Bonecaller Cleric MTG Card
2022-06-10 - Number 117
2022-07-07 - Number 147
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Cleric |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
, Sacrifice Bonecaller Cleric: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery.
The bell's unearthly chime slips into the ears of the dead, waking them rudely from their eternal slumber.
Cards like Bonecaller Cleric
The Bonecaller Cleric is an interesting arrival to the role of support characters in MTG. Its kinship can be drawn with other cleric type creatures such as the Cleric of Life’s Bond, which similarly supports a life gain strategy. The Bonecaller Cleric has its uniqueness with its ability to bring creatures back from the graveyard to its owner’s hand. Cleric of Life’s Bond, however, does not share this reanimation ability but compensates with the potential to grow stronger whenever you gain life.
Champion of the Parish is another card that resonates with the life strategy woven into Bonecaller Cleric’s design, albeit focusing on buffing itself whenever another Human enters the battlefield. While the Champion doesn’t provide direct card advantage from the graveyard, its power to become a formidable force on the battlefield is undeniable.
Comparatively, the Bonecaller Cleric offers a more versatile approach to gameplay, giving players a chance to strategically retrieve key creatures. This tactical flexibility can be crucial in longer duels where resource management becomes paramount. Therefore, Bonecaller Cleric stands as a valuable asset in any MTG deck that benefits from creature recovery and clerical synergies.
Cards similar to Bonecaller Cleric by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Bonecaller Cleric. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grixis Reanimator | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 08 2024 | |
| Grixis Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 06 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Bonecaller Cleric offers robust utility by returning a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. This recycling of resources ensures that you’re never at a loss for options, allowing you to sustain pressure on your opponent while rebuilding your hand for future turns.
Resource Acceleration: By potentially retrieving high-impact creatures with mana abilities or those that generate additional value when they enter the battlefield, Bonecaller Cleric serves as a catalyst for both tempo and resource acceleration, setting you up for more potent plays down the line.
Instant Speed: The inherent flexibility of casting spells like the Bonecaller Cleric at instant speed cannot be understated. This capability allows you to wait until the last possible moment to make strategic decisions based on the state of the game, outmaneuvering opponents with unpredictability and precision.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Bonecaller Cleric demands that players discard another card, creating a potential setback when hand advantage is crucial in gameplay.
Specific Mana Cost: This cleric’s ability hinges on both white and black mana, potentially restricting it to decks that can consistently provide both types of mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the necessity of investing four mana to summon the Bonecaller Cleric, players may find other creatures or spells that maximize mana efficiency more effectively at a similar cost.
Reasons to Include Bonecaller Cleric in Your Collection
Versatility: Bonecaller Cleric brings a dynamic option to any deck looking for an efficient creature with added utility. It slots easily into cleric tribal decks or any build that benefits from graveyard interaction.
Combo Potential: This card presents several combo opportunities, particularly in decks that manipulate creatures dying or returning from the graveyard. Its synergy can help initiate or sustain a winning combo chain.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature abilities can tip the scales, Bonecaller Cleric’s role in recurring key creatures can be a game-changer, adapting well to a variety of meta environments that favor creature-based strategies.
How to Beat Bonecaller Cleric
Bonecaller Cleric emerges as an intriguing utility piece on the battlefield, presenting MTG players with both creature revival potential and self-mill opportunities. While this card can play a pivotal role in recurring lost creatures and stocking your graveyard with strategic spells, there are methods to mitigate its impact. Cards such as Tormod’s Crypt can quickly exile an opponent’s graveyard, disrupting any plans to leverage death for gain. Alternatively, containment spells and abilities, like those found on Lignify or Darksteel Mutation, can neutralize the cleric without sending it to the graveyard, thus preventing any revival synergies.
One must also consider instant-speed removal options. By timing removal spells such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile effectively, one can bypass the cleric’s abilities altogether. This can be especially useful when your opponent attempts to trigger its ability in the midst of a complex play. Furthermore, countering key spells that interact with the graveyard, like reanimation spells, with a counterspell such as Negate, can greatly reduce Bonecaller Cleric’s utility on the board.
Overall, strategically targeting the graveyard and utilizing timely spell responses can ensure that the endeavors of Bonecaller Cleric remain fruitless, preserving the balance of play in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bonecaller Cleric MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Bonecaller Cleric and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Bonecaller Cleric Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-07-07. Illustrated by Jason A. Engle.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 117 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason A. Engle | |
| 2 | 2022-07-07 | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate | HBG | 147 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jason A. Engle |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bonecaller Cleric has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bonecaller Cleric card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-06-10 | Bonecaller Cleric can't be the target of its own ability. This is because targets are chosen for activated abilities before costs (such as “Sacrifice Bonecaller Cleric”) are paid. |