Crypt Rats

Crypt Rats was originally introduced in the Stronghold expansion of Magic: The Gathering in 1998, serving as a versatile black creature capable of dealing damage to all creatures and players on the battlefield. By the time it was reprinted in the Seventh Edition core set in 2001, it had established itself as a staple for control decks, offering a repeatable board-wipe effect that forced players to carefully manage their life totals in exchange for tactical dominance.

The Seventh Edition printing features artwork by Matt Cavotta, whose illustration captures the vermin's unsettling and swarm-like nature. Cavotta’s style during this era of Magic often emphasized thematic atmosphere over hyper-realism, and his depiction of the Crypt Rats leaned into the grim, high-fantasy aesthetic that defined the game's core sets at the turn of the millennium. The card is widely regarded by players for its efficiency and the high-risk, high-reward strategic choices it requires during play.