We’re diving into the best 1-mana creature removal spells in EDH—strictly those that cost exactly one mana. No flashback, no alternate costs, no if-you-control-your-commander clauses—just pure, one-mana goodness.
WHITE
1. Swords to Plowshares
The undisputed king of 1-mana creature removal. For just one white mana, you can exile any creature—regardless of size, color, abilities, or protection. The controller gains life equal to the creature’s power, but that’s often a negligible cost to pay for answering something like Blightsteel Colossus or Dockside Extortionist. It’s an instant, exiles instead of destroys, and costs only one mana. It fits in nearly every deck with access to white and should always be one of the first cards you consider when building a deck with any removal package.
2. Path to Exile
A close second to Swords, Path to Exile exiles any creature at instant speed for a single white mana. The tradeoff this time is that the creature’s controller gets to search for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. While this can be risky early in the game, the exile effect is powerful enough to justify the drawback—especially when you’re facing down a combo engine or unstoppable Voltron threat. White’s identity as the clean-up crew of Commander is well represented here.
3. Dispatch
In artifact-centric decks, Dispatch is a sleeper hit. On its own, it only taps a creature, which is weak in EDH—but once you have three artifacts (metalcraft), it becomes Swords to Plowshares without the life gain. In decks like Oswald Fiddlebender, Teshar, Ancestor’s Apostle, or anything with lots of Treasures, Clues, or Thopters, Dispatch becomes a premium exile spell for just one white mana. It’s especially nasty in decks that go wide with artifact tokens or play fast mana rocks early.
RED
1. Lightning Bolt
The classic red spell still holds up in EDH. Three damage for one mana is often enough to remove a problematic creature—especially early commanders like Tymna the Weaver, Ragavan, or mana dorks. It’s instant-speed, flexible (you can hit players or planeswalkers), and works in almost any red deck. In spellslinger strategies, Lightning Bolt becomes more than removal—it’s a tool for storm count, Aria of Flame, or triggering Veyran. It may not scale well into the late game, but it remains one of the best red cards ever printed.
2. Flame Slash
Flame Slash is a sorcery, but it makes up for the speed with raw power—dealing four damage to a creature for just one red mana. That’s enough to kill a surprising number of EDH staples, from Oracle of Mul Daya to Tatyova. It doesn’t go to players or planeswalkers, but it’s pure, efficient creature control that trades up in mana almost every time. In budget builds or mono-red decks lacking better removal options, this is a must-play.
3. Shock
Basic, clean, and still relevant. Shock deals 2 damage to any target at instant speed for a single red mana. It’s never going to be flashy, but it’s a solid option for decks that want to interact early. In particular, it shines in red decks that care about spell casting, such as Zada, Hedron Grinder, Torbran, Thane of Red Fell, or prowess-based commanders. Not as impactful in the late game, but a reliable tool when you just need to kill something cheap—or finish off a weakened opponent.
BLUE
1. Pongify
Yes, blue has real creature removal—and Pongify is arguably the best example. For one blue mana, you destroy any creature. Its controller gets a 3/3 green Ape token in exchange, but in almost every case, this is an amazing deal. Turning a Sheoldred into a vanilla 3/3 is a bargain. It’s an instant, costs only one mana, and has no restrictions based on power, toughness, color, or abilities. It’s a staple in many blue decks, especially Simic or Izzet brews that need creature answers without splashing other colors.
2. Rapid Hybridization
A perfect twin to Pongify, this spell does the same thing but leaves behind a 3/3 green Frog Lizard instead of an Ape. The flavor may vary, but the effect is just as devastating—especially when used in response to a combo or a player investing 12 mana into their commander. Like Pongify, it’s cheap, effective, and totally fair by blue standards. If you’re in a deck with blue and creatures matter (like Adrix and Nev or Melek), you should run both.
BLACK
1. Disfigure
Disfigure gives a creature -2/-2 until end of turn for just one black mana. That might sound limited, but it’s perfect for sniping utility creatures, mana dorks, or even smaller commanders like Tymna or Kinnan. It’s instant-speed, flexible, and fits cleanly into most black decks. It may not handle beefier threats, but its low cost and early-game utility make it a solid inclusion—especially if your deck runs recursive or spell-count synergies.
2. Fatal Push
One of the strongest single-target removal spells printed in recent years, Fatal Push shines in formats like Modern—and still has a home in Commander. For one black mana, you destroy a creature with mana value 2 or less. If you trigger revolt (a permanent you control left the battlefield this turn), it kills creatures with mana value 4 or less instead. While some EDH threats outscale this range, Push still hits commanders, dorks, and value engines early, making it an efficient answer that trades up on tempo.
3. Tragic Slip
At first glance, it gives a creature -1/-1. Not impressive—until morbid kicks in. If a creature died this turn, Tragic Slip gives a whopping -13/-13 instead, which kills virtually anything in the format (even indestructible creatures). It’s a perfect fit for aristocrats-style decks or anything with a sac outlet. Cheap, instant-speed, and devastating in the right window—it’s one of black’s most overlooked removal spells.
4. Cut Down
A newer addition to black’s arsenal, Cut Down destroys any creature with a total power and toughness of 5 or less. This includes many powerful early-game creatures and commanders, even some that don’t look “small.” It’s instant-speed, efficient, and a great meta call when your table runs lean, low-cost creatures with high value—like Esper Sentinel, Tymna, or Seedborn Muse.
GREEN
1. Prey Upon
Green doesn’t often get true removal, but it does get creature fight spells. Prey Upon lets one of your creatures fight another—meaning they each deal their power to the other. For one green mana at sorcery speed, you can eliminate a threat as long as your creature survives the battle. In decks with beefy creatures or trample synergies, this becomes a highly reliable and budget-friendly tool.
2. Mutant’s Prey
This card adds a +1/+1 counter to one of your creatures with a +1/+1 counter already on it, then has it fight another creature. Ideal for decks that already care about +1/+1 counters, like Gavony, Atraxa, or Ezuri. It’s conditional, but in the right deck it doubles as both removal and a growth effect. Excellent synergy, and one of green’s better 1-mana interactive spells.