Grave Choice MTG Card


Enhances strategy with flexible card recovery from the graveyard, enriching gameplay choices. Allows instant speed tactical responses, making it a versatile spell in match-ups. Demands careful consideration of its discard and mana cost constraints in deck building.
Grave Choice - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Conjure
Released2022-07-07
Set symbol
Set nameAlchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Set codeHBG
Number43
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byWill Gist

Text of card

Target opponent sacrifices a nontoken creature. If that creature had mana value 2 or less, conjure a duplicate of it into your hand. That duplicate perpetually gains "You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast this spell."


Cards like Grave Choice

Grave Choice is a nuanced addition to the suite of decision-centric cards in Magic: The Gathering. It reminds us of the mechanics seen in something like Fact or Fiction, where a player reveals cards and makes choices that can influence both players’ strategies. However, Grave Choice introduces a unique wrinkle by targeting cards in a player’s graveyard, allowing for strategic plays based on past actions rather than future potential.

Another parallel could be drawn with Unburden, a spell that also navigates the space of choice and consequences, albeit in the realm of discard effects. Unburden forces an opponent to make a tough decision, but unlike Grave Choice, it does not offer the flexibility to replenish the graveyard which can be pivotal in certain deck archetypes.

Delving deeper, we can compare it to Whispering Madness, which incorporates both a card exchange and the potential to impact the graveyard. Although Whispering Madness can be more disruptive globally, Grave Choice offers a more targeted, and sometimes more strategic, approach to manipulating the game state.

In sum, Grave Choice has earned its spot in the Magic: The Gathering pantheon by offering a fresh spin on the classic dynamic of choice, with a unique focus on the rich strategic resource of the graveyard.

Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Unburden - MTG Card versions
Whispering Madness - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Unburden - MTG Card versions
Whispering Madness - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Grave Choice by color, type and mana cost

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Bone Harvest - MTG Card versions
Slay - MTG Card versions
Afflict - MTG Card versions
Dismember - MTG Card versions
Body Count - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Graves - MTG Card versions
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Kill! Destroy! - MTG Card versions
Sudden Death - MTG Card versions
Footbottom Feast - MTG Card versions
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Hideous End - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: By selecting the best cards from your graveyard, Grave Choice serves as a powerful tool to retrieve key components for your strategy, effectively giving you access to valuable resources that have already been used or discarded.

Resource Acceleration: Returning a high-impact spell to your hand with Grave Choice can set you up for a game-changing turn, providing you with the acceleration needed to outpace your opponent and control the flow of the match.

Instant Speed: The instant nature of Grave Choice offers the flexibility to respond adaptively during your opponent’s actions. This can be pivotal in matchups where timing is crucial, allowing you to capitalize on the optimal moment to swing the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grave Choice necessitates the player to discard a card to activate its ability. This can prove to be a hindrance, especially in situations where your hand is already depleted, and every card counts. Discarding could inadvertently remove key pieces from your potential winning strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Enforcing a rigid mana cost, Grave Choice can only be played with specific color combinations. This can make it less flexible, finding home only in decks that cater to its color identity. Players running a multi-color deck might find it difficult to consistently cast Grave Choice when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a higher mana cost for its effects can make Grave Choice less appealing compared to other options. Efficient deck-building often rewards cards that do more for less, and there are alternatives that might offer similar or better results without such a heavy mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Grave Choice offers flexibility in gameplay, seamlessly slotting into decks that capitalize on graveyard manipulation and creature-based strategies. Its dual nature lets you choose the most advantageous option in any given situation.

Combo Potential: The card excels in setups looking to maximize graveyard resources, pairing well with effects that resurrect or benefit from the presence of certain card types in the graveyard, adding a strategic layer to your deck construction.

Meta-Relevance: Given its utility in responding to opponents’ graveyard strategies and controlling the flow of your own graveyard, Grave Choice can be a key piece in the current adaptive metagame where such tactics are prevalent.


How to beat

Grave Choice is an intriguing strategic spell in the MTG universe, offering players a unique way to manipulate both their and their opponent’s graveyards. This kind of card can become a cornerstone of graveyard-centric decks and drastically affect the game’s dynamic. However, overcoming the challenges it presents is not insurmountable. To tilt the scales in your favor against Grave Choice, consider running exile effects that can remove key cards from graveyards, such as Scavenging Ooze or Leyline of the Void. These cards ensure that the options for Grave Choice become limited, or even unfavorable for the caster.

Additionally, employing instant-speed removal or counterspells like Negate or Dismember gives you the opportunity to directly respond to the casting of Grave Choice, leaving your opponent without the benefits it could provide. Remember that information is power in MTG, so cards like Duress can be used proactively to strip Grave Choice from your opponent’s hand before it’s ever a threat. By integrating these strategies into your gameplay, you can navigate around Grave Choice and maintain control over the battlefield.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grave Choice MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Grave Choice and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grave Choice has restrictions

FormatLegality
GladiatorLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
TimelessLegal