Grief MTG Card
2021-06-18 - Number 87
2021-06-18 - Number 311
2021-06-19 - Number 87s
2024-06-07 - Number 7
2002-06-24 - Number 91251
2021-06-18 - Number 30
2021-06-18 - Number 30s
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Creature — Elemental Incarnation |
| Abilities | Evoke,Menace |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Menace When Grief enters the battlefield, target opponent reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card. Evoke—Exile a black card from your hand.
Cards like Grief
Within the expansive world of MTG, the card Grief offers a unique combination of abilities that impacts the battlefield upon entrance. Comparable cards, like the widely known Thoughtseize, similarly disrupt an opponent’s hand by allowing a player to choose and discard a card. However, Grief’s emergence from the graveyard with the evoke mechanic adds an extra layer of utility and surprise.
Mesmeric Fiend stands out with its parallel hand disruption effect upon entering the battlefield. Though it doesn’t have the raw power or the evoke mechanic that Grief wields. Meanwhile Kitesail Freebooter offers a disruption effect with a lower power level but benefits from being a flying creature, providing an evasive body on the field. Lastly, Tidehollow Sculler showcases a similar ability to extract cards from the opponent’s hand. While it doesn’t have the free casting option of Grief, it does present a more permanent solution by exiling the card until it leaves the battlefield.
Considering the ability to play without cost under certain conditions and its immediate impact, Grief distinguishes itself among hand disruption creatures. Its versatility in being both a reactionary play and a foreseen threat from the graveyard makes it powerful in the engaging dynamics of MTG gameplay.
Cards similar to Grief by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Grief. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Reanimator | Legacy | Reanimator | Legacy League 2024-04-29 |
 | Living End | Modern | Living End | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-29 |
 | Rakdos Scam | Modern | Rakdos Scam | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-29 |
 | Mono-Black Scam | Modern | Mono-Black Scam | Modern League 2024-04-29 |
 | Esper Stoneblade | Modern | Esper Stoneblade | Modern League 2024-04-29 |
 | Orzhov Scam | Legacy | Orzhov Scam | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) |
 | Grixis Scam | Legacy | Grixis Scam | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) |
 | Jund Scam | Modern | Jund Scam | Modern Challenge 32 2024-04-29 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Grief provides a unique benefit by letting you disrupt your opponent’s hand while simultaneously offering the potential for a free cast through the Evoke mechanic. This element of surprise is incredibly valuable for setting back your opponent while maintaining your own strategy.
Resource Acceleration: Although Grief itself does not accelerate resources in the traditional sense, the mere act of removing a key card from your opponent’s hand can retard their resource development, effectively giving you a leg-up in the progression of the game.
Instant Speed: Grief’s Evoke ability can be activated at instant speed, allowing for strategic plays during your opponent’s turn. This versatility can be a game-changer, disrupting your opponent’s strategy at a crucial moment and paving the way for your victory.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Grief’s evoke cost necessitates discarding a card, which can be detrimental when your hand is already depleted or if you’re forced to discard a high-value card.
Specific Mana Cost: Commanding two black mana to cast Grief may restrict deck-building to a heavier black mana base, potentially limiting its inclusion in more diverse or color-flexible strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a full casting cost of four mana, including two black, other cards might provide similar effects with lower or more flexible mana requirements, possibly making Grief a less favorable option in certain situations.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Grief offers a unique flexibility that can be a boon to black-centric or Eldrazi decks. Its ability to be evoked at the cost of exiling a card from hand means it can adapt to various in-game situations, functioning as an early disruption or as a creature with menace later on.
Combo Potential: A card like Grief shines in combo setups. The immediate hand disruption, coupled with cards that allow you to recur or blink it, can lead to powerful turns where you strip key cards from opponents’ hands multiple times in a game.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where hand advantage is crucial, Grief’s ability to disrupt an opponent’s early game plan is highly impactful. With its relevance in both Eternal and Modern formats, it is a card that stays significant against a variety of popular decks.
How to beat
Grief is a powerful force on the battlefield, embodying the potent blend of emotional disruption and card advantage. Molded in the visage of an Evoke creature, this menace can strip valuable resources from an opponent’s grip even before the first land unfolds. Bursting onto the scene while dancing on the delicate strings of life payment or Evoke cost, Grief’s entrance is as swift as it is impactful.
Counteracting this ethereal aggressor requires strategic savvy. Leveraging the strengths of graveyard hate or instant-speed removal can effectively mitigate the immediate and lasting effects of Grief. By employing cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Surgical Extraction, players can exile Grief from the game, nullifying the advantage it seeks to provide. Alternatively, harnessing the power of cards with flash can spark an immediate response to Grief’s appearance, disrupting the carefully laid plans of a would-be dominator. It’s about understanding the timing, gauging the risks, and acting with precision to ensure that Grief’s visitation is but a fleeting shadow on your path to victory.
When faced with such distressing incantations, the ability to adapt and outmaneuver positions you well. It’s a reminder that even in the face of disruption, foresight and resilience are your most reliable allies.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Grief MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Modern Horizons 2 Art Series, 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 Grief 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
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Printings
The Grief Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2024-06-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 91251 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | ||
| 2 | Modern Horizons 2 Art Series | AMH2 | 30 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Nicholas Gregory | ||
| 3 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 87 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Gregory | |
| 4 | Modern Horizons 2 Art Series | AMH2 | 30s | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Nicholas Gregory | ||
| 5 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 311 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 6 | 2021-06-19 | Modern Horizons 2 Promos | PMH2 | 87s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Gregory | |
| 7 | 2024-06-07 | Modern Horizons 2 Timeshifts | H2R | 7 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Nicholas Gregory |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Grief has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grief card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-06-18 | If you pay the evoke cost, you can have the creature's own triggered ability resolve before the evoke triggered ability. You can cast spells after that ability resolves but before you have to sacrifice the creature. |
| 2021-06-18 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as an evoke cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined by only its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast that spell was. |