Morgue Burst MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	Dragon's Maze
Set code	DGM
Number	86
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Raymond Swanland

Key Takeaways

Maintains hand density and pressures opponents with creature return and damage dealing abilities.
Optimizes resources by retrieving creatures, making it a strategic addition to graveyard-utilizing decks.
Its sorcery speed allows for tactical plays, often catching opponents off-guard during crucial turns.

Text of card

Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Morgue Burst deals damage to target creature or player equal to the power of the card returned this way.

"Let him in. He's on the list." —Olrich, Rakdos club owner

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Morgue Burst is a potent spell that enables you to not only return a creature from your graveyard to your hand but also to deal damage to a target – all in a single move. This dual action maintains your hand’s density with creatures while depleting your opponent’s resources or life total.

Resource Acceleration: While Morgue Burst doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it aids in resource optimization by reclaiming creatures from the graveyard. This line of action ensures that you continue to deploy threats without expending additional resources from your library.

Instant Speed: Although Morgue Burst operates at sorcery speed, its impact on the board can be akin to that of instant speed spells in terms of surprise factor. Planning its cast for a pivotal post-attack phase can swing the game by reviving a key creature and removing an adversary’s blocker or attacker unexpectedly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Morgue Burst demands that you toss another card from your hand into your graveyard to utilize its effect. For players that are holding on to key components for their strategy, this can be particularly taxing and can often be a roadblock especially when maneuvering around tight plays.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both black and red mana, Morgue Burst confines itself to Rakdos or multi-colored decks. This specific demand for two colors can make it difficult to splash into decks that don’t run these colors or that have a strict mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Six mana to retrieve a creature from your graveyard to your hand and deal damage can be hefty. In a game where tempo is crucial, using six mana for an effect that does not immediately impact the board could set you back against decks that operate on lower curves or more efficient removal.

Reasons to Include Morgue Burst in Your Collection

Versatility: Morgue Burst can be a flexible addition to multiple deck styles, especially those revolving around graveyard mechanics or need a late-game spell to swing the board in their favor.

Combo Potential: It offers the unique capability to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand while damaging an opponent’s creature or even knocking out an opponent’s planeswalker, dovetailing nicely with strategies that cycle creatures in and out of the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where slower, grindy games are more common, Morgue Burst can shine by providing both creature recursion and removal in one card, giving it a place in the current meta where such traits are prized.

How to beat Morgue Burst

Morgue Burst is a unique spell in Magic: The Gathering that lets you return a creature from your graveyard to your hand and deals damage to any target equal to that creature’s power. To tackle this card, adequate graveyard disruption is key. Consider using cards that can exile creatures from your opponent’s graveyard to prevent them from being retrieved by Morgue Burst.

Additionally, countermagic is effective in stopping Morgue Burst before it has an impact on the battlefield. This can be achieved by holding up mana for spells like Negate or any other counter that targets sorcery cards. By doing so, you can preserve your board state and prevent the loss of life or key creatures from Morgue Burst’s damage component.

Furthermore, instant-speed removal can also thwart an opponent’s Morgue Burst plans. By eliminating their creatures in response to Morgue Burst, you can ensure that the damage portion of the spell is minimized since it’s contingent on the power of the creature being returned. Hence, by keeping your enemy’s graveyard in check and having countermeasures ready, you can efficiently neutralize the threat posed by Morgue Burst.

Cards like Morgue Burst

Morgue Burst is an intriguing option among the late-game spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares the stage with the likes of Zombify, which also brings creatures back from the graveyard to the battlefield. Morgue Burst, however, takes it a step further by not only returning a creature to your hand but also dealing damage to any target based on that creature’s power.

Comparably, Dread Return is another reanimation spell, but what sets it apart is its Flashback ability, allowing you another chance to cast from the graveyard. While it doesn’t have Morgue Burst’s damage component, its versatility in use can be quite advantageous. Unearth stands out for its lower cost and cycling ability, although it only targets creatures with a smaller stature, defined by a total converted mana cost of 3 or less, lacking the punch Morgue Burst’s damage offers.

Assessing these alongside Morgue Burst, it’s clear that Morgue Burst can be the go-to for players looking to make a significant impact later in the game, combining both creature recovery and offensive capabilities, a dual-function missing from many similar cards in the realm of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Morgue Burst by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Morgue Burst MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Morgue Burst and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Morgue Burst has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	If the creature card is an illegal target when Morgue Burst tried to resolve (most likely because it was exiled in response), it won’t be returned to your hand and no damage will be dealt to the target.
2013-04-15	Use the power of the card as it last existed in your graveyard to determine how much damage will be dealt.