Chris' Magic: The Gathering Card of the Day!

The Card of the Day is....

Crypt Rats

1/1 X: Crypt Rats deals X damage to each creature and player. Spend only black mana in this way.

A brief rundown of the card:

Why these rats weren't called "Pestilence" Rats, I don't know. This card has been showing up in quite a few tourny decks lately. Crypt Rats are some of the cheapest mass-destruction around. Here are a few cards to help you get the most out of Crypt Rats:

• Circle of Protection: Black
  Use all but one of your black mana with the Crypt Rats to clear away most other creatures. Use the final mana to prevent all damage to yourself with COP: Black. Unlike Pestilence, the activation cost for the rats is X, not B. All damage from one acitvation can be prevented no matter how much mana you choose to use.
• Black Ward
  Enchant your Crypt Rats with Black Ward to keep them from harming themselves when you pay its activation cost.
• White Knight/Death Speakers/Spirit of the Night...
  Try Crypt Rats with any of these or other fine protection from black creature. Seeing as the damage from the rats is black, all damage from them to protection from black creatures is negated.
• Pestilence Rats
  You can always use some extra rats laying around when Pestilence Rats are in play. Have you ever taken a look at how many Summon Rats there are anymore?