Bilious Skulldweller MTG Card


Allows reanimation of creatures at instant speed, offering dynamic battlefield presence and unpredictability. Demanding black mana cost limits versatility but ensures a strong presence in targeted deck builds. Utility in graveyard-centric decks makes it a valuable asset in today’s shifting MTG meta.
Bilious Skulldweller - Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Insect
Abilities Deathtouch,Toxic
Released2023-02-03
Set symbol
Set namePhyrexia: All Will Be One
Set codeONE
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number83
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Text of card

Deathtouch Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.)

"Watch your footing around here. Anything you might step on probably has teeth." —Kara Vrist, resistance spymaster


Cards like Bilious Skulldweller

Bilious Skulldweller finds its niche among graveyard-utilizing creatures in MTG. It shares space with cards like Gravecrawler, which also resurrects itself from the graveyard, provided you have a Zombie to enable its return. Unlike Gravecrawler, Bilious Skulldweller doesn’t require other creatures to function, offering a more standalone revival ability.

Another peer in the creep from the deep is the Reassembling Skeleton. It returns to the battlefield at a similar mana cost but requires an investment each time you want to revive it, while Bilious Skulldweller’s trigger is a one-time beneficial arrival. Yet, the adaptability of Reassembling Skeleton to instant speed offers strategic advantages in various situations. Baloth Null is a creature that also interacts with the graveyard, but it pulls double duty by retrieving two creatures straight to your hand. However, Bilious Skulldweller has the competitive edge in mana efficiency, allowing for a potentially quicker impact on the game.

In essence, Bilious Skulldweller stands out with its effortless recursion, independent functioning, and mana efficiency. Such traits can define game strategies, making it a card worth considering in decks focusing on graveyard synergy and resourceful creature play.

Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Reassembling Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Baloth Null - MTG Card versions
Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Reassembling Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Baloth Null - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Bilious Skulldweller by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
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Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Insidious Bookworms - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Circling Vultures - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Zodiac Rat - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Champion of the Perished - MTG Card versions
Accursed Centaur - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Esper PoisonEsper Poison StandardEsper PoisonStandard League 2024-03-27
Dimir PoisonDimir Poison StandardDimir PoisonStandard Challenge 32 2024-02-03
Golgari ToxicGolgari Toxic PioneerGolgari MidrangeSouth America Magic Series - Regional Championship (Final Regional NOV 2023)
UBUB StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: February 26, 2024
4c Poison4c Poison Standard4c PoisonStandard Challenge 64 2023-12-31
Mono-Black AggroMono-Black Aggro PioneerMono-Black MidrangePeasant Pioneer Showdown - A Josh and Pat's MTG Bazaar Sponsored Event
5c Legends5c Legends Standard5c LegendsStandard Challenge 64 2023-12-10 (1)
Esper AggroEsper Aggro StandardEsper Poison2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open
Abzan AggroAbzan Aggro PioneerAbzan PoisonReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Pittsburgh - Saturday - 1:00 pm (Bronze)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bilious Skulldweller allows players to potentially reanimate a creature card from their graveyard when an opponent loses life, effectively turning an opponent’s setback into a personal gain and potentially multiplying the threats on the board without expending additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly creating mana, flipping a creature card with Bilious Skulldweller can put you ahead on resources as you’re employing creatures that have already been used and are now returning for a second act, bypassing the need for additional mana investment on casting those creatures again.

Instant Speed: The triggered ability of Bilious Skulldweller can occur at instant speed, meaning the effect takes place right after an opponent loses life, no matter whose turn it is. This surprise element can yield significant tactical advantages, allowing you to bring back creatures on the fly and potentially during an opponent’s turn, disrupting their strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Whatever strategy you have in mind, including Bilious Skulldweller in your deck means you’re signing up for an additional cost. This creature demands a card from your hand to hit the battlefield, which can set you back if your hand is already running lean.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a creature with a penchant for the darker side of magic, Bilious Skulldweller’s casting cost is strictly black mana. This requirement can pigeonhole the card into mono-black or certain two-color decks, potentially excluding a broader inclusion in various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may seem steep for its abilities, Bilious Skulldweller asks for more mana than some other creatures in its class. Experienced players might weigh its potential against other creatures available for the same, or fewer, mana resources.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bilious Skulldweller offers flexibility, as it can slide into various graveyard-centric decks. Its ability to unearth creatures can be a game-changer, maneuvering past conventional summoning strategies.

