Wake the Dead MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Wake the Dead creates instant board presence by reanimating creatures during an opponent’s turn.
  2. Combining with creatures that trigger effects upon entering or leaving the battlefield amplifies its impact.
  3. Strategically countering Wake the Dead involves graveyard management and instant-speed removal.

Text of card

Cast Wake the Dead only during combat on an opponent's turn. Return X target creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. Sacrifice those creatures at the beginning of the next end step.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wake the Dead offers a unique opportunity to temporarily reanimate multiple creatures from your graveyard during an opponent’s turn. This can lead to an unexpected board presence, giving you an advantage and the element of surprise, which can be particularly useful when setting up for a game-winning move.

Resource Acceleration: While the card itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it effectively uses the creatures in your graveyard as resources. This utilization can change the tide of the game by providing blockers or triggering enter-the-battlefield effects without expending additional cards from your hand.

Instant Speed: The real strength of Wake the Dead lies in its instant-speed casting ability. This lets you wait until the most strategically advantageous moment during your opponent’s turn, like the end of their combat phase, to spring a surprise that could disrupt their plans and force them to reconsider their strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One potential drawback to Wake the Dead is its discard stipulation. Each use requires the player to relinquish a card, which can backfire when options in hand are sparse and every card is crucial for maintaining game momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Wake the Dead demands both black and generic mana, making it exclusively functional in decks that can reliably produce both. This requirement can restrict its inclusion to certain types of deck builds, notably those featuring a black theme or mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may appear steep compared with other cards offering similar graveyard interaction capabilities, some players find that Wake the Dead’s mana investment doesn’t always correlate with its impact on the game, leading them to seek out more cost-efficient options.


Reasons to Include Wake the Dead in Your Collection

Versatility: Wake the Dead offers the unique ability to instantly summon creatures from your graveyard during an opponent’s turn, making it an unconventional tool for surprise blocks or end-of-turn plays that fit into a variety of decks, from control to reanimator strategies.

Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield effects or death triggers. It can be a pivotal part of a combination that takes advantage of these temporary but impactful board presences.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right conditions, Wake the Dead can be a game-changer in a meta filled with creature-based strategies. It provides a sudden swarm of blockers or a quick setup for a lethal counter-attack during your next turn.


How to beat

Wake the Dead is a crafty card that allows players to make tactical maneuvers by returning creature cards from the graveyard to the battlefield during the end step. To effectively counter this card, understanding its timing is crucial. Employing graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus can thwart your opponent’s strategy by exiling the creatures before they can be brought back. Additionally, instant-speed removal spells can eliminate the creatures as they come back during the end step, negating the advantage Wake the Dead grants. It’s also worth considering the prevention of card advantage by using countermagic when Wake the Dead is cast, thereby undermining its potential impact on the game.

Another strategic move against Wake the Dead is to limit the number of worthwhile targets in your opponent’s graveyard. This can be done by using selective exile effects which will reduce the utility and effectiveness of Wake the Dead. Moreover, it’s beneficial to apply pressure with aggressive creatures or strategies, thereby challenging your opponent to use their mana on defense rather than setting up a profitable Wake the Dead scenario. By staying one step ahead and disrupting the key mechanics of this card, you’ll find yourself in a stronger position to claim victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the nuances and maximizing the potential of your MTG deck can be as intriguing as playing the game itself. Wake the Dead brings a layer of depth, inviting strategic plays that can catch an opponent off guard. Whether you’re tweaking a reanimator strategy or looking for ways to effectively utilize your graveyard as a resource, this card can add a fresh dynamic to your gameplay. Dive deeper into strategic deck building, explore how this card interacts with others, and fortify your collection for the flexibility it affords. Ready for more insights and tips? Continue your journey with us and discover how to master your matches with astute card choices.


Cards like Wake the Dead

Wake the Dead stands out in the realm of instant spells that manipulate graveyards in Magic: The Gathering. Its nearest rival might be the likes of Rally the Ancestors, which brings back multiple creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield until the next turn. Wake the Dead differs by allowing creatures to come back during an opponent’s turn and instead of vanishing at the next turn, they are sacrificed. This opens strategic plays dependent on creatures’ death triggers.

Another card of a similar strain is Footsteps of the Goryo, a sorcery that reanimates a creature briefly, only to be sacrificed at the end of turn. While it functions on the player’s turn unlike Wake the Dead, it creates opportunities for one-time powerful effects. The strategic timing element of Wake the Dead, however, provides a unique advantage during an opponent’s turn, making it a sneaky surprise.

Ultimately, Wake the Dead occupies a niche within MTG’s graveyard-focused cards, affording tactical versatility and unexpected plays that can swing the game in moments filled with suspense and tactic.

Rally the Ancestors - MTG Card versions
Footsteps of the Goryo - MTG Card versions
Rally the Ancestors - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Footsteps of the Goryo - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Cards similar to Wake the Dead by color, type and mana cost

Word of Command - MTG Card versions
Terror - MTG Card versions
Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Transmutation - MTG Card versions
Headstone - MTG Card versions
Soul Rend - MTG Card versions
Wicked Reward - MTG Card versions
Urborg Justice - MTG Card versions
Imps' Taunt - MTG Card versions
Rapid Decay - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Edict - MTG Card versions
Tainted Pact - MTG Card versions
Toxic Stench - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Cast Down - MTG Card versions
Smother - MTG Card versions
Hero's Demise - MTG Card versions
Sickening Shoal - MTG Card versions
Chill Haunting - MTG Card versions
Word of Command - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Terror - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Simulacrum - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Transmutation - Legends (LEG)
Headstone - Homelands (HML)
Soul Rend - Mirage (MIR)
Wicked Reward - Visions (VIS)
Urborg Justice - Weatherlight (WTH)
Imps' Taunt - Tempest (TMP)
Rapid Decay - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Diabolic Edict - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Tainted Pact - Odyssey (ODY)
Toxic Stench - Judgment (JUD)
Doom Blade - Magic 2012 (M12)
Go for the Throat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Cast Down - Commander Legends (CMR)
Smother - Worldwake (WWK)
Hero's Demise - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Sickening Shoal - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Chill Haunting - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wake the Dead MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2014 and Commander Masters, 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 Wake the Dead and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wake the Dead Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-11-07 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-11-07Commander 2014C14 312015normalblackChristopher Moeller
22023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 5262015normalblackChristopher Moeller
32023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1972015normalblackChristopher Moeller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wake the Dead has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-11-07 The delayed triggered ability that makes you sacrifice the creatures will trigger only once. If you don’t sacrifice one or more of those creatures at that time (perhaps because another player gained control of them), the ability won’t try to make you sacrifice them on future turns.

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