Mortivore MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Lhurgoyf
Power *
Toughness *

Key Takeaways

  1. Mortivore’s strength scales with graveyards, favoring longer games and mill strategies.
  2. Requires black mana and high initial cost may limit early-game playability.
  3. Characteristic regeneration and growth potential add resilience and adaptability.

Text of card

Mortivore's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in all graveyards. o B: Regenerate Mortivore.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mortivore’s power and toughness grow with each card in all graveyards, potentially giving you a large creature for a small mana investment. This ability can turn late-game graveyards into a resource, giving you a significant advantage on the board.

Resource Acceleration: While Mortivore itself doesn’t directly produce mana or ramp, its constant threat of increasing size can pressure opponents into committing more resources to handle it, indirectly accelerating your position by attrition. Plus, its value increases as the game progresses, without additional mana investment from you.

Instant Speed: Though Mortivore acts at sorcery speed, its formidable Lhurgoyf ability capitalizes on instant-speed interaction by becoming stronger each time an instant ends up in a graveyard. This incentivizes and rewards gameplay that includes instant-speed removal, counterspells, or end-of-turn effects, as each contributes to Mortivore’s growth.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mortivore’s power is closely tied to the number of creature cards in all graveyards, making it dependent on discard-heavy strategies for optimal effectiveness. This can leave players at a disadvantage should their own graveyard not possess enough fuel to empower Mortivore.

Specific Mana Cost: Mortivore requires black mana for casting, potentially limiting its integration into multicolored decks that may not focus on a heavy black mana base or that use resources for a broader variety of spells and abilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not excessively high, Mortivore’s mana cost can be an issue in faster-paced games where lower-cost creatures might provide more immediate benefits. Players might find themselves facing aggressive decks that can outpace the setup time required for Mortivore to become a significant threat.


Reasons to Include Mortivore in Your Collection

Versatility: Mortivore’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in all graveyards, which means its size can increase significantly in longer games or in match-ups against decks that fill the graveyard. This flexibility allows it to be a formidable threat in a variety of match situations.

Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that mill or self-mill, turning the act of sending cards to the graveyard into a direct advantage. In combination with cards that manipulate graveyards, Mortivore’s strength can be dynamically adjusted to overwhelm opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame filled with creature-based strategies, Mortivore shines by growing as the game progresses. Its relevance in certain matchups and the persistent threat it presents as graveyards fill with creatures make it a card worth considering for players facing graveyard-centric opponents.


How to beat

Mortivore presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. As a creature whose power and toughness correspond to the number of creature cards in all graveyards, it can quickly become a behemoth. To tackle this threat, focus on graveyard control. Deploy cards like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze that can either exile all cards from graveyards or selectively remove creature cards, thus weakening Mortivore’s statistics. Cards boasting graveyard hate inherently limit Mortivore’s potential growth.

Another effective tactic is to employ exile removal spells like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares that bypass Mortivore’s size by removing it from the game entirely rather than destroying it. This is particularly essential if Mortivore has accumulated a significant number of creature cards in all graveyards, making traditional destruction spells less effective. Preventative measures such as countermagic or discard spells can also hinder Mortivore’s impact, ensuring it never poses a threat on the board in the first place.

Handling Mortivore requires a strategic approach, targeting either the graveyard—a direct source of its power—or using exile effects to neutralize it regardless of its size. Consider these methods when crafting your game plan against a deck utilizing Mortivore to maintain control of the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and limitations of Mortivore can greatly improve your MTG gameplay. As you build your decks, consider how this powerful creature can enhance your strategies, especially when paired with graveyard mechanics. Adapting to the metagame is key, and Mortivore provides a scalable threat that evolves with the game state. Whether you’re aiming to overpower opponents with a lethal creature or build a deck that capitalizes on the size and resilience of Mortivore, the knowledge you’ve gained here is a solid foundation for your next strategic move. Dive deeper into MTG card analysis and refine your deck-building skills with us for an edge over the competition.


Cards like Mortivore

Mortivore is an intriguing creature within Magic: The Gathering, thriving in a deck with a graveyard theme. It bears a resemblance to creatures like Lhurgoyf, which gains power and toughness directly proportional to the number of creature cards in all graveyards. Mortivore, however, offers the added advantage of regeneration, allowing it to endure where Lhurgoyf would fall. This can often turn the tide in matches, with its persistence on the battlefield.

Another comparable card is Tarmogoyf, a powerhouse in its own right. While Tarmogoyf’s cost efficiency is notable, Mortivore allows for a potential growth in power without any caps, and the ability to regenerate can be pivotal during combat or in response to removal. Comparing the two, Tarmogoyf might have a faster impact, but Mortivore has the resilience that can outlast and benefit from a longer game.

Overall, Mortivore stands out amongst its kin as a formidable threat that can continuously scale throughout the game. Its regeneration capability sets it apart, marking it as a prime choice for graveyard-centric decks seeking both aggressive power and tenacious staying power in MTG’s varied metagames.

Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Tarmogoyf - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - Ice Age (ICE)
Tarmogoyf - Future Sight (FUT)

Cards similar to Mortivore by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions
Crowd of Cinders - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Crowd of Cinders - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mortivore MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and Ninth Edition, 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 Mortivore and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mortivore Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Anthony S. Waters.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12001-10-01OdysseyODY 1521997normalblackAnthony S. Waters
22005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 147★2003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1472003normalwhiteAnthony S. Waters
42007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 161★2003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
52007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1612003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
62010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 302003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
72011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 892003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
82018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 692015normalblackAnthony S. Waters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mortivore has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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