Araumi of the Dead Tide MTG Card


Araumi leverages graveyards for potent card advantage and strategic depth in gameplay. Instant-speed interactions gained from Encore can disrupt and surprise opponents. While powerful, Araumi requires careful management of resources and hand content.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Power 1
Toughness 4

Text of card

, Exile cards from your graveyard equal to the number of opponents you have: Target creature card in your graveyard gains encore until end of turn. The encore cost is equal to its mana cost. (Exile the creature card and pay its mana cost: For each opponent, create a token copy that attacks that opponent this turn if able. They gain haste. Sacrifice them at the beginning of the next end step. Activate only as a sorcery.)


Cards like Araumi of the Dead Tide

Araumi of the Dead Tide carves a unique niche in MTG as a commander that innovatively tackles the graveyard mechanic. It parallels cards like Gisa and Geralf in granting access to zombies from your graveyard each turn. Araumi, however, escalates this concept with the encore ability, offering a one-turn burst of multiple token copies that poises it distinctly in the graveyard utilization strategy.

There’s also The Scarab God, which also reanimates creatures from the graveyard, albeit in a different manner. Unlike Araumi, The Scarab God’s ability can be repeatedly activated and transforms creatures into 4/4 zombies, a contrast to Araumi’s temporary token swarm. Sedris, the Traitor King, brings a versatile alternative with its unearth ability. Although similar to encore with the single-turn creature availability from the graveyard, it doesn’t multiply the creatures, a trade-off considering its broader application beyond the self-commander.

Evaluating the dynamics of these commander cards spotlights Araumi of the Dead Tide’s potential to unlock explosive plays, distinguishing itself among MTG cards that explore the theme of reanimation and temporary creature advantage.

Gisa and Geralf - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Sedris, the Traitor King - MTG Card versions
Gisa and Geralf - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Sedris, the Traitor King - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Araumi of the Dead Tide by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Infiltrator - MTG Card versions
Dralnu's Pet - MTG Card versions
Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions
Psychatog - MTG Card versions
Satoru Umezawa - MTG Card versions
Master of Death - MTG Card versions
Urborg Emissary - MTG Card versions
Dimir Cutpurse - MTG Card versions
Dimir Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Cemetery Puca - MTG Card versions
Gravelgill Duo - MTG Card versions
Wasp Lancer - MTG Card versions
Shore Snapper - MTG Card versions
Harbor Bandit - MTG Card versions
Nightveil Specter - MTG Card versions
Bane Alley Broker - MTG Card versions
Siren of the Silent Song - MTG Card versions
Jorubai Murk Lurker - MTG Card versions
Mindmelter - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Captain - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Infiltrator - MTG Card versions
Dralnu's Pet - MTG Card versions
Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions
Psychatog - MTG Card versions
Satoru Umezawa - MTG Card versions
Master of Death - MTG Card versions
Urborg Emissary - MTG Card versions
Dimir Cutpurse - MTG Card versions
Dimir Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Cemetery Puca - MTG Card versions
Gravelgill Duo - MTG Card versions
Wasp Lancer - MTG Card versions
Shore Snapper - MTG Card versions
Harbor Bandit - MTG Card versions
Nightveil Specter - MTG Card versions
Bane Alley Broker - MTG Card versions
Siren of the Silent Song - MTG Card versions
Jorubai Murk Lurker - MTG Card versions
Mindmelter - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Captain - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Araumi of the Dead Tide enables players to delve into their graveyard, essentially turning it into an extension of their hand. This strategic use of the graveyard can lead to significant card advantage as you reuse essential creatures with Encore, shuffling Araumi’s ability into the game’s economy.

Resource Acceleration: The Encore ability is not just for spectacle; it expeditiously multiplies your board presence, providing a form of resource acceleration that can quickly overwhelm opponents. Through careful planning and the right graveyard management, Araumi can turn a single creature investment into a trio of threats, optimizing your resources efficiently.

