Dregscape Zombie MTG Card
2008-10-03 - Number 74
2009-09-04 - Number 26
2010-06-18 - Number 14
2014-09-05 - Number 5
2017-03-17 - Number 67
2019-11-07 - Number 637
2020-09-26 - Number DDN-5
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Abilities | Unearth |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Unearth (: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
The undead of Grixis are fueled by their hatred of the living.
Cards like Dregscape Zombie
Exploring the realm of reanimation in Magic: The Gathering, Dregscape Zombie offers an intriguing dynamic as an undead creature with unearth. This ability allows it to rise from the graveyard, mirroring the functionalities of persist or undying creatures, albeit with a notable difference. Unlike the recurring nature of a card like Geralf’s Messenger, which returns with a +1/+1 counter after demise, Dregscape Zombie’s unearth grants it a one-time encore appearance before it’s exiled.
Another card that shadows this theme is Tenacious Dead. It shares the zombie trait and the return-from-the-graveyard mechanism. However, Tenacious Dead requires a mana payment upon death to come back, contrasting Dregscape Zombie’s single-use unearth ability. Moreover, we have Reassembling Skeleton – a close relative in this category. Despite a higher mana cost for its return, the skeleton provides a repetitive recovery option, something the single-use Dregscape Zombie cannot boast.
Thus, in the spectrum of resurrection-themed creatures, Dregscape Zombie stands out for its budget-friendly casting cost and the strategic temporary revival which can be pivotal during a critical turn. While it may not offer the repetitive use of other similar cards, its unearth ability ensures a strategic edge in certain gameplay scenarios.
Cards similar to Dregscape Zombie by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Dregscape Zombie. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Golgari Combo | Pauper | Cycle Storm | Sprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 1^ tappa MILANO 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dregscape Zombie, while not directly providing card draw, enables recurring benefits. Its unearth ability offers a one-time resurrection from the graveyard, effectively giving you a second use of the creature without spending a card from your hand. This capability can be particularly advantageous if you’re using strategies that benefit from creature death or enter-the-battlefield triggers.
Resource Acceleration: Although Dregscape Zombie doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, it can contribute to board presence acceleration. With its low casting cost and unearth ability, it serves as a cost-effective way to swarm the board with creatures quickly. This persistent threat can pressure opponents and force them to deal with the creature twice, allocating resources they might have used elsewhere.
Instant Speed: Unearth can be activated at instant speed, presenting the strategic benefit of surprise and flexibility. You may opt to bring back Dregscape Zombie during the end step of an opponent’s turn, ensuring it’s ready to attack on your next turn, or use it defensively. The option to act off-turn aligns with various tactical plays and bluffs, adding another layer of depth to games.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Dregscape Zombie, being part of the unearth cycle, requires a card to be already in the graveyard to make use of its ability. This condition can be limiting especially when your graveyard is empty or when facing graveyard-hate strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost of one black mana, Dregscape Zombie can be restrictive for multicolored decks needing a balanced mana base. This requirement could potentially delay or prevent its play in a game where producing the specific mana quickly is not viable.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the initial cost is low, the unearth cost is equal to its casting cost, which may seem high for a one-time use effect, especially considering that it is a 2/1 creature without any additional abilities once it’s on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Dregscape Zombie slots into a range of black-based decks with its straightforward, yet effective, Unearth ability, providing utility both as an early blocker and as a late-game surprise attacker.
Combo Potential: This card pairs seamlessly with sacrifice outlets and graveyard synergies, allowing for potent interactions and unexpected combat tricks that can turn the tides in a close match.
Meta-Relevance: Its presence is felt in formats where graveyard strategies thrive. Its low casting cost and Unearth mechanic mean Dregscape Zombie can play a crucial role against control decks, pressing an advantage without overcommitting resources.
How to beat
Dregscape Zombie is a resilient creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering players an undying threat that can return from the graveyard thanks to its unearth ability. To effectively combat this card, it’s essential to have strategies that disrupt graveyard mechanics. Graveyard hate cards, such as Rest in Peace or Tormod’s Crypt, can remove Dregscape Zombie from the game entirely, preventing it from returning to the battlefield.
Controlling the pace of the game is also crucial. Employing removal spells such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can exile Dregscape Zombie outright, eschewing the graveyard altogether. Additionally, strategies that limit your opponent’s actions each turn, known as “stax” strategies, can ensure that the costs associated with the unearth ability become too onerous for your opponent to pay.
Ultimately, the key to beating Dregscape Zombie is to anticipate its return and to have responses ready. Proactive graveyard management and a suite of controlling elements in your deck will keep this zombie in check, allowing you to focus on leading the game towards victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dregscape Zombie MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Planechase, 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 Dregscape Zombie and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Dregscape Zombie Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Lars Grant-West.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-10-03 | Shards of Alara | ALA | 74 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 2 | 2009-09-04 | Planechase | HOP | 26 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 3 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 14 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 4 | 2014-09-05 | Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning | DDN | 5 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 5 | 2017-03-17 | Modern Masters 2017 | MM3 | 67 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 6 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 637 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West | |
| 7 | The List | PLST | DDN-5 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lars Grant-West |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dregscape Zombie has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dregscape Zombie card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Activating a creature card’s unearth ability isn’t the same as casting the creature card. The unearth ability is put on the stack, but the creature card is not. Spells and abilities that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle) will interact with unearth, but spells and abilities that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul) will not. |
| 2008-10-01 | At the beginning of the end step, a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth is exiled. This is a delayed triggered ability, and it can be countered by effects such as Stifle or Voidslime that counter triggered abilities. If the ability is countered, the creature will stay on the battlefield and the delayed trigger won’t trigger again. However, the replacement effect will still exile the creature when it eventually leaves the battlefield. |
| 2008-10-01 | If a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth would leave the battlefield for any reason, it’s exiled instead — unless the spell or ability that’s causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it! In that case, it succeeds at exiling it. If it later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Oblivion Ring or Flickerwisp might, for example), the creature card will return to the battlefield as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you activate a card’s unearth ability but that card is removed from your graveyard before the ability resolves, that unearth ability will resolve and do nothing. |
| 2008-10-01 | Unearth grants haste to the creature that’s returned to the battlefield. However, neither of the “exile” abilities is granted to that creature. If that creature loses all its abilities, it will still be exiled at the beginning of the end step, and if it would leave the battlefield, it is still exiled instead. |