similar to Vivien's Invocation in both mana value and added effect, Too Greedily, Too Deep works with graveyards rather than libraries, which can be useful in some reanimation decks.

#21. Flesh / Blood

Flesh / Blood is basically your standard bite spell on one of its sides, but it’s slightly better as you can fuse both with enough mana to put +1/+1 counters on a creature as well.

#20. Domri's Ambush

For many years, Domri's Ambush has been the bite spell of choice for your Gruul () deck.

#19. Ravenous Tyrannosaurus

From the Jurassic World Collection Universes Beyond set, the mighty Ravenous Tyrannosaurus has a built-in bite spell that triggers when it attacks. Additionally, the excess damage is dealt to the creature’s controller, making it a valuable addition to this franchise representative.

#18. Gruesome Slaughter

I read Gruesome Slaughter as the bite spell for Eldrazi, as this colorless sorcery gives that ability to each colorless creature you control until the end of your turn.

#17. The Bears of Littjara

The Bears of Littjara isn’t a straightforward bite spell, as it takes a while for this saga enchantment to get there. But you get the desired effect on the third chapter, with the upside that many creatures you control with power 4 or greater deal damage to a single target.

#16. Giantfall

Giantfall is sometimes better than Abrade, and Wizards keeps on giving us reasons to want this handy removal spell.

#15. Feral Encounter

This is a weird card. Basically, you need to cast Feral Encounter during your first main phase to find a creature from the top five cards of your library, which you can cast this turn.

That said, you don’t need to play the exiled card in order for the bite spell portion of this card to trigger at the beginning of the next combat phase, as it’ll work with any other creature you control.

#14. Legolas, Master Archer

Legolas, Master Archer is a unique biter, as it triggers when you target a creature you don’t control.

Notice that the targets can be different – this creates a situation where the ideal scenario is that you’re using removal on a creature and want to kill another one with less toughness than Legolas’s power. The other use case is that you’re using a direct damage spell on a creature and want to finish it off with this master archer.

That said, this green creature truly shines with other bite spells, as it’ll grow and also trigger a second bite effect, thanks to its ability.

#13. Arlinn Kord / Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon

I like Arlinn Kord as a planeswalker because it introduces something very rare among their kind: a transforming double-faced planeswalker. Arlinn, Embraced by the Moon is what matters for our interests, as its “ultimate” gives all your creatures haste, but more importantly, a “tap to bite” ability.

#12. Garruk, Savage Herald + Vivien, Arkbow Ranger + Vivien of the Arkbow + Huatli, Dinosaur Knight

Unlike Arlinn Kord, all these planeswalkers have a “bite spell” that you can use by reducing their loyalty for relatively cheap. In reality, there isn’t a better one among them, so you can choose which one fits your deck’s needs best.

#11. Widespread Brutality

Bite spells are usually green, which is why I wanted to include some in other colors in case your deck needs them. Widespread Brutality is an improved bite spell in the sense that this sorcery gives you a creature and also provides a small board wipe for only 4 mana.

#10. Spikeshot Elder

The more you can pump up Spikeshot Elder’s power, the more effective and dangerous this activated ability becomes. In essence, this goblin shaman incorporates a bite spell that you can fire off as much as you can invest mana into it.

#9. Rin and Seri, Inseparable

Rin and Seri, Inseparable is a cute Naya commander that bites other creatures based on the number of dogs you control and also gain you additional life based on the number of cats. The deck that features Rin and Seri loves to repeatedly bite and chew on opponents.

#8. Archdruid's Charm

For 3 mana, Archdruid's Charm is one of the best bite spells as it puts counters on a creature, and then that creature damages another one you don’t control. What I like about it is its flexibility, as you can choose any of the other modes depending on your needs.

#7. Brokers Charm

Another charm that lets you choose other modes is Brokers Charm, and it’s slightly better because you have the option of getting raw card advantage from it, acting as an instant speed Divination when required.

