Card library

Spinal Parasite

Magic: The GatheringFifth Dawn#155

Click the card to switch sides

—Views —Likes —Times played

Magic: The Gathering

Mana cost

Fifth Dawn5DN · #155

Card type: Artifact Creature — Insect
Rarity: Uncommon
Indicative price: 0.06 € · ★ 0.34 € · 0.12 $ · ★ 0.36 $
Mana value: 5
Power: -1
Toughness: -1
Colour: Colourless

Card text

Sunburst (This creature enters with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it.) Remove two +1/+1 counters from this creature: Remove a counter from target permanent.

Format legality

CommanderLegal
DuelLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PennyLegal
PredhLegal
VintageLegal

Legalities follow the imported catalogue; check format rules before a tournament.
Data imported on 2026-10-06 (UTC).

Indicative Scryfall prices, updated daily. ★: foil; ★ E: etched foil. EUR and USD represent different markets.

Printing information

Illustrator: Cyril Van Der Haegen
Card language: English
Release date: 2004-06-04

Rulings

2004-12-01

Any permanent is a legal target for Spinal Parasite’s ability, not just one with a counter on it. The player who controls Spinal Parasite chooses which counter to remove from the targeted permanent.

2004-12-01

If Spinal Parasite is a 1/1 because it has two +1/+1 counters on it, you can remove both counters to pay for its activated ability.

2004-12-01

Yes, this card’s base power/toughness is -1/-1. If it has five +1/+1 counters on it, it’s a 4/4 creature.