Entomber Exarch MTG Card

Entomber Exarch offers flexibility in either returning a creature or disrupting an opponent’s hand. Its abilities can indirectly accelerate your resources by hindering an opponent’s strategy. Despite its mana cost, the card’s utility proves valuable in various MTG deck strategies.

New Phyrexia (NPH)
2011-05-13 - Number 59

Entomber Exarch - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)

Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
2017-03-17 - Number 68

Jumpstart (JMP)
2020-07-17 - Number 227

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Cleric
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

When Entomber Exarch enters the battlefield, choose one — Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand; or target opponent reveals his or her hand, you choose a noncreature card from it, then that player discards that card.

Cards like Entomber Exarch

Entomber Exarch is a versatile player in the pantheon of utility creatures within Magic: The Gathering. When analyzing cards like it, Puppeteer Clique immediately comes to mind. Both creatures delve into graveyard manipulation, yet Puppeteer Clique’s focus is predominantly on reanimating opponent’s creatures temporarily. It can disrupt an opponent’s strategy and provides a flying body as well. However, it lacks the flexibility Entomber Exarch possesses with its choice of either returning a creature card from your graveyard to your hand or forcing an opponent to reveal their hand, disgarding a noncreature card.

Then there’s Gravedigger, a classic creature that shares the trait of retrieving a creature card from your graveyard upon entering the battlefield. While Gravedigger simplifies this action without offering a choice, Entomber Exarch grants that extra bit of control over the game’s flow, making it a formidable choice for controllers of the black mana who revel in the art of decision-making.

Entomber Exarch’s strategic versatility, providing options to affect the hand or graveyards, designates this card as a unique and effective tool in any black deck, particularly in games where information and choice can tip the balance in your favor.

Cards similar to Entomber Exarch by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Entomber Exarch ensures that you stay ahead in the game by letting you either retrieve a creature from your graveyard or force an opponent to reveal their hand, from which you may choose a noncreature card for them to discard. This flexibility can lead to substantial card advantage over the course of a match.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly contributing to mana, the ability to disrupt an opponent’s strategy by discarding a key noncreature card can indirectly accelerate your own resources. By slowing down your opponent, you give yourself time to develop your game plan more effectively.

Instant Speed: While Entomber Exarch doesn’t operate at instant speed, the utility of its when-enters-the-battlefield effect has a similar strategic advantage. It gives you the chance to respond to your graveyard’s state or adapt to an opponent’s hand during your turn, making it a versatile inclusion in many black-centric decks.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Entomber Exarch necessitates selecting a card from an opponent’s hand for them to discard, only when choosing its first ability. This strategic element requires knowledge of the opponent’s hand, which may not always be available, making this aspect situationally limiting.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Entomber Exarch, you need two black mana. This specificity can be restrictive for multi-colored decks, as it demands a stable source of black mana to play effectively and on time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana (two colorless and two black), Entomber Exarch can be considered costly for its abilities. When deck building, players might weigh its utility against other cards with similar or lower mana costs that provide equal or greater value.

Reasons to Include Entomber Exarch in Your Collection

Versatility: Entomber Exarch is a flexible choice for any black-colored deck that can leverage both its creature type and its unique abilities. With the option to retrieve a creature from your graveyard or to force a discard from your opponent, the card can adapt to various in-game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that manipulate the graveyard. Whether you’re aiming to reanimate a powerful creature or disrupt your opponent’s hand to set up for a game-changing combo, Entomber Exarch serves as a critical piece in these interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that cycles through various meta changes, having a card that can affect both the board state and your opponent’s hand is invaluable. Entomber Exarch’s ability to react to the ever-shifting landscape of MTG competitive play means it can be a stalwart addition against numerous decks types you may encounter.

How to beat

Entomber Exarch is a versatile card in Magic: The Gathering that can present challenges to opponents due to its utility in both retrieving important cards from a player’s graveyard and disrupting the opponent’s hand. Overcoming this creature requires a strategy that limits its impact on the game. Playing cards that exile from graveyards can nullify its retrieval ability, such as Scavenging Ooze or Leyline of the Void. To address the hand disruption, consider cards that can replace or protect key pieces in your hand, like Veil of Summer or Elixir of Immortality.

Additionally, counter magic can prevent Entomber Exarch from resolving in the first place, keeping its dual functionalities from affecting the game state. A counterspell at the right moment or even something like Thoughtseize can preemptively remove the Exarch from the scenario, maintaining control over the match. In essence, the key to beating Entomber Exarch lies in anticipation and employing the right responses to its graveyard and hand interaction abilities.

Therefore, being prepared and adaptable is crucial when facing down Entomber Exarch. By having answers to its graveyard recursive tactics and its dissecting hand disruption, you can mitigate the effect this creature has and maintain dominance over the course of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Entomber Exarch MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Modern Masters 2017, 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 Entomber Exarch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Entomber Exarch Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2011-05-13	New Phyrexia	NPH	59	2003	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
2	2017-03-17	Modern Masters 2017	MM3	68	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov
3	2020-07-17	Jumpstart	JMP	227	2015	Normal	Black	Svetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Entomber Exarch has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal