Devourer of Memory MTG Card

Mastery of Devourer of Memory leads to card advantage through selective library excavation. Instant-speed activation grants flexibility, enhancing combat and disrupting opponents. Graveyard mechanics enrich deck strategies, leveraging Devourer’s milling ability.
Devourer of Memory - Theros Beyond Death
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Nightmare
Abilities Mill
Released2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Beyond Death
Set codeTHB
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number213
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDaarken

Text of card

Whenever one or more cards are put into your graveyard from your library, Devourer of Memory gets +1/+1 until end of turn and can't be blocked this turn. : Put the top card of your library into your graveyard.

It slips silently through the still waters of the Labyrinth of Memories to feed.

Cards like Devourer of Memory

Devourer of Memory stands out in the rogue-themed decks within Magic: The Gathering. It shares a kinship with fellow rogues like Thieves’ Guild Enforcer, which similarly thrives in strategies revolving around cards in opponents’ graveyards. The synergistic relationship is obvious — both cards gain power as more cards fill the graveyard. However, Devourer of Memory offers the unique benefit of becoming unblockable upon the grave-filling trigger, giving it an edge in terms of potential direct damage.

Stepping into the realm of creatures with graveyard-triggered abilities, we encounter Nighthawk Scavenger. It echoes the strength-gain-per-card-in-graveyard mechanism, growing in power as the opponent’s graveyard expands. Where Nighthawk Scavenger soars is its added lifelink and deathtouch, providing both sustainability and a robust defense. Yet, it misses out on the elusive unblockability that makes Devourer of Memory a threat that’s harder to mitigate.

Analyzing Devourer of Memory within the breadth of graveyard-utilizing cards, it holds a distinctive position. Its combination of low mana cost, self-mill to fuel its effect, and evasion ability renders it a multifaceted asset for players piloting rogue or graveyard-centric decks in Magic: The Gathering.

Thieves' Guild Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Nighthawk Scavenger - MTG Card versions
Thieves' Guild Enforcer - MTG Card versions
Nighthawk Scavenger - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Devourer of Memory’s inherent ability works seamlessly to strengthen your hand. Each time it triggers, it allows you to selectively excavate your library, thereby increasing the chance to draw into more impactful cards, ensuring that you stay ahead in the resource game.

Resource Acceleration: The Devourer’s ability to mill cards directly feeds into strategies that benefit from a well-stocked graveyard. This can accelerate your game plan by empowering cards in your deck that thrive on a rich graveyard, effectively serving as a resource for spells and abilities with delve, flashback, or other graveyard synergies.

Instant Speed: Devourer of Memory can be activated at instant speed, providing the versatility to respond to your opponent’s actions. This enables you to pass turns with untapped mana, create a larger creature in the midst of combat, or simply disrupt your opponent’s expectations, keeping them guessing and forcing difficult decisions when they attempt to engage your threats.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Devourer of Memory demands a specific interaction with your own deck—having to discard a card. This condition can pose a challenge when your hand size is dwindling, and every card becomes an invaluable resource.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailoring your deck to accommodate Devourer of Memory’s unique mana cost calls for a blend of blue and black mana. This requirement can present deck-building constraints, relegating this card largely to a Dimir-focused strategy and potentially hindering its versatility in a diverse array of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the cost to power ratio, Devourer of Memory can be considered mana-intensive. As you find yourself tapping significant resources to summon this creature, it’s worth comparing to other options that could provide a more immediate or impactful presence on the battlefield for a similar investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Devourer of Memory offers a wide application in various deck builds. Being a creature that can potentially grow unlimitedly with its ability makes it a suitable inclusion in decks focused on graveyard mechanics or those wanting an evasive threat.

Combo Potential: This card plays well in synergy with self-mill strategies, enabling it to become a significant offensive presence while sculpting your graveyard for other synergies. It blends seamlessly into decks that capitalize on the graveyard-trading activity.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard interaction is prevalent, Devourer of Memory becomes a card your opponents can’t ignore. With its ability to become unblockable, it keeps pressure on control decks and can become a clock against slower-paced strategies.

How to beat

The Devourer of Memory is an intriguing creature that can become a headache for any MTG player due to its ability to grow stronger with each card you put into your graveyard. When faced with this shadowy threat, it’s essential to disrupt your opponent’s graveyard strategy. Employing graveyard hate cards like Tormod’s Crypt can exile the opponent’s graveyard, reducing the effectiveness of Devourer of Memory.

Another efficient method is to prevent the creature from attacking or blocking. Cards that can tap the creature or keep it tapped, such as Frost Lynx or Sleep, are particularly useful. If you manage to maintain control over the Devourer of Memory, hindering its ability to participate in combat, you’ll effectively neutralize the threat it poses.

Lastly, removal spells are always a solid answer. Direct removals like Murder or the conditional but cheaper Fatal Push can take the creature off the board swiftly. In summary, while Devourer of Memory has the potential to grow out of control, timely graveyard management and strategic use of control or removal spells ensure that this creature won’t dictate the pace of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Devourer of Memory MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Devourer of Memory and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Devourer of Memory has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-01-24 Devourer of Memory’s triggered ability grants it just +1/+1 each time cards are put into your graveyard from your library, no matter how many cards are put there at once.
2020-01-24 Once Devourer of Memory has been blocked, resolving its triggered ability (perhaps by activating its activated ability) won’t change or undo that block.