Grim Harvest MTG Card
2006-07-21 - Number 58
2010-11-08 - Number A43
2020-09-26 - Number CSP-58
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Recover |
Text of card
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Recover (When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay . If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.)
Cards like Grim Harvest
Grim Harvest stands out in the collection of recursion spells within Magic: The Gathering. It resonates with cards like Disentomb which also bring creatures back from the graveyard to your hand. Yet, Grim Harvest offers the persistent “Recover” mechanic that keeps it returning to your hand as long as you can pay the cost whenever a creature dies. This contrasts with Disentomb’s single-use nature, limiting its potential for repeated advantages.
Moving along the spectrum of resurrection spells, we encounter Animate Dead. This enchantment not only returns a creature to the battlefield but also grants it a minor boost in strength. While Animate Dead can be a game-changer for its permanence and power enhancement, Grim Harvest excels in versatility and frequency of use. Then there’s the card Unearth, another variant that pulls creatures from the graveyard for a low cost and allows them to dash onto the battlefield with haste, but they are exiled shortly after. It’s an immediate and impactful option but doesn’t match Grim Harvest’s enduring presence throughout the game.
Grim Harvest, with its recurring benefits, positions itself as a formidable option for players who prefer a steady flow of creature recovery over one-time spell effects or permanent but potentially more costly alternatives in their decks.
Cards similar to Grim Harvest by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Grim Harvest. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rogue Decklists | Pauper | Devotion | Nacional Pauper 2023 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Grim Harvest excels in offering repeated access to creatures from your graveyard to your hand. This can be particularly valuable in long games where maintaining a strong hand can turn the tides in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While Grim Harvest doesn’t directly add mana, the ability to retrieve key creatures can be a crucial form of acceleration. By consistently bringing back mana-producing creatures, it ensures you have the resources to play impactful spells.
Instant Speed: The power to use Grim Harvest at the end of your opponent’s turn gives you flexibility. This timing allows you to make informed decisions based on the state of the game, ensuring maximum effectiveness of each card played.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Grim Harvest necessitates an additional payment when utilizing its retrace ability, requiring you to discard a land card. This can deplete your hand and limit strategic options, especially in the late game where land plays are crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Grim Harvest’s ability is locked behind a black mana cost. This specificity can hinder its inclusion in multicolored decks that might struggle to consistently produce the necessary black mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, including two that are color-specific, to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand, Grim Harvest can feel costly when compared to other creature reanimation spells that put creatures directly onto the battlefield for a similar or lesser mana investment.
Reasons to Include Grim Harvest in Your Collection
Versatility: Grim Harvest is a card that provides great flexibility in gameplay. Its capability to return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand makes it a valuable asset in a variety of deck builds, particularly those that rely on creatures for their win conditions or enjoy recurring valuable combo pieces.
Combo Potential: The Recover mechanic that Grim Harvest features allows for persistent combo opportunities, being able to repeatedly reclaim creatures that have been strategically placed in the graveyard. It seamlessly integrates with strategies involving sacrifice or self-mill to generate a continuous loop of resources.
Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-shifting landscape of MTG metagames, having a card like Grim Harvest can continuously prove advantageous. As graveyard-based strategies often surface in different formats, this card can offer consistent value and provide an edge against various forms of disruption in a multitude of settings.
How to beat
Grim Harvest is a persistent card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to repeatedly return creatures from the graveyard to a player’s hand. This recursion makes it a challenge to deal with permanently, as it can continuously reclaim fallen creatures unless you stymie its influence. To disrupt Grim Harvest’s advantages, consider incorporating graveyard hate cards into your deck strategy. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can remove creatures from graveyards or negate their effects entirely, thus undercutting Grim Harvest’s potential.
Instant-speed removal spells are also crucial when playing against decks wielding Grim Harvest. After an opponent plays Grim Harvest and targets a creature, respond with removal or exile effects so that by the time Grim Harvest resolves, the intended target is no longer available to return to their hand. By keeping the pressure with consistent creature removal, the opportunity for your adversary to fully harness Grim Harvest becomes limited, giving you an authoritative position on the battlefield.
Overall, defeating Grim Harvest requires strategic planning, precise timing, and the right suite of counteractive cards—making for engaging gameplay that rewards foresight and adaptation.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Grim Harvest MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Grim Harvest and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Grim Harvest Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-07-21 and 2010-11-08. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-07-21 | Coldsnap | CSP | 58 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai | |
| 2 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | A43 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | CSP-58 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Grim Harvest has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |