Zombie Master MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 16 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie
Power 2
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Enables strategic, instant-speed regeneration, elevating your zombie army’s resilience during gameplay.
  2. Resource-efficient in boosting graveyard-based strategies, thus significantly enhancing resource acceleration.
  3. Its specific abilities can be double-edged, requiring careful deck building and resource management.

Text of card

All zombies in play gain swampwalk and "oo B Regenerates" for as long as this card remains in play.

They say the Zombie Master controlled these foul creatures even before his own death, but now that he is one of them, nothing can make them betray him.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Zombie Master contributes to card advantage by offering consistency in reviving your undead forces. This synergizes with decks focused on graveyard mechanics, enabling a steady stream and return of zombie creatures from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly creating mana or tokens, Zombie Master accelerates your resources by providing cost-efficient reanimation. By giving all Zombies the ability to regenerate, it allows you to sustain a formidable presence on the board with minimal mana expenditure, effectively saving crucial resources over the course of the game.

Instant Speed: The real-time aspect of Zombie Master’s ability to grant regeneration to Zombie creatures at instant speed offers strategic depth. This allows you to respond to threats or removals promptly, preserving your army and maintaining pressure on the opponent even during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One limitation players might face with Zombie Master is the inherent risk in relying on a card that impacts your own graveyard. If you’re forced to discard or sacrifice undead creatures to fuel your strategy, it could leave you vulnerable should Zombie Master be removed from the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Zombie Master requires both black mana and generic mana, which necessitates a commitment to black when building your deck. Players may find themselves constrained if they wish to incorporate a wide array of multicolor spells in their deck architecture.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be steep for the early stages of a game, Zombie Master borders on the expensive side for its utility. Other lower-cost creatures could be played earlier, thus impacting the board while you’re still assembling the mana necessary for Zombie Master.


Reasons to Include Zombie Master in Your Collection

Versatility: Zombie Master enhances any Zombie-themed deck by granting all Zombies the ability to regenerate, providing a robust defense against board wipes. Its synergy with Swampwalk also makes it a strategic asset in any black heavy deck.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that turn all lands into Swamps or change creature types, Zombie Master can become part of an unstoppable force, making your undead horde virtually indestructible and unblockable.

Meta-Relevance: As graveyard strategies often cycle through the meta, Zombie Master remains a timeless card, enabling powerful plays and keeping your Zombie creatures relevant against a plethora of decks that rely on removal to control the battlefield.


How to beat

Zombie Master is a key card for any deck that capitalizes on a zombie tribal theme in Magic: The Gathering. This card brings resilience to your opponent’s zombie horde, granting both swampwalk and regenerative abilities, allowing them to relentlessly pressure your defenses. To effectively counter this threat, focus on removing the Zombie Master from play. Targeted removal spells such as Path to Exile or Unholy Heat can handle the job adeptly, disrupting the synergy it provides. Sweepers like Wrath of God or Damnation are also highly effective, clearing the board and negating the regenerative advantage in one move.

Additionally, consider employing graveyard hate cards like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt, which can exile zombies before they become a recurring nightmare. These preemptive measures can cripple a zombie-centric strategy, especially one built around the abilities of the Zombie Master. Lastly, nullify the swampwalk ability by limiting the number of swamps on your battlefield or using nonbasic lands that don’t count as swamps, rendering the evasion strategy moot. With these tactics, the imposing presence of the Zombie Master can be reduced to a manageable threat.


BurnMana Recommendations

The deep dive into Zombie Master’s realm shows its pivotal role in undead decks, offering resilience and utility to enhance your MTG play. With strategic utility and a key regeneration ability, it’s a card worthy of any black mana deck or zombie-centric collection. Understanding its strengths and weaknesses can flip the tide of battle in your favor. If you’re keen to expand your understanding of graveyard mechanics and harness the sheer might of your zombie legion, delve further with us. Learn how to maximize Zombie Master’s potential and seamlessly integrate it into your winning strategies. Enhance your gameplay and build a deck that’s not only fearsome but truly undead.


Cards like Zombie Master

Zombie Master brings a unique twist to the undead archetype in Magic: The Gathering, much like the celebrated Lord of the Undead. Both cards bolster the zombie class, with the Lord offering a strength and toughness buff alongside its card advantage ability. Zombie Master, while not affecting statistics, grants all zombies regenerative prowess and unblockable terrain with its swampwalk ability.

In the same realm of zombie enhancers lies Death Baron. This macabre creature not only increases the power and toughness of your zombies but also coats them in deathtouch, striking fear into any would-be blockers. Although lacking the utility skills of Zombie Master, it presents a different strategic approach to zombies on the battlefield.

Gravespawn Sovereign also shares the spotlight, commanding the board by reanimating zombies directly onto the field. While Zombie Master focuses on protection through regeneration, the Sovereign emphasizes aggression through expansion. Each card, with its distinctive abilities, offers diverse strategic angles for zombie deck enthusiasts, ensuring the horde marches on, tailored to the player’s style.

Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Death Baron - MTG Card versions
Gravespawn Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - Planeshift (PLS)
Death Baron - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Gravespawn Sovereign - Onslaught (ONS)

Cards similar to Zombie Master by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Bone - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Nantuko Husk - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zombie Master MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Zombie Master and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Zombie Master Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2024-01-01. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1371993normalblackJeff A. Menges
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1381993normalblackJeff A. Menges
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1381993normalwhiteJeff A. Menges
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1381993normalblackJeff A. Menges
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1381993normalblackJeff A. Menges
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1381993normalblackJeff A. Menges
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1381993normalwhiteJeff A. Menges
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1381993normalwhiteJeff A. Menges
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1741993normalwhiteJeff A. Menges
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1741993normalblackJeff A. Menges
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2071997normalwhiteStuart Griffin
121999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1621997normalwhiteJeff A. Menges
132011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 1051997normalblackJeff A. Menges
142022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1342015normalblackJeff A. Menges
152022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4311997normalblackJeff A. Menges
162024-01-01Wizards Play Network 2024PW24 32015normalborderlessIgor Krstic

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zombie Master has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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