Combo Potential: Unleashing the Skulldweller’s potential creates nifty synergies, especially with cards that benefit from self-mill tactics or recurring creatures from the graveyard. Its specific mechanics set the stage for surprising combos that can tilt the duel in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-evolving MTG landscape, understanding the meta is crucial. Bilious Skulldweller’s recursive nature can put pressure on opponents in a meta that’s heavy on creature removal, ensuring that your key creatures make a valuable comeback.


How to beat

Bilious Skulldweller earns its reputation in the world of black creature cards by offering both a threat and a potential strategic advantage. Players familiar with the mechanics of Magic: The Gathering recognize that this card’s strength lies as much in its ability to recur from the graveyard as in its menace to remain uncontested on the battlefield. While the Skulldweller’s return can become a recurring nightmare for the unprepared, defeating it is a matter of smart graveyard management.

Rest in Peace is a noteworthy card that can neutralize the Skulldweller’s effectiveness. By exiling all cards from all graveyards, Rest in Peace ensures that Skulldweller’s ability to return is stifled. Similarly, Leyline of the Void is an enchantment that hinders cards from even entering the graveyards, preemptively nullifying any reanimation attempts of the Skulldweller. Fast-paced removal spell like Path to Exile also offers a direct solution by exiling the Skulldweller, bypassing the graveyard altogether.

Ultimately, incorporating cards that modify graveyard mechanics or employ immediate exiling effects can substantially mitigate the impact of Bilious Skulldweller and keep it from dominating the game. Adequate preparation and strategic deck building are key in ensuring that the Skulldweller’s presence is short-lived.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic complexity of MTG offers a thrilling challenge with each match, suggesting endless possibilities for deck enhancement and gameplay refinement. Bilious Skulldweller, with its intriguing potential for creature reanimation and surprise plays, could be your next strategic asset. It invites you to rethink graveyard dynamics and leverage opponent setbacks for your benefit. If you’re eager to explore this avenue and other clever strategies that could give you the upper hand in your next duel, we warmly encourage you to dive deeper. Dive into our reservoir of knowledge and join a community that thrives on making every match an opportunity for growth and ingenuity.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bilious Skulldweller MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 Bilious Skulldweller and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bilious Skulldweller has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-02-04 A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action and doesn't use the stack. In other words, it happens immediately and players can't respond to it, just like a player losing the game due to having 0 or less life.
2023-02-04 Any other effects of that damage, such as life gain from lifelink, still apply.
2023-02-04 Conversely, replacement effects that apply to the number of counters put on a player can modify the counters placed this way. For example, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider's last two abilities can apply to counters placed this way.
2023-02-04 Damage dealt by a creature with toxic grants the same number of counters regardless of how much damage is dealt. Notably, if a replacement effect modifies the damage in some way (such as that of Gratuitous Violence), the number of counters given remains unchanged.
2023-02-04 If a creature with toxic deals combat damage to a creature or planeswalker, or if it deals noncombat damage, toxic has no effect and no player gets poison counters.
2023-02-04 Multiple instances of toxic are cumulative. For example, if a creature has toxic 2 and gains toxic 1 due to another effect, combat damage that creature deals to a player will cause that player to get 3 poison counters.
2023-02-04 Toxic doesn't change the amount of combat damage a creature deals. For example, if a 2/2 creature with toxic 1 deals combat damage to a player, that creature will deal 2 damage. The results of that damage are the player loses 2 life and gets a poison counter.