Gravedigger MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 33 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 4 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Creature — Zombie |
Power | 2 |
Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Gravedigger comes into play from your hand, you may choose to return a summon creature from your discard pile to your hand.
Cards like Gravedigger
The Gravedigger card offers a unique proposition in the realm of cards that enable creature recovery in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest counterparts could be considered cards like Animate Dead and Reanimate, both of which are known for pulling creatures directly back onto the battlefield from the graveyard. Gravedigger, distinctively, adds the targeted creature back to your hand instead, providing an extra layer of strategic planning.
Unearth stands as another similar mechanic, providing the ability to return a creature from the graveyard to the battlefield at a low cost but with the caveat of exile at the end of turn. Gravedigger’s method allows for more permanence and flexibility going forward in the game. Cadaver Imp is another creature with an ability akin to Gravedigger’s, but with a lower power and toughness, it doesn’t hold the battlefield presence that Gravedigger does.
Assessing these options, Gravedigger may not offer the immediacy of cheating a creature onto the battlefield, but it holds its own with its ability to consistently recover creatures. It’s a tactical choice in MTG for those looking to reuse creature abilities or simply wanting a reliable way to reclaim fallen allies for future turns.
Cards similar to Gravedigger by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gravedigger provides a critical two-for-one effect by returning a creature from your graveyard to your hand, effectively replenishing your resources and resilience on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly accelerating mana like ramp spells, Gravedigger ensures that you effectively make use of your mana each turn by guaranteeing creature play even after suffering losses, ensuring that your tempo is maintained.
Instant Speed: While Gravedigger itself is not an instant, its enter-the-battlefield ability can be leveraged with instant-speed flicker or reanimation spells, allowing you to retrieve creatures during any phase of the turn and catch your opponent off-guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the case of Gravedigger, there isn’t an explicit discard requirement, but it’s important for players to evaluate the utility of bringing creatures back to their hands. If your hand is full, you might be forced to discard if you exceed your maximum hand size.
Specific Mana Cost: Gravedigger demands a specific mana arrangement—one black and three of any other color—to play. This can be a hurdle for non-monocolor or multicolor decks that may struggle with mana-fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of four mana for a 2/2 creature, Gravedigger might be seen as a costly investment considering its moderate impact on the board. Players often deliberate over more cost-efficient creatures with similar or better effects in a competitive environment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Gravedigger serves as an efficient way to return creatures from your graveyard to your hand, making it a valuable addition to any deck that relies on creature synergies and recurring resources.
Combo Potential: This card can be a pivotal component in combo decks, acting as a crucial link to reassemble combo pieces that may have found their way to the graveyard, enabling you to execute your strategy more consistently.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where removal spells are prevalent, Gravedigger gains significance by helping you maintain board presence. Its ability to recover key creatures can sustain your deck’s performance even through disruptive plays by opponents.
How to beat
Gravedigger, a classic creature card in Magic: The Gathering, presents a unique challenge with its ability to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand upon entering the battlefield. This value-generating zombie can be a thorn in opponents’ sides, fueling recursive strategies and keeping key creatures in play.
To counter the Gravedigger’s advantage, the most effective strategies involve exiling cards from the graveyard or employing cards that restrict creature abilities. Relic of Progenitus and Bojuka Bog are notable examples that can remove cards from graveyards, disrupting the Gravedigger’s effectiveness. Silence the Believers is another potent removal that not only exiles the targeted creature but also has the capability to deal with multiple threats simultaneously if additional mana is expended.
Another tactic is to utilize counterspells to prevent Gravedigger from hitting the field in the first place. By keeping mana open for spells like Cancel or Dovin’s Veto, you can preempt the cycle of creature recovery. Stifling graveyard-based strategies impairs the overall mechanics of decks that rely on Gravedigger, tipping the scales in your favor and providing an effective way to dampen your opponent’s game plan.
BurnMana Recommendations
Understanding and utilizing cards like Gravedigger can significantly enhance your MTG gameplay. This card’s capability to reclaim creatures from your graveyard ensures that your deck’s resilience and adaptability are maintained. Ideal for decks capitalizing on creature synergies, Gravedigger offers strategic depth and recovery methods essential in navigating through removal-heavy metas. Whether you are optimizing current decks or considering new builds, include Gravedigger as a resourceful option. To ensure your strategy remains unshaken and potent in the face of disruption, learn more about incorporating Gravedigger effectively into your deck with us.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gravedigger MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Tempest, 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 Gravedigger and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Gravedigger Magic the Gathering card was released in 28 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
Show/hide all sets# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 95 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | |
2 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 137 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
3 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 134 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
4 | 1999-07-01 | Starter 1999 | S99 | 78 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
5 | 2000-10-01 | Beatdown Box Set | BTD | 27 | 1997 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
6 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 139★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | James Bernardin | |
7 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 139 | 1997 | Normal | White | James Bernardin | |
8 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 140 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Tony Szczudlo | |
9 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 138 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
10 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 138★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
11 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 136★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
12 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 136 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
13 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | F55 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
14 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | F7 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
15 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | F43 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dermot Power | |
16 | 2006-01-02 | DCI Promos | PDCI | 16 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tony Szczudlo | |
17 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 146 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
18 | 2009-07-17 | Magic 2010 | M10 | 97 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
19 | 2009-09-04 | Planechase | HOP | 29 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
20 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
21 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 86 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
22 | 2011-07-15 | Magic 2012 | M12 | 99 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
23 | 2014-07-18 | Magic 2015 | M15 | 99 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
24 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 106 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
25 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 89 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
26 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 93 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tony Foti | |
27 | 2018-06-08 | Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | 66 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
28 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 98 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
29 | 2019-07-12 | Core Set 2020 | M20 | 103 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tony Foti | |
30 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 674 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
31 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 107 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tony Foti | |
32 | The List | PLST | CM2-66 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | ||
33 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 424 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gravedigger has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Historicbrawl | Legal |
Historic | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Gladiator | Legal |
Pioneer | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Explorer | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gravedigger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2009-10-01 | A “creature card” is any card with the type creature, even if it has other types such as artifact, enchantment, or land. Older cards of type summon are also creature cards. |