Instant Speed: While Araumi itself operates at sorcery speed, the Encore ability it grants to creatures can provide instant-speed interaction when those creatures have flash or can be activated during your opponent’s turn. This unexpected maneuvering can provide a tactical edge, allowing for disruptive plays and opportunistic strikes that can swing the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Araumi of the Dead Tide demands players to discard a card to engage its encore ability. This can be a significant setback when your hand is already stretched thin or if the game has progressed to a point where every card in hand is crucial for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Araumi’s casting cost is one colorless and two blue mana, which may not be easily splashed into multi-colored decks. This requirement for specific mana can restrict deck-building options and may prove problematic in mana-strained situations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an operational cost that involves three mana to cast plus the encore ability expense, Araumi can be a heavy investment. There are other commanders or creatures that could potentially provide more immediate impact on the game without such high setup costs, thus affecting its overall efficiency in a match.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Araumi of the Dead Tide offers flexibility in deck-building, easily sliding into Dimir or graveyard-centric strategies. This card allows you to exploit creatures for encore, giving a fresh dynamism to your gameplay every turn.

Combo Potential: When Araumi is in play, you open up a whole new realm of combo possibilities. The encore ability particularly shines here as it can lead to multiple instances of powerful enter-the-battlefield or leave-the-battlefield triggers in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, having Araumi in your collection can prove crucial. The card continues to demonstrate relevance by interacting favorably against popular decks that focus on graveyard synergy or disrupting opponents’ strategies through carefully orchestrated plays.


How to beat

Araumi of the Dead Tide, a notorious commander in MTG, thrives on its ability to encore cards from the graveyard, essentially creating copies that can be a nightmare to contend with. To effectively counter this card, players should consider graveyard disruption strategies. Cards such as Tormod’s Crypt can be played to exhume and remove the contents of an opponent’s graveyard at the right moment, effectively neutralizing Araumi’s encore ability.

Another approach is to employ instant removal spells that can target Araumi before the player has the opportunity to use the encore ability. Swift Response, which can destroy a tapped creature at instant speed, can catch an opponent off-guard and dismantle their game plan. In the absence of graveyard or direct removal tools, opting for counterspells like Negate can also be effective. This prevents Araumi from hitting the battlefield in the first place, alleviating future headaches.

Ultimately, understanding and utilizing cards that can undermine Araumi’s key strengths is the cornerstone of overcoming this powerful adversary. By focusing on strategies that strip the graveyard of its resources or prevent Araumi from taking root on the field, players can maintain control and pave the way to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding Araumi of the Dead Tide’s nuances is pivotal in leveraging its strengths and mitigating its weaknesses. Embrace its ability to create card advantage and resource acceleration through smart graveyard play. Explore our comprehensive guides for optimizing your deck, mastering strategic interactions, and becoming adept at navigating the complex MTG environment. Whether you’re weaving new synergies or gearing up to disrupt your opponent’s tactics, our insights can help you harness the full potential of your cards. Dive deeper with us into the MTG realm, and let’s elevate your gameplay together. Discover winning strategies and become a formidable player. Join us to learn more.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Araumi of the Dead Tide MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Araumi of the Dead Tide and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Araumi of the Dead Tide Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Daarken.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 862702015NormalBlackDaarken
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5872015NormalBlackDaarken
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 2672015NormalBlackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Araumi of the Dead Tide has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Araumi of the Dead Tide card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-11-10 Each token must attack the appropriate player if able.
2020-11-10 Exiling the card with encore is a cost to activate the ability. Once you announce that you're activating it, no player may take actions until you've finished. They can't try to remove the card from your graveyard to stop you from paying the cost.
2020-11-10 If one of the tokens can't attack for any reason (such as being tapped), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
2020-11-10 If one of the tokens somehow is under another player's control as the delayed triggered ability resolves, you can't sacrifice that token. It remains on the battlefield indefinitely, even if you regain control of it later.
2020-11-10 If the creature card has in its mana cost, you can choose any value for X, but the value you choose won't apply to the tokens that are created. X will be 0 for those tokens.
2020-11-10 Opponents who have left the game aren't counted when determining how many tokens to create.
2020-11-10 The tokens copy only what's on the original card. Effects that modified that creature when it was previously on the battlefield won't be copied.
2023-07-28 If an effect stops a token from attacking a specific player, that token can attack any player, planeswalker, or battle, or not attack at all. If the effect stops the token from attacking a specific player unless a cost is paid, you don't have to pay that cost unless you want to attack that player.