Call of the Death-Dweller MTG Card


Call of the Death-Dweller - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2020-04-24
Set symbol
Set nameIkoria: Lair of Behemoths
Set codeIKO
Number78
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byVincent Proce

Key Takeaways

  1. Gaining card advantage by reanimating multiple creatures enhances gameplay and recovers resources.
  2. Instantaneous board presence with efficient mana use outstrips opponent’s resources.
  3. Strategically timed usage can lead to game-altering plays and momentum shifts.

Text of card

Return up to two target creature cards with total mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. Put a deathtouch counter on either of them. Then put a menace counter on either of them.

The living fear Nethroi's whispers. The dead heed them.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Call of the Death-Dweller offers a unique opportunity to reclaim creatures from the graveyard, essentially drawing them into play. This not only recoups lost resources but also has the potential to return multiple creatures with a single spell.

Resource Acceleration: This card efficiently utilizes the mana spent by potentially bringing back creatures with a total converted mana cost of up to three. In the right deck, this can mean an immediate increase in your board presence, outpacing your opponent’s resources without spending additional cards.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Call of the Death-Dweller at instant speed is not intrinsic to the card. Despite this, its benefits during the main phases translate into significant strategic depth. Timing this spell well can result in favorable trades or surprise blockers, altering the course of the game when your opponent least expects it.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Call of the Death-Dweller can be an asset in graveyard-centric strategies, it does require you to have creatures in the graveyard to get any value. Decks without a reliable means of doing so may find this card occasionally sitting idle in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both black and mana commitments, which means it’s predominantly a good fit for black-based or multicolored decks. Mono-colored or those running a light black splash could struggle to meet the mana requirements consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being only three mana, within that range, some players might prefer options that impact the board immediately or provide more flexibility. At the three mana slot, other spells might offer broader utility or less restrictive conditions.


Reasons to Include Call of the Death-Dweller in Your Collection

Versatility: Call of the Death-Dweller offers a unique form of reanimation that can target multiple creatures for a relatively low mana cost. This ability allows it to be incorporated into various archetypes that benefit from graveyard strategies or simply need to recover key creatures.

Combo Potential: This card excels at setting up combos by returning creatures with valuable enter-the-battlefield effects or those that can synergize with each other once they’re back on the field. Its capability to distribute +1/+1 counters and deathtouch or menace creates unexpected interactions that can shift the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With an ever-shifting meta, Call of the Death-Dweller adapts well against decks that rely on creature removal to maintain control. It allows players to quickly reestablish their board presence and resilience, making it a strong sideboard candidate or even a main deck asset in the right environment.


How to beat

Call of the Death-Dweller offers players a powerful reanimation tactic in Magic: The Gathering. It uniquely enables one to return up to two target creature cards with total converted mana cost 3 or less from their graveyard to the battlefield. What truly sets it apart is the option to distribute two abilities – deathtouch and menace – among them. This can turn even the most humble of creatures into significant threats.

To effectively counter this card, players should consider including graveyard hate cards in their deck, such as Scavenging Ooze or Leyline of the Void, which can preemptively remove creature cards from the graveyard. Timely use of instant speed removal, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, can also disrupt the combo by targeting creatures as they are reanimated. Additionally, utilizing control elements to manage the board and keep creature counts low can diminish the impact of Call of the Death-Dweller, ensuring that returning creatures will be less of a threat or potentially have no targets at all.

By anticipating this card and incorporating specific strategic measures, players can effectively nullify the advantage it provides, maintaining control over the game state and improving their chances of victory against decks that rely on this potent reanimation spell.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deep into the strategic nuances of MTG with Call of the Death-Dweller. This versatile card can efficiently recover key creatures from the graveyard and introduce them back into play with valuable enhancements. Ideal for decks that thrive on graveyard synergies, it allows for an impressive rebound in the face of creature removal. Whether you’re constructing a new deck or revising an existing one, consider the tactical advantages and combo potential this card offers. Eager to outwit your opponents and establish board dominance? Enhance your game strategies and deck resilience by integrating Call of the Death-Dweller into your collection today.


Cards like Call of the Death-Dweller

Call of the Death-Dweller serves as a versatile recovery tool within Magic: The Gathering, much like other reanimation spells. Its capability to return creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield offers a strategic element not unlike Unearth, which also brings creatures back but with a restriction: they gain haste and are exiled at the beginning of the next end step.

Another parallel is drawn with the spell Macabre Waltz. This card similarly allows the retrieval of creatures from the graveyard to a player’s hand. However, where Call of the Death-Dweller shines is in its ability to put creatures straight onto the battlefield, potentially with an additional deathtouch or menace counter. This is an upper hand compared to Macabre Waltz, which requires creatures to be recast from the hand.

Finally, looking at a spell like Agadeem’s Awakening, we see a more dynamic but costlier option. Although it can bring back multiple creatures, the cost scales with each additional creature you reanimate. Call of the Death-Dweller, with a fixed cost, can be a preferred choice for low-cost creature recovery. These nuances in mechanics and costs highlight Call of the Death-Dweller’s place in the lineup of reanimation spells within the overarching game strategies.

Unearth - MTG Card versions
Macabre Waltz - MTG Card versions
Unearth - MTG Card versions
Macabre Waltz - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Call of the Death-Dweller MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Call of the Death-Dweller and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Call of the Death-Dweller 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 Call of the Death-Dweller card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-04-17 If a card in a player’s graveyard has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2020-04-17 If you return no creature cards to the battlefield, you won’t put any counters on any creatures.
2020-04-17 If you return two creature cards, you may put one counter on each or put both counters on one.
2020-04-17 You could target a single creature card with Call of the Death-Dweller. In this case, you’ll put both counters on that creature.