Diluvian Primordial MTG Card


Diluvian Primordial excels in multiplayer formats through mass card advantage and resource acceleration. The card’s specific mana cost and high casting price can be limiting and risky in fast-paced games. Its meta relevance and combo potential make it a must-have for decks utilizing graveyard strategies.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Avatar
Abilities Flying
Power 5
Toughness 5

Text of card

Flying When Diluvian Primordial enters the battlefield, for each opponent, you may cast up to one target instant or sorcery card from that player's graveyard without paying its mana cost. If a card cast this way would be put into a graveyard this turn, exile it instead.


Cards like Diluvian Primordial

Diluvian Primordial stands as a powerful entity in the realm of reanimation-style cards in MTG. When considering its counterparts, the Primordial echoes the intentions of Sepulchral Primordial, which also targets creatures in opponents’ graveyards for resurrection. The Diluvian’s distinctive feature is its focus on instants and sorceries, allowing for a unique angle of gameplay advantage through duplicating opponents’ spells. Sepulchral Primordial, however, directly steals creatures – a different strategy but equally impactful.

Another comparable card is Mnemonic Wall, a creature with a lower mana cost and a lesser body but similarly retrieves an instant or sorcery from your graveyard when it enters the battlefield. While it doesn’t offer the wide scope of Diluvian Primordial’s multi-player potential, it provides much-needed recursion in a single-player game. Additionally, Spelltwine stands out as well, allowing for a one-time excavation and casting of spells from any individual graveyard, reminiscent of the burst of resources that Diluvian Primordial offers.

However, Diluvian Primordial’s sweeping effect to cast multiple spells from different graveyards in one turn truly places it in a league of its own among its peers. Its impact on the board is immeasurable, combining reanimation with the added value of casting powerful instants and sorceries previously used by foes.

Sepulchral Primordial - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Wall - MTG Card versions
Spelltwine - MTG Card versions
Sepulchral Primordial - MTG Card versions
Mnemonic Wall - MTG Card versions
Spelltwine - MTG Card versions

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Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant - MTG Card versions
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Hullbreaker Horror - MTG Card versions
Colossal Whale - MTG Card versions
Mistform Skyreaver - MTG Card versions
Slipstream Eel - MTG Card versions
Weaver of Lies - MTG Card versions
Quicksilver Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Vizzerdrix - MTG Card versions
Rimefeather Owl - MTG Card versions
Errant Ephemeron - MTG Card versions
Cyclone Summoner - MTG Card versions
Isleback Spawn - MTG Card versions
Marjhan - MTG Card versions
Goliath Sphinx - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Diluvian Primordial provides an immediate uptick in card advantage by allowing you to cast up to one instant or sorcery from each opponent’s graveyard without paying their mana costs. This can lead to significant swings in your favor, especially in multiplayer formats where the card’s potential is exponentially increased.

Resource Acceleration: By using your opponents’ instants and sorceries, Diluvian Primordial effectively accelerates your resources as you’re casting spells without depleting your own mana. This leaves your resources available for other strategies or to respond to threats during the game.

Instant Speed: While the Primordial itself is a creature and doesn’t function at instant speed, the spells it allows you to cast from your opponents’ graveyards can be instants. This gives you the flexibility to utilize powerful effects during any phase of the turn, which can catch opponents off guard and potentially disrupt their plans.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Diluvian Primordial offers significant advantage by casting an instant or sorcery from each opponent’s graveyard without paying their mana costs, it doesn’t come without its downsides. Should the graveyards be empty or stocked with non-targetable spells, the Primordial’s entry on the battlefield might not yield the expected benefits, making its casting feel like a costly move with little to no return on the investment.

