Olivia, Crimson Bride MTG Card


Olivia offers card advantage by disregarding draw-play dynamics for creatures in your late game. Her reanimation ability is a resource-acceleration tool, reviving creatures without mana costs. With instant-speed-like impact, she can unexpectedly alter the game during combat.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Vampire Noble
Abilities Flying,Haste
Power 3
Toughness 4

Text of card

Flying, haste Whenever Olivia, Crimson Bride attacks, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped and attacking. It gains "When you don't control a legendary Vampire, exile this creature."

Her grand wedding had one goal: to unite the vampire bloodlines under her rule.


Cards like Olivia, Crimson Bride

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering’s creature cards, Olivia, Crimson Bride holds a unique position amongst its vampiric counterparts. Its ability to return a creature card from the graveyard to the battlefield tapped and attacking during combat on your turn, offers a distinct advantage. Looking at a card like Reya Dawnbringer, another reanimator, Olivia stands out with her immediate impact. Whereas Reya waits until your upkeep to bring a creature back, giving opponents time to respond.

Examining another peer, Sheoldred, Whispering One, there’s a note of similarity in the recurrent creature resurrection during your turn. Nonetheless, Olivia shines in her specific combat-orientated revival, and her flying and haste make for an aggressive gameplay style. Then we have Sepulchral Primordial, which also exudes graveyard mastery by reanimating upon entering the battlefield, but lacks the sustained, turn-by-turn value that Olivia can provide.

When analyzing Magic: The Gathering’s pantheon of reanimators, Olivia, Crimson Bride certainly commands attention. Her combat-centric resurrection paired with her assertive stats make her a card that celebrates aggression, placing her in a class of her own when considering similar creatures in the game.

Reya Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Sepulchral Primordial - MTG Card versions
Reya Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Sepulchral Primordial - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Olivia, Crimson Bride by color, type and mana cost

Pavel Maliki - MTG Card versions
Rohgahh of Kher Keep - MTG Card versions
Razing Snidd - MTG Card versions
Carnival Hellsteed - MTG Card versions
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats - MTG Card versions
Malfegor - MTG Card versions
Rakdos the Defiler - MTG Card versions
Deepfire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Grief Tyrant - MTG Card versions
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Deathbringer Thoctar - MTG Card versions
Defiler of Souls - MTG Card versions
Igneous Pouncer - MTG Card versions
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Sire of Insanity - MTG Card versions
Dragonlord Kolaghan - MTG Card versions
Swift Warkite - MTG Card versions
The Big Idea - MTG Card versions
Mary O'Kill - MTG Card versions
Pavel Maliki - MTG Card versions
Rohgahh of Kher Keep - MTG Card versions
Razing Snidd - MTG Card versions
Carnival Hellsteed - MTG Card versions
Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats - MTG Card versions
Malfegor - MTG Card versions
Rakdos the Defiler - MTG Card versions
Deepfire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Grief Tyrant - MTG Card versions
Undead Leotau - MTG Card versions
Vein Drinker - MTG Card versions
Deathbringer Thoctar - MTG Card versions
Defiler of Souls - MTG Card versions
Igneous Pouncer - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Ringleader - MTG Card versions
Sire of Insanity - MTG Card versions
Dragonlord Kolaghan - MTG Card versions
Swift Warkite - MTG Card versions
The Big Idea - MTG Card versions
Mary O'Kill - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Olivia, Crimson Bride. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WBRWBR StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 29, 2024
Jund DragonsJund Dragons StandardJund DragonsTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 4, 2024
Rakdos MidrangeRakdos Midrange StandardRakdos MidrangeJapan Standard Cup: Murders at Karlov Manor

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Olivia, Crimson Bride shines by reanimating creatures directly from your graveyard to the battlefield. This mechanism bypasses the need to draw and play those creatures, effectively providing you immediate card advantage during your late game.

Resource Acceleration: Her reanimation ability does not require mana usage at the time of activation. Typically, bringing a creature back from the graveyard costs valuable mana, but Olivia facilitates this at no extra cost upon attacking, which can be seen as a form of indirect resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: Olivia’s ability to reanimate upon dealing combat damage can be as sudden as an instant speed interaction. Although it’s tied to the combat phase, the immediacy with which it can change the board state often mirrors the impact of an instant speed spell, taking opponents by surprise and changing the tide of the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Olivia, Crimson Bride requires a specific strategy to make the optimum use of her reanimating ability. Players often need to engineer their own graveyard to capitalize on her potential, which could involve discarding valuable resources prematurely or losing tempo to set up.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands two red and four other mana, this card is fixated on a particular mana base. This could be restrictive for decks that operate multiple colors and may not always have access to the required red sources when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At six mana to put onto the battlefield, Olivia, Crimson Bride comes into play relatively late in the game. There are cards with lower casting costs that can provide advantageous board presence sooner, which sometimes makes her less desirable in faster, more aggressive decks that aim to close out games quickly.


Reasons to Include Olivia, Crimson Bride in Your Collection

Versatility: Olivia, Crimson Bride’s ability to bring creatures back from the graveyard directly onto the battlefield makes her a powerful addition to a wide range of decks, from reanimator strategies to vampire tribal builds. Her colors align with the Rakdos guild, known for its aggressive and resilient play styles.

Combo Potential: With Olivia, you can craft numerous combos by resurrecting key creatures that have synergistic effects. Her ability pairs well with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield triggers or those that offer game-winning combos when paired with other cards.

Meta-Relevance: Given the continuous flux of the game’s environment, having a card like Olivia can help tackle various meta trends. Her resurrection ability challenges removal-heavy decks and allows for recovery and sustained threats within the game.


How to beat

Olivia, Crimson Bride is an elusive card in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This vampire noble from the plane of Innistrad presents a unique challenge with its ability to reanimate creatures directly into play from your graveyard. When facing Olivia, it becomes essential to disrupt this core strategy. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Tormod’s Crypt can prevent reanimation by removing creatures from the graveyard before they can be targeted. These are effective tools in keeping the bride’s abilities in check.

Counterspells also play a critical role. By denying Olivia’s initial cast or responding to her triggered ability, you can undermine the key tactic she brings to the table. Direct removal spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider provide a swift end to her reign on the battlefield. Remember, without the bride, the wedding is off, and the threat of returning creatures from the graveyard is significantly diminished.

It’s also wise to limit the number of creatures going into your graveyard. This can be achieved by using exile effects or playing cards that bounce creatures back into your hand. By doing so, you ensure that Olivia’s effect is minimized. Keep these strategies in mind, and the daunting task of beating this formidable adversary can certainly be within your reach.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Olivia, Crimson Bride MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Crimson Vow and Innistrad: Crimson Vow, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Olivia, Crimson Bride and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Olivia, Crimson Bride Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 2452015NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer
22021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 3432015NormalBorderlessBastien L. Deharme
32021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 3152015NormalBlackXiaobotong
42021-11-19Crimson Vow Art SeriesAVOW 652015Art seriesBorderless
52022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 5122015NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Olivia, Crimson Bride has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal