Crawl from the Cellar MTG Card
2021-09-24 - Number 93
2022-01-28 - Number 93
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Flashback |
Text of card
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target Zombie you control. Flashback (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
Cards like Crawl from the Cellar
Crawl from the Cellar offers a unique twist on graveyard interaction within Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels to other graveyard recovery spells, such as Disentomb, with its ability to bring a creature back from the graveyard to your hand. However, Crawl from the Cellar steps beyond by granting an additional utility – placing a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature if a creature card was exiled from your graveyard. This subtle addition of a counter comes at the benefit of increased mana cost compared to Disentomb’s single black mana requirement.
Gruesome Recovery can also be cited as a counterpart. Like Crawl from the Cellar, it retrieves a creature card, but it has a rebound effect that allows a second opportunity to cast the spell. This reusability can offer a longer-term value despite its higher casting cost. Then, pulse-pounding in competition stands Raise Dead, a classic and straightforward spell with the sole function of returning a creature from the graveyard to its owner’s hand—devoid of Crawl from the Cellar’s extra graveyard interaction and the bonus of a +1/+1 counter.
Ultimately, when comparing these cards, Crawl from the Cellar reveals its advantageous position in MTG for its affordable cost and the strategic depth it adds to plays involving the graveyard and creature enhancement.
Cards similar to Crawl from the Cellar by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Crawl from the Cellar. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dimir Control | Pauper | Dimir Control | Pauper Showcase Challenge 2024-04-20 |
| UB terror | Pauper | Dimir Control | Tappa LP Comense Pauperissima "Road to Pisa" @Magic Akiba |
 | Mono- Black Zombies | Pauper | Monthly Tournament #38 @ Paper Pauper Magic Discord | |
| Dimir Terror | Pauper | Dimir Control | Monthly Tournament #38 @ Paper Pauper Magic Discord |
| UB Terror | Pauper | Dimir Control | AWESOME PAUPER |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Crawl from the Cellar offers players the valuable ability to return a creature card from their graveyard to their hand. This ability allows for strategic plays, keeping pressure on the opponent and effectively making your graveyard an extension of your hand.
Resource Acceleration: With its flashback mechanic, Crawl from the Cellar can be cast a second time from the graveyard. This versatile feature essentially doubles the value you get from a single card, contributing to resource acceleration by maximizing the use of cards already spent.
Instant Speed: The card can be cast at instant speed, giving players the flexibility to make pivotal decisions at the most opportune times. This allows for surprise plays during the combat phase or at the end of an opponent’s turn, keeping the element of unpredictability in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One limitation of Crawl from the Cellar is that it requires you to have a creature card in your graveyard to make full use of its ability. This can restrict its early-game effectiveness and forces players to manage their resources carefully.
Specific Mana Cost: Crawl from the Cellar is a black mana spell, narrowing its seamless inclusion to decks that are aligned with or include black mana. This can make it less versatile in multicolor decks that may not focus on black mana resources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although it only costs one black mana, the card’s flashback cost, which allows you to cast it from the graveyard, is three mana (two colorless and one black). There are instances where players could find alternative ways to return creatures from the graveyard to the hand or battlefield at a more economical mana investment.
Reasons to Include Crawl from the Cellar in Your Collection
Versatility: Crawl from the Cellar is a flexible card that can be incorporated into a variety of decks. As a low-cost spell that enables graveyard recursion, it allows players to retrieve key creatures from their graveyard, ensuring that their strategies remain consistent throughout the game.
Combo Potential: This card is not just about bringing back a single creature; it also synergizes well with mechanics that revolve around +1/+1 counters and graveyard play. It can be the linchpin in strategies that capitalize on recurring creatures or those that benefit from self-milling.
Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and utility, Crawl from the Cellar is particularly relevant in metagames where attrition and resource advantage dictate the pace of play. It sneakily sets up your board for future turns, making it a reliable choice against control or removal-heavy opponents.
How to beat
Crawl from the Cellar is an intriguing card in the MTG universe, offering players the ability to revive creatures from the graveyard and bolster their defense by enhancing other creatures. Its utility is akin to that of other reanimation spells, serving to fuel long-game strategies and explosive turns. To effectively counter Crawl from the Cellar, control of the graveyard is critical. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage or Leyline of the Void disrupt an opponent’s strategies by preventing creatures from being targeted or entering from the graveyard altogether.
An alternative strategy is to apply pressure with aggressive gameplay, limiting the opportunities for your opponent to gain value from such recursion tactics. Fast-paced decks can outpace the slower mechanics of graveyard retrieval, making Crawl from the Cellar considerably less effective. Additionally, reactive measures such as instant-speed removal or exile effects can neutralize the target creature as it returns to the battlefield, nullifying the advantage of the spell.
Understanding the importance of graveyard manipulation within MTG can be critical when facing cards like Crawl from the Cellar. Timely disruption and strategic aggression are key in diminishing its impact, ensuring that the potent threat it can represent is adequately contained.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Crawl from the Cellar MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Crawl from the Cellar 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 Crawl from the Cellar Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Igor Krstic.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-09-24 | Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | MID | 93 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Krstic | |
| 2 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 93 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Krstic |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Crawl from the Cellar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Crawl from the Cellar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-09-24 | "Flashback -ost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying -ost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack." |
| 2021-09-24 | A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way. |
| 2021-09-24 | If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions. |
| 2021-09-24 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was. |
| 2021-09-24 | You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast. |
| 2021-09-24 | You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery. |