Graveyard Shift MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2022-04-29 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Streets of New Capenna |
| Set code | SNC |
| Number | 81 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Liiga Smilshkalne |
Text of card
This spell has flash as long as there are five or more mana values among cards in your graveyard. Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
"Up and at 'em, buddy. We've got more work to do."
Cards like Graveyard Shift
Graveyard Shift is an intriguing card that finds its niche in the realm of graveyard interaction spells within Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarity to cards like Reanimate, which also allows players to pull creatures from the graveyard directly into play. However, Graveyard Shift distinguishes itself by offering a wider array of targets, potentially reviving any permanent type. Reanimate is strictly limited to creatures and comes with a life cost based on the creature’s power.
Another comparable card is Animate Dead, a classic enchantment that also reanimates creatures, but it reduces their power and toughness. While this doesn’t impact Graveyard Shift’s resurrected permanents, Animate Dead benefits from a lower mana cost. Then we have Zombify, which delivers straightforward creature revival without the drawbacks or flexibility of the previous examples. Although it doesn’t bring the utility of reanimating any card type, it’s an effective option for creature-focused strategies.
Assessing the similarities and nuances between these cards, Graveyard Shift garners attention for its versatility in reviving any permanent, though at a higher mana cost. This could make it a favorable option for decks that heavily utilize multiple permanent types.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Graveyard Shift. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Abzan Aggro | Explorer | The Pizza Box Open: Explorer | |
| Grixis Burn | Standard | 4c Reanimator | The Pizza Box Open: Standard |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Graveyard Shift is an intricate piece when sculpting the tide of the game to your favor by reanimating any creature from any graveyard. This ability not only adds to your board presence but potentially disrupts your opponent’s future plans, representing a dual-layered advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While Graveyard Shift doesn’t directly produce mana or resources, its ability to bring back high-cost creatures effectively accelerates your access to powerful effects that can dominate the game without paying their original mana cost.
Instant Speed: The real power of Graveyard Shift lies in its capability to act at instant speed. This allows for strategic flexibility, letting you wait until the most opportune moment to steal a crucial creature from a graveyard or to simply surprise an opponent during their turn with an unexpected blocker or game-changing effect.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Graveyard Shift is its demand for you to pitch a card out of your hand. This can severely impact your game if your card count is dwindling or if you are being forced to throw away a pivotal card that could be essential for your strategy later on.
Specific Mana Cost: Graveyard Shift calls for a precise combination of mana to cast, which might not be ideal for multi-colored decks that juggle various mana sources. If your mana pool is diverse, it could be challenging to muster the appropriate resources when a pivotal moment arises.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its potential to significantly alter the state of the game, Graveyard Shift comes with a sizeable mana cost. In the context of the game where pace can be everything, there may be more mana-efficient cards that serve a similar function while allowing for additional plays within the same turn.
Reasons to Include Graveyard Shift in Your Collection
Versatility: Graveyard Shift can seamlessly integrate into decks that focus on graveyard mechanics or for those aiming to capitalize on high-value creature spells. It allows for strategic rebalancing of the battlefield by potentially bringing back key creatures from the graveyard.
Combo Potential: This card can act as an enabler for various combos, particularly in a graveyard-themed deck. It synergizes with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or dying, broadening its utility and potential for creating powerful plays.
Meta-Relevance: The ever-changing MTG playing field means having flexible cards that can adapt to different opponents. Graveyard Shift holds its ground in a variety of matchups, offering consistency and tactical advantage, particularly if reanimator strategies or recursion tactics are prevalent in the current meta.
How to beat
Graveyard Shift is a card that can turn the tide of a game in Magic: The Gathering with its unique ability to manipulate graveyard contents. Dealing with it requires a strategy that can either avoid putting high-value cards into the graveyard or one that can remove the card from play before it exerts its influence. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt provide an efficient answer by purging the graveyard entirely, thereby nullifying Graveyard Shift’s potential impact.
Similarly, enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or more versatile options like Beast Within offer direct ways to dispatch Graveyard Shift off the battlefield. Players can also use graveyard-hate cards like Leyline of the Void to preemptively protect against graveyard strategies, rendering Graveyard Shift less effective. Additionally, counterspell cards are always a solid choice for preventing Graveyard Shift from entering the battlefield in the first place.
When facing a card like Graveyard Shift, it’s essential to adjust your strategy and include targeted answers to maintain control of the graveyard. By anticipating and preparing for its deployment, players can minimize its impact and maintain the upper hand in their match. This proactive approach is key to success in the dynamic environment of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Graveyard Shift MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 Graveyard Shift 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Graveyard Shift has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Graveyard Shift card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-04-29 | If an effect allows you to cast Graveyard Shift from your graveyard, you may cast it any time you could cast an instant if you have five or more mana values among cards in your graveyard immediately before you begin to cast it, even if moving it to the stack would reduce that number to four. |
| 2022-04-29 | The game checks whether it is legal to cast a spell before costs are determined or mana abilities are activated while casting it. If cards are removed from your graveyard after that point, such as by exiling Jack-o'-Lantern from your graveyard to pay for its mana ability, this won't affect whether you can legally cast Graveyard Shift, even if that reduces the number of mana values in your graveyard to below five. |
| 2022-04-29 | The mana value of a double-faced card in your graveyard is always the mana value of the front face. |
| 2022-04-29 | The mana value of a land card is 0. |
| 2022-04-29 | The mana value of a split card in the graveyard is the total mana value of both halves of that card. It does not have two mana values. |
| 2022-04-29 | X is 0 when determining the mana value of a card in your graveyard. |
| 2022-04-29 | “Five or more mana values among cards in your graveyard” means there are at least five mana values among those cards. |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.