#6. Stump Stomp / Burnwillow Clearing

Stump Stomp is your standard bite spell, but I like it a lot as this MDFC can be played as a tapped dual land when necessary.

#5. Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath

For 4 mana, Itzquinth, Firstborn of Gishath lets you choose the most fearsome dinosaur you control to bite another creature.

#4. Chocobo Kick

Chocobo Kick lets you punch kick up a weight class and ensure you can trigger landfall afterward. This is dangerously efficient for a removal spell, so it's only fair for it to be a sorcery.

#3. Hunter's Talent

Bloomburrow‘s Hunter's Talent is a strong bite spell that can be upgraded for little investment, making this class enchantment a very good card advantage engine once you reach its third level.

#2. Legolas's Quick Reflexes

The ultimate protection spell thanks to split second, Legolas's Quick Reflexes can also be used to go on the offense and kill a creature your opponent controls once you get to save yours.

#1. Murderous Redcap

Murderous Redcap has to be the best biter thanks to its potential to easily go infinite with many cards.

Originally, it was paired in Modern with Melira, Sylvok Outcast and Viscera Seer before Birthing Pod was banned. Nowadays, there are many other ways to use it, like with Grumgully, the Generous or Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit, but it’s the fact that it can be used infinitely that makes it the best biter.

Best Bite Spell Payoffs

Some of Magic's best bite spells payoffs involve creatures or abilities that synergize with dealing direct damage.

For instance, a creature with deathtouch like Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim is excellent with bite spells. Since deathtouch ensures that any amount of damage is lethal, even a small creature can take down a much larger one when paired with a bite spell. The Pilgrim adds the additional benefit of life loss when you destroy an opposing creature.

Gnarlback Rhino is great with bite spells because you first target your own creature, and so it goes great with valiant and heroic as well, as seen on Akroan Crusader, Whiskervale Forerunner, or Sage of Hours.

Lifelink creatures also benefit significantly from bite spells. Creatures like Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose or those equipped with Basilisk Collar can turn bite spells into significant lifegain opportunities.

Creatures that boost their power, like Syr Faren, the Hengehammer, or abilities like firebreathing also work well with bite spells. These creatures can turn bite spells into high-impact removal by leveraging their high power, often removing threats that would otherwise be difficult to deal with.

Additionally, some cards have abilities that trigger whenever a creature you control deals damage. For example, Shelob, Child of Ungoliant can exploit bite spells to cause additional damage to opponents or create other forms of value.

Cards that double damage like Furnace of Rath or Torbran, Thane of Red Fell can amplify and double the damage dealt by bite spells as part of its added value.

Does a Bite Spell Deal Damage if My Creature Is Removed?

No, if your creature is removed in response to casting a bite spell, your bite spell doesn’t resolve, and no damage is dealt. Your creature must still be on the battlefield for the bite spell to successfully resolve and deal damage to the target creature.

Do Bite Spells Work With Lifelink and Deathtouch?

Yes, your bite spells work with your creature's lifelink and deathtouch.

Whenever a creature you control with lifelink deals damage due to a bite effect, you gain life equal to the damage dealt. If it has deathtouch, any amount of damage dealt by it is enough to destroy the opposing creature. But because these are bite and not fight spells, your opponents’ creature's lifelink and deathtouch won’t matter.

Does Trample Work With Bite Spells?

No, trample doesn’t work with bite spells. Excess damage from a bite spell isn’t dealt to the opposing creature’s controller. Ram Through is an exception that makes it work.

Trample allows excess combat damage to be assigned to the defending player when attacking, but bite spells deal damage directly to another creature, not in combat.

Bite spells have the same synergies with trample as direct damage and removal do: When used during combat, bite spells can impact how much damage gets through.

Wrap Up

Legolas, Master Archer | Illustration by Campbell White

While the downside of bite spells as removal is that you also need to make sure your creature lives, there are plenty of opportunities to get a huge advantage from a bite spell.

What do you think? Which is your preferred bite spell? Is there any commander that comes to mind when thinking about them? Let us know in the comments or on Discord!

As always, take care!