Cyclopean Mummy MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 93
1995-04-01 - Number 128
1995-04-01 - Number 128
1995-08-01 - Number 54
2011-01-10 - Number 72
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
If Mummy is placed in the graveyard from play, remove it from the game.
The ritual of plucking out an eye to gain future sight is but a curse that enables the living to see their own deaths.
Cards like Cyclopean Mummy
The Cyclopean Mummy holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering’s panorama of zombie creatures. Its most direct comparison is to the classic card, the Zombie of Magic’s earlier sets. Both are 2/1 creatures for two mana, but the Cyclopean Mummy carries an additional drawback, requiring it to be buried if it ends up in the graveyard from play, limiting its synergies with other graveyard-based strategies.
Another card worth comparing is the Putrid Imp, which shares the undead theme but offers greater flexibility. The Putrid Imp, for a single black mana, provides the ability to discard cards, an advantageous feature in decks that thrive on graveyard interactions, unlike the Cyclopean Mummy’s self-burying restriction. Sanitarium Skeleton also emerges as a comparative creature, which while slightly weaker with a 1/2 body, boasts an impactful recursion ability allowing it to return from the graveyard to hand, an attribute where Cyclopean Mummy falls short.
It is apparent that while Cyclopean Mummy may fulfill a role in decks emphasizing on zombie creatures and perhaps benefit from the nostalgic aspect of early Magic sets, its constraints render it less versatile compared to other similar mana-cost creatures that capitalize on the rich interplay with the graveyard.
Cards similar to Cyclopean Mummy by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Cyclopean Mummy may not directly offer card draw, it can be leveraged in graveyard strategies to effectively become an extension of your hand. In the right deck, its presence in the graveyard can constitute a form of card advantage as it interacts with various abilities and mechanics that bring creatures back from the graveyard.
Resource Acceleration: As a black creature, Cyclopean Mummy works well with effects that care about creature types. For example, cards that reduce the cost of casting Zombie spells can turn this card into an efficient resource accelerating element, allowing you to deploy more threats on the board faster than usual.
Instant Speed: Although Cyclopean Mummy doesn’t operate at instant speed, its low casting cost means it can seamlessly fit into your curve, allowing you to keep mana available for instant-speed interactions. This strategic flexibility makes it a worthy consideration for decks that need to balance threats with responsive play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When Cyclopean Mummy is sent from the battlefield to the graveyard, it must be discarded into the exile zone rather than the graveyard. This forced exile can be particularly disadvantageous, stripping you of the chance to reclaim the card through typical graveyard retrieval methods.
Specific Mana Cost: Cyclopean Mummy requires both black and generic mana to cast, which could limit its integration exclusively to decks that can generate black mana consistently. This specificity hampers versatility since the card cannot be incorporated into decks without a black mana source.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana for a simple creature that possesses an additional downside upon death, there are more mana-efficient creatures available. In a game where every mana point is crucial, investing in a creature with such a handicap might not be the most strategic move, especially when there are other two-mana creatures with more advantageous abilities or stats.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cyclopean Mummy offers a straightforward role in graveyard-focused decks. Its presence strengthens strategies that revolve around creature sacrifice and reanimation tactics, allowing for a dynamic approach to gameplay.
Combo Potential: This card has synergy with mechanics that capitalize on death triggers or require creatures in the graveyard. It could be part of an intricate combo that benefits from having constant creature recycling.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame driven by recurring resources, Cyclopean Mummy provides a recurring creature that can be manipulated with various graveyard-utilizing cards, thus holding a potentially advantageous position against specific matchups.
How to beat
Cyclopean Mummy presents a unique challenge to overcome in MTG due to its resurrection liability upon hitting the graveyard. Unlike other creatures that can be easily recycled or reanimated for continuous board presence, Cyclopean Mummy requires a different strategy given its self-exiling nature when it dies. Understanding your deck and pinpointing the mummy’s weakness is key.
To circumvent the mummy’s potential nuisance, it’s beneficial to leverage spells that force opponents to sacrifice creatures, negating the chance of it coming back to haunt you. Direct damage spells can also serve as a swift solution to eliminate it before its negative effect can be used strategically by your opponent. Additionally, avoiding enchantments that lead to recursion or bounce effects can prevent it from returning to your opponent’s hand, which is essential to ensure Cyclopean Mummy doesn’t make a surprise comeback.
In essence, including spells and tactics that directly address the mummy’s limiting resurrection condition enables you to maintain control of the game. Your strategy should focus on rendering Cyclopean Mummy’s downside to your advantage, ensuring a one-way trip to the exile zone for this ancient terror.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cyclopean Mummy MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border, 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 Cyclopean Mummy 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Cyclopean Mummy Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by Edward P. Beard, Jr..
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 93 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 2 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 128 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 3 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 128 | 1993 | Normal | White | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 4 | 1995-08-01 | Renaissance | REN | 54 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. | |
| 5 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 72 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Edward P. Beard, Jr. |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cyclopean Mummy has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cyclopean Mummy card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | It does not get exiled if it goes to the graveyard from someplace other than the battlefield. This includes discarding from your hand or if the spell is countered. |
| 2004-10-04 | The Mummy does go to the graveyard and trigger abilities which watch for something going to the graveyard. It then gets exiled as a triggered ability. |