Caged Zombie MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie
Released	2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set name	Core Set 2021
Set code	M21
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	91
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Josh Hass

Key Takeaways

Caged Zombie secures recurring advantage by retrieving creatures from your graveyard.
Tapping for mana, it accelerates resource deployment, enabling faster gameplay.
Despite its high mana cost, it excels in zombie-themed decks and long matches.

Text of card

, : Each opponent loses 2 life. Activate this ability only if a creature died this turn.

"Six consecutive life sentences" takes on a new meaning when necromancy is involved.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the ability to return creatures from your graveyard to your hand, Caged Zombie enables you to reuse your creatures and maintain a steady flow of resources. This can lead to a significant card advantage over time.

Resource Acceleration: By tapping for mana, Caged Zombie can contribute to your resource acceleration, helping you deploy threats earlier than standard mana progression would allow. It can serve as an enabler for more costly spells more quickly.

Instant Speed: While Caged Zombie itself isn’t an instant-speed spell, it interacts favorably with instant-speed mechanics. Its activate-only-as-a-sorcery restriction is mitigated by the instant speed actions it encourages, such as resurrecting creatures on your turn in response to graveyard synergies or surprise block advantages.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Caged Zombie demands you relinquish another card from your hand to activate its ability. This can hamper your game, especially if your hand is already depleted or if each card is integral to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating a defined mana composition, Caged Zombie requires black mana, which could restrict its incorporation into multi-color decks or make it unwieldy for strategies not heavily invested in black mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its ability, Caged Zombie carries a weighty mana toll. In a game where tempo and efficiency are key, there are alternatives that could offer similar benefits or better synergy with your deck for less mana, increasing overall deck performance.

Reasons to Include Caged Zombie in Your Collection

Versatility: Caged Zombie’s straightforward mana ability to chip away at an opponent’s life total makes it adaptable across a variety of zombie-focused decks. It exemplifies a utility role that can be leveraged at any stage of the game.

Combo Potential: Its synergy with cards that proliferate zombie numbers or benefit from death triggers expands the potential strategies within your deck. It’s not just a creature but a catalyst for various combo lines.

Meta-Relevance: Given the consistent presence of creature-based strategies in various metas, Caged Zombie serves as a persistent threat, particularly in games that stretch into longer, grindy matches where it can steadily deplete an opponent’s life total.

How to beat

Caged Zombie might initially seem like a hurdle for many players in the game of Magic the Gathering. This unassuming creature, often under the radar, has the ability to steadily drain an opponent’s life total. Its strength lies in its activated ability, which, for a modest cost, chips away at an opponent’s health while blocking or before it may be removed. Yet, there’s a straightforward tactic to navigate around this nuisance.

Removal spells are your linchpin; they can effectively neutralize Caged Zombie before it becomes a real threat. Instant-speed interaction, such as Shock or Fatal Push, allows you to respond to the activation of its ability, preserving your life total. Moreover, incorporating cards that can exile creatures from the game is instrumental, ensuring that Caged Zombie won’t return from the graveyard to haunt your match. Think about incorporating scrupulous card selection to your deck, allowing you to have answers at the ready for creatures like Caged Zombie that demand immediate attention.

In essence, while Caged Zombie can be a troubling card to face, preparedness with the right removal spells in your deck turns this potential threat into a manageable aspect of the game that you can overcome with strategic planning and timely play.

Cards like Caged Zombie

Within Magic: The Gathering, Caged Zombie offers a unique blend of abilities that distinguishes it from other creatures in the game. Cards like Shambling Ghoul and Doomed Dissenter share the undead theme and are also two-cost creatures, but each brings a different tactic to the battlefield. Caged Zombie, for instance, stands out due to its ability to drain life from opponents, providing a more direct impact on the game’s outcome.

Skeleton Archer is another comparable creature, with a similar mana cost and the additional capability to deal damage upon entering the battlefield. However, it doesn’t offer the sustained advantage of a life-draining ability that Caged Zombie possesses. Festering Mummy, on the other hand, can offer board control with its -1/-1 counter upon death, differenciating it from Caged Zombie’s focus on player life totals.

In the grand ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering, Caged Zombie secures a spot thanks to its passive damage ability – an attribute that extends beyond mere creature combat, setting it apart from its zombie counterparts and enhancing the strategic depth it brings to the game.

Cards similar to Caged Zombie by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Caged Zombie MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Caged Zombie and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Caged Zombie has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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