Animate Graveyard MTG Card
Text of card
Enchant your graveyard Enchanted graveyard is a creature on the battlefield with base power and toughness each equal to the number of cards in it. It has the text boxes of all creature cards in it. It's still a graveyard. If enchanted graveyard would leave the battlefield, instead exile Animate Graveyard.
Cards like Animate Graveyard
Animate Graveyard steps into the arena of creature resurrection spells in MTG, sharing a thematic lineage with cards like Unearth and Zombify. These spells share the core function of bringing creatures back from the graveyard to the battlefield. Unearth allows for a quick return of a small creature at a low cost, adding haste but exiling it later. In comparison, Zombify lacks the speed and low cost but doesn’t impose restrictions on creature size or any exile clause.
Another comparison is drawn with the card Resurrection, which strictly targets the player’s own graveyard, unlike Animate Graveyard that may offer more flexibility. Rise from the Grave, not to be overlooked, resurrects creatures directly into play and additionally turns them into Zombies, synergizing with tribal themes but at a higher mana investment. Yet, Animate Graveyard carves its niche with possibly differing conditions or added benefits that align with the set it accompanies.
Each card holds merit in its respective strategies and deck types, whether for a quick revival with Unearth or a more deliberate resurrection with Zombify. Players seeking to unlock the full potential of their graveyard will consider Animate Graveyard’s unique properties in the broader context of reanimation spells in the game.
Cards similar to Animate Graveyard by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: By reviving creatures from the graveyard, Animate Graveyard cards allow you to regain assets that opponnents may have thought were permanently dealt with, effectively giving you a second chance to utilize your creatures and maintain or enhance your card advantage on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: These spells can drastically change the tempo of the game by putting creatures back onto the field potentially sooner than casting them from hand would allow, representing a form of resource acceleration that can tip the scales in your favor.
Instant Speed: Some Animate Graveyard cards function at instant speed which provides flexibility, letting you wait for the perfect moment during your opponent’s turn to surprise them and potentially disrupt their strategy by bringing back a creature that could alter the state of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Bringing creatures back from the graveyard demands something in return, often a shuffle of precious cards from your hand into the graveyard. This could impede your strategy, particularly when your hand is already playing catch-up.
Specific Mana Cost: Animating the dead is no simple feat and typically requires a mixture of specific mana colors. This sometimes poses restrictions, as decks not committed to those colors may find it challenging to summon the resources necessary at a critical juncture.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Resurrecting creatures can come with a steep price. When the mana curve is high, it may slow down your gameplay, giving your opponent the opportunity to strengthen their board presence or counter your actions before you can capitalize on this powerful mechanic.
Reasons to Include Animate Graveyard in Your Collection
Versatility: Animate Graveyard fits snugly into a variety of deck archetypes that rely on graveyard strategies. Its ability to bring creatures back from the graveyard to the battlefield can be a game-changer in both creature-heavy and control decks.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a key component in combos that rely on recurring creatures for powerful effects. By resurrecting high-impact creatures time and time again, you can maximize your value and tactical advantage on the board.
Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often features graveyard manipulation, Animate Graveyard holds a firm place. It counters graveyard hate and exploits the common strategy of utilizing the graveyard as a resource, making it a shrewd addition to any player’s arsenal.
How to beat
Animate Graveyard cards present a unique challenge on the playing field, revitalizing creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield. These potent spells can quickly turn the tide, making them a prominent strategy for many players. To counteract the potential of Animate Graveyard, direct graveyard disruption is essential. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void can effectively remove this threat by exiling cards before they can be resurrected. Alternately, implementing counterspells such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Animate Graveyard cards from ever taking effect.
Beyond spell-based strategies, playing creatures with graveyard hate abilities should also be considered. Cards like Scavenging Ooze not only impede graveyard tactics but also serve as a proactive presence on the board. By analyzing your opponent’s patterns and the composition of their graveyard, it’s possible to predict and preempt their Animate Graveyard play, strategically removing key creatures they might target.
Finally, maintaining pressure on the opponent to deplete their resources can also hinder their ability to utilize Animate Graveyard effectively. By adopting a strategy that balances graveyard control and ongoing board presence, you’ll enhance your position against those relying on Animate Graveyard spells within MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Animate Graveyard MTG card by a specific set like Unfinity and Unfinity, 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 Animate Graveyard and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Animate Graveyard Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Mike Burns.
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Animate Graveyard card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-10-07 | If a creature card in your graveyard is a double-faced card, your graveyard-creature only gains the text box on its front face. Your graveyard-creature is not a double-faced card and can’t transform, no matter how many double-faced cards are in it. Similarly, if a creature card in your graveyard has an Adventure, your graveyard-creature only gains the text box of the creature card, not the Adventure card. |
| 2022-10-07 | If another player gains control of your graveyard, Animate Graveyard will be put its owner’s graveyard. This immediately causes your graveyard to stop being a creature and return to just being your graveyard. |
| 2022-10-07 | If the enchanted graveyard would leave the battlefield for any reason, instead Animate Graveyard is exiled. This will cause the graveyard to give up its dreams of being a creature and return to being only a graveyard. The graveyard doesn’t die. It just goes back to being a graveyard. No abilities that trigger whenever a creature dies will trigger. |
| 2022-10-07 | If there’s a creature card in your graveyard with an ability that defines its power and toughness, such as Tarmogoyf (Maro: He means Maro), the ability of Animate Graveyard will apply after that ability. The base power and toughness of your graveyard-creature will still be equal to the number of cards in your graveyard. |
| 2022-10-07 | Once enchanted, your graveyard behaves like any other creature. It can attack or block. You can enchant it with other Auras, equip it, use it to crew Vehicles, and so on. It won’t naturally have any creature types—the text box doesn’t include the type line. |
| 2022-10-07 | Similarly, if Animate Graveyard leaves the battlefield or becomes unattached from your graveyard, the animated graveyard will return to being just your graveyard. |
| 2022-10-07 | While you’ll use the cards in your graveyard to determine the stats and abilities of your graveyard-that’s-a-creature, those cards aren’t themselves on the battlefield. For example, if you mill a card while your graveyard is animated, the milled card doesn’t enter the battlefield. This isn’t quite as wild as Yet Another Aether Vortex. |
| 2022-10-07 | You can’t animate your junkyard or your scrapyard. Though they may aspire to be graveyards, they are not. |
| 2022-10-07 | Your graveyard is still a graveyard. I know the card says that, but it really bears repeating. Cards that would go to your graveyard still will, even while your graveyard is a creature on the battlefield. |
| 2022-10-07 | Your graveyard-creature will have all the text boxes of all creature cards in it. This means it will have all rules text, flavor text, and watermarks of those creature cards. If a creature card is put into your graveyard, the graveyard-creature will gain its text box. If a creature card leaves your graveyard, that text box will be lost. Phoebe can steal any of these text boxes, but she must do so one at a time. |