Specific Mana Cost: Diluvian Primordial demands a stringent mana requirement— five blue mana and two of any type. This inflexibility can be a deterrent for multi-colored decks that may struggle to generate the necessary blue mana consistently. Balancing mana sources is crucial when deck building, and the Primordial’s mana cost can dictate the pace and even the overall strategy of your mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of seven mana to bring the Diluvian Primordial into play, it falls on the pricier end of creature spells. In the fast-paced environment of many MTG games, spending seven mana on a single card that may not have an immediate game-altering effect can put a player at a disadvantage. The dynamic of the game could shift towards your opponents while you are left recovering from the substantial mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include Diluvian Primordial in Your Collection

Versatility: Diluvian Primordial serves as a powerful addition to Commander and Casual play decks alike. Its ability to cast spells for free from opponents’ graveyards offers a wide array of options during the game, making it adaptable to various situations and board states.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with other spells and abilities that manipulate or take advantage of the graveyard. Combining it with cards that mill or control opponents’ graveyards can create game-winning strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prominence of spell-based strategies in various MTG formats, Diluvian Primordial can disrupt your adversaries’ plans while bolstering your own strategic reserves, making it a card worth considering in a dynamic and ever-evolving meta.


How to beat

The Diluvian Primordial, while an imposing presence on the battlefield, presents an opportunity for strategic counterplay. This massive creature allows its controller to cast an instant or sorcery card from each opponent’s graveyard without paying its mana cost, potentially shifting the game’s momentum. To nullify its impact, ensure your graveyard management is tight. Employing cards that exile graveyards or specific cards within them, like Rest in Peace or Bojuka Bog, can keep the Primordial’s ability in check. Similarly, countering it upon casting is an effective method—using spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can preemptively neutralize this threat.

Moreover, to prevent Diluvian Primordial from dictating the flow of the game even if it lands on the battlefield, instant-speed removal spells will be invaluable. Options like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile provide swift and permanent solutions, removing the threat without allowing your opponent to gain value through graveyard retrieval. The key is to be prepared and responsive; by disrupting graveyard strategies or quickly dealing with the Primordial itself, you maintain control over the match’s direction and mitigate any advantages it may grant your opponent.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding Diluvian Primordial’s strengths and pitfalls can make or break your MTG strategy, particularly in multiplayer scenarios where the card’s value can scale significantly. Enhancing your collection with this formidable creature and knowing when to unleash its potential can turn the tides of battle in your favor. Our insights pinpoint not just the card’s raw power but its optimal applications and the deck-building considerations it demands. If you’re aiming to boost your resource acceleration and card advantage with cards like Diluvian Primordial or thwart its might on the opposing side, diving deeper into strategic plays can sharpen your acumen. Let’s explore these dimensions together and unlock the true potential of your MTG gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Diluvian Primordial MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and The List, 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 Diluvian Primordial and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Diluvian Primordial Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by Stephan Martiniere.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-02-01GatecrashGTC 332003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
22020-09-26The ListPLST GTC-332003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 1202015NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
42022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 262015NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
52023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 102003NormalBlackStephan Martiniere
62024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 962015NormalBlackStephan Martiniere

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Diluvian Primordial has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-01-24 If a card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value.
2013-01-24 If an instant or sorcery card you cast this way goes to a zone other than exile or a graveyard, perhaps because one of its abilities says to put it into its owner’s hand, it won’t be exiled. This is true even if the card would be put into a graveyard later that turn.
2013-01-24 If an instant or sorcery card you cast this way is countered, it will still be exiled.
2013-01-24 If you can’t cast one of the target instant or sorcery cards, perhaps because there are no legal targets available, or if you choose not to cast one, it will remain in its owner’s graveyard.
2013-01-24 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay alternative costs such as overload costs. You can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those.
2013-01-24 If you cast an instant or sorcery spell with cipher this way, you may exile the card encoded on a creature you control. If you can’t, or if you choose not to, the card will end up exiled but not encoded on a creature.
2013-01-24 When casting an instant or sorcery card this way, ignore timing restrictions based on the card’s type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast
-his card] only during combat,” must be followed.
2013-01-24 You can choose a number of targets up to the number of opponents you have, one target per opponent.
2013-01-24 You cast the cards one at a time, choosing modes, targets and so on. The last card you cast will be the first one to resolve.