Menace in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Last updated on March 8, 2024

Labyrinth Raptor | Illustration by Daarken

Menace is a mechanic that surfaced way back in 2015 as an evergreen keyword in the Magic Origins expansion. So what is menace?

Menace can be a pretty intimidating mechanic, which is kind of funny considering it was introduced as the mechanic to replace intimidate (and fear before that). Let's get to those rules questions you have about attacking and blocking with menace, and some of the best cards that feature menace.

How Does Menace Work in MTG?

Angrath, Captain of Chaos | Illustration by Slawomir Maniak

Your attacking creature with menace will be unblocked unless at least two creatures block it.

If you swing at your opponent with a creature with menace, they’ll have to block using two or more creatures to deal with the incoming attack.

The History of Menace

Stormfist Crusader | Illustration by Chris Rallis

Menace arrived as a keyword with the Magic Origins set in 2015. This isn’t the first use of the mechanic, however. Before Magic Origins, menace was virtually around as text on cards that said, “This creature cannot be blocked by only one creature” or “This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures”. In fact, R&D used to refer to the menace effect as the “Goblin War Drums” ability since the card was one of the first and most notable to make use of the effect.

Ever since it appeared on Magic Origins cards like Boggart Brute, Gilt-Leaf Winnower, and Goblin Glory Chaser, menace became an evergreen mechanic that is in almost all new sets. While you may see it in every set, its primary colors are black and red.

Older cards with effects that are basically menace (think of Gorilla War Cry, Searing Spear Askari, Demoralize, and Wind Spirit) have been errata’ed to add the keyword in replacement of the rules text and are easier to locate on Gatherer because of it. Goblin War Drums was even reprinted in Masters 25 with menace replacing the old rules text.

What if a Creature with Menace Has “Can’t be Blocked”?

If a creature has menace and also “can’t be blocked” then the creature just straight up can’t be blocked.

How Does Damage Work with Menace?

After blockers are declared, the attacking player chooses which blocking creature gets damaged first (and second, third, fourth, etc. as needed). The attacking creature deals damage to the blockers one at a time until damage is dealt equal to its power. You have to assign lethal damage to each creature in order.

If the attacking creature has deathtouch, it would only need to assign one damage to each blocker. After all of the damage is assigned, the combat phase proceeds normally.

Does Menace Split Combat Damage?

No, the damage is not evenly divided. Damage is assigned based on the order of blocking creatures determined by the attacking player.

What Happens if One of the Creatures that Blocks a Menace Creature is Killed Before the Damage Step?

If one of the creatures blocking the creature with menace dies before damage is dealt, the menace creature is still considered blocked. So unless it has trample, no damage will be dealt to the defending player.

Is Menace An Activated Ability?

No, menace is not an activated ability, it is a keyword ability that is static and requires no resource cost.

Is Menace A Triggered Ability?

No, menace is not a triggered ability. It cannot be doubled by the first effect on Teysa Karlov. Menace changes how your opponent can block it.

What Happens If There Is Only One Blocker?

When you attack with a menacing creature and there is only one blocker, your creature will be unblocked.

How Do Menace and First Strike Work?

Menace works quite well on attackers that also have first strike. If two non-first strike creatures block, then the menace + first strike creature deals its damage before taking any damage from the blocking creatures.

How is Menace Different Than Suspect?

There are a few key differences between creatures with menace and suspected creatures, though both can only be blocked by two or more creatures. A suspected creature also cannot block, and some effects care if a creature is suspected or not.

How Does Blocking a 1/1 with Menace Work?

When your attacking 1/1 with menace creature is blocked by two creatures, you choose which of the blockers will take the one damage. For example, if you're blocked by a 1/1 and a 2/1, you can deal one damage to the 2/1.

Does Menace Still Work With Protection?

A menace creature can certainly be blocked by a creature with protection from the menace creature, as long as there is still a second creature blocking. The protected creature will not take damage if it is assigned any.

Menace on an attacker with protection might be redundant since protection makes a creature unblockable by whatever trait it has protection from.

What Happens If a Creature like Bristling Boar Gets Menace?

If it gains menace, Bristling Boar can't be blocked. Menace means the creature has to be blocked by more than one creature and the other ability makes that impossible. So, it becomes unblockable.

Can Menace Creatures Block Two Creatures?

No, menace only works during your attack. Menace creatures still can only block one creature, unless they are granted the ability to block multiple creatures from somewhere else.

Does Deathtouch Beat Menace?

No — blocking a menace creature with a deathtouch creature has nothing to do with the menace creature's ability to win in combat. However, if one of the creatures you bock a menace creature with has deathtouch, it does guarantee the attacking creature dies from combat damage.

How Good Is Menace?

Menace is not the most powerful keyword, but it is reasonably good. Menace is better in strategies that want to attack because it is only relevant on attacking creatures, after all. In Commander, the ability may not be powerful enough to make much of a difference, but in draft, for example, it is a reasonably good ability.

Best Menace Cards

Let's give you a quick idea of some of the coolest and most powerful menace cards out there that you can put in your decks.

Komainu Battle Armor

The Komainu Battle Armor is one of the best equipment for adding menace to your attack. If you hit home with it, you goad all of that opponent's creatures, almost ensuring they won't be able to block on your next attack.

Iroas, God of Victory

Iroas, God of Victory is a Boros god. You get to attack relentlessly because your creatures won't take damage, and in my experience, when your whole team is menacing, several get through unblocked.

Professional Face-Breaker

The Professional Face-Breaker is a very aggressive card and can earn you some mana and card options even without attacking. Menace might be mainly to encourage the saboteur effect, but the three toughness goes a long way in helping it battle through early blockers.

Cemetery Desecrator and Noxious Gearhulk

Two very similar cards, both Cemetery Desecrator and Noxious Gearhulk are black creatures that give you an incredible amount of value on ETB. What do you want? Lifegain? Graveyard interaction? A kill spell? Both of these are great with blink and reanimation effects as well.

Grief

Another absolutely incredible black creature, Grief is a format-defining card in Modern, and is a centerpiece in the Rakdos Scam deck there. The option to either get a solid body with a free Thoughtseize attached, or even better — a free spell — make this card both an amazing piece of interaction and a good threat.

Kozilek, the Great Distortion

OK, how about you go really big? Kozilek is a giant eldrazi where the inclusion of menace is somewhat humorous. I guess they can't chump block it? But what really matters is the potential to draw a boatload of cards and counter everything your opponents play. That's the kind of ramp payoff I'm looking for.

Not So Intimidating, Is It?

Iroas, God of Victory (Journey into Nyx) | Illustration by Slawomir Maniak

All right, that should sum it all up! Hopefully, I’ve given you all the info you need to know about menace as a mechanic and how it interacts in the game. If you’ve got any other questions that weren’t answered, please take to the comments and I’ll do what I can to help you out!

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