Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt MTG Card


Generates considerable card advantage by reviving multiple creatures for the cost of one. Provides flexibility and resource acceleration as a modal double-faced card. Can create surprise comeback situations, mimicking instant spell dynamics.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Return from your graveyard to the battlefield any number of target creature cards that each have a different mana value X or less.

"Now is the death-hour, just before dawn. Wake, sleepers, and haunt the living!" —Vivias, Witch Vessel


Cards like Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt

As an integral component in Magic: The Gathering, Agadeem’s Awakening holds unique footing among black mana spells, and draws parallels with other similar spells. Take Rise of the Dark Realms, for instance. This spell also tantalizes with the promise of bringing back creatures from the graveyard, albeit with a burdensome mana cost. Yet unlike Agadeem’s Awakening, it’s an all-or-nothing card that lacks the strategic flexibility of adjusting its effect with escalating mana.

Sharing the spotlight is Dutiful Return, another black mana spell that offers the potential to resuscitate dead creatures. It tends towards the affordable side with a lower mana cost, yet it only has a fixed effect, unlike the scalable potential that Agadeem’s Awakening brings to the table.

Gravedigger’s Cage could also be analyzed alongside Agadeem’s Awakening as it creates constraints for its opponent regarding the graveyard. However, it doesn’t enable resurrection of your creatures,

To sum up, Agadeem’s Awakening creates a substantial niche within Magic: The Gathering, wielding incredible versatility. It provides enticing trade-offs that are tough to ignore when considering it against other similar spells with specific inflexibilities or drawbacks.

Rise of the Dark Realms - MTG Card versions
Dutiful Return - MTG Card versions
Rise of the Dark Realms - MTG Card versions
Dutiful Return - MTG Card versions

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Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Inquisition - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Call from the Grave - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Agadeem’s Awakening provides a unique form of card advantage. By allowing players to bring back any number of creatures from their graveyard to the battlefield with different converted mana costs, the card essentially multiplies its own effect. This means that you could potentially bring back three or more creatures for the cost of one card – a significant advantage in a game of MTG.

Resource Acceleration: As a modal double-faced card, Agadeem’s Awakening can also be played as Agadeem, the Undercrypt. This adds a level of flexibility and resource acceleration to your play since you can use it as a land when needed. The card thus offers a way to ensure you won’t miss your land drops in the early game, while maintaining its utility in the later stages.

Instant Speed: While Agadeem’s Awakening doesn’t function at instant speed, its effect can create a similar dynamic. Casting it on your turn can surprise your opponent by bringing back a force of creatures from your graveyard they had not prepared for, in a fashion similar to a powerful instant spell. This further asserts its usefulness in any game scenario.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To unleash its full potential, Agadeem’s Awakening expects you to put aside a card from your hand. It can push you into a spot of bother, emptying your arsenal when you’re already running low on options.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting requires three black mana that could prove restrictive. This forces Agadeem’s Awakening into deck designs rich in black mana-sources, limiting the flexibility of its utility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With three black mana and X cost to cast, Agadeem’s Awakening demands a substantial investment. While its abilities sound promising, the mana sink it demands, calls for careful scrutiny. There are other cards in MTG that can provide similar or even better value proposition at a comparatively lower cost.


Reasons to Include Agadeem’s Awakening in Your Collection

Versatility: Agadeem’s Awakening shines in its flexibility. It’s a modal double-faced card that can either be played as a land or a powerful spell. The land enters play untapped if you pay three life, thus functioning as a versatile mana resource. As a spell, it can bring back multiple creatures from the graveyard, making it a tactical choice in numerous situations.

Combo Potential: This card is a perfect addition to any deck that utilizes graveyard mechanics. Coupled with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield effects, the combo potential of Agadeem’s Awakening cannot be understated. Its ability to resurrect many fallen creatures increases the overall reach of your strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In the current meta, decks that leverage graveyard synergies or depend on plentiful mana are abundant. Agadeem’s Awakening fits perfectly, either providing critical resources or swinging games with massive creature returns.


How to beat

Agadeem’s Awakening is a potent monoblack card spell in Magic: The Gathering with an intricate interplay of abilities that siphon power from the graveyard. Comparable to other revival spells, this card is distinguished by its modal dual-faced landscape, opening a multiplicity of strategic possibilities.

Nevertheless, you can defy its power. Countering this card might not be simple, yet some practical strategies include graveyard removal and counterspells. Cards like Rest in Peace or Tormod’s Crypt can purge your opponent’s graveyard, undermining the foundation of Agadeem’s Awakening.

Counterspells are also valuable tools, especially those that cost less mana, like Spell Pierce and Mana Leak. By using counterspells, you can thwart Agadeem’s Awakening before it reaches the battlefield and starts swinging the game in your opponent’s favor.

The effectiveness of these strategies is determined by the pace of your game and the available resources, as efficiently managing your resources is a key aspect when confronting such formidable foes as Agadeem’s Awakening in Magic: The Gathering. The ability to adapt your game plan in response to such powerful cards will always serve you well in the thrilling universe of MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

Stepping up your MTG gameplay involves comprehending the nuances and capabilities of cards like Agadeem’s Awakening. With its potential to alter the tide of a match, it’s essential for enthusiasts to explore its strategic depth. From adapting to mana restrictions to exploiting graveyard synergies, this card presents more than meets the eye. Crafting your deck with an understanding of its pros and cons, together with other similar spells, can certainly fortify your position in the game. We invite you to delve deeper into its intricacies and discover how to best harness its power or counter it effectively. Dive into our resources for a comprehensive understanding of Agadeem’s Awakening and refine your deck to dominate the battlefield.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Zendikar Rising Promos, 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 Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-09-25 and 2020-09-25. Illustrated by Dmitry Burmak.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 838642015Modal DFCBlackDmitry Burmak
22020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 90s2015Modal DFCBlackDmitry Burmak
32020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 902015Modal DFCBlackDmitry Burmak
42020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 3362015Modal DFCBlackDmitry Burmak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-09-25 A modal double-faced card can’t be transformed or be put onto the battlefield transformed. Ignore any instruction to transform a modal double-faced card or to put one onto the battlefield transformed.
2020-09-25 If an effect allows you to play a land or cast a spell from among a group of cards, you may play or cast a modal double-faced card with any face that fits the criteria of that effect.
2020-09-25 If an effect allows you to play a specific modal double-faced card, you may cast it as a spell or play it as a land, as determined by which face you choose to play. If an effect allows you to cast (rather than “play”) a specific modal double-faced card, you can’t play it as a land.
2020-09-25 If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name, the name of either face may be chosen. If that effect or a linked ability refers to a spell with the chosen name being cast and/or a land with the chosen name being played, it considers only the chosen name, not the other face’s name.
2020-09-25 If an effect puts a double-faced card onto the battlefield, it enters with its front face up. If that front face can’t be put onto the battlefield, it doesn’t enter the battlefield.
2020-09-25 In the Commander variant, a double-faced card’s color identity is determined by the mana costs and mana symbols in the rules text of both faces combined. If either face has a color indicator or basic land type, those are also considered.
2020-09-25 The mana value of a modal double-faced card is based on the characteristics of the face that’s being considered. On the stack and battlefield, consider whichever face is up. In all other zones, consider only the front face. This is different than how the mana value of a transforming double-faced card is determined.
2020-09-25 There is a single triangle icon in the top left corner of the front face. There is a double triangle icon in the top left corner of the back face.
2020-09-25 To determine whether it is legal to play a modal double-faced card, consider only the characteristics of the face you’re playing and ignore the other face’s characteristics.