Revenge of the Drowned MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers control and surveil for an upper hand in card quality and future plays.
  2. Its instant speed utility adapts to in-game dynamics, disrupting opponents.
  3. Demands mana precision and comes with a higher cost compared to similar spells.

Text of card

Target creature's owner puts it on the top or bottom of their library. You create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed. (It can't block. When it attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.)

A heavy net doesn't always mean a good catch.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Revenge of the Drowned offers the valuable ability to help you manipulate both the top of your deck and what your opponents have in play. By casting it, not only do you deal with a potential threat by sending it to the library, but you also get to surveil, which may grant you a strategic peek at your next draw, ensuring you keep the upper hand in card quality.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or ramp, the subtle efficiency of Revenge of the Drowned lies in its knack for setting up your subsequent plays. By controlling your next draw, you effectively accelerate towards your key resources or game-winning cards, nurturing a smoother and more tailored development of your board state.

Instant Speed: The versatility of casting Revenge of the Drowned at instant speed cannot be overstated. This allows you to adapt to the dynamic flow of the game, interrupting your opponent’s strategy during their most crucial moments or simply utilizing your mana efficiently during their end step if no other plays were necessary.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not an inherent drawback of Revenge of the Drowned itself, a player must often manage hand resources to prepare for any counters or additional spells, so an unplanned discard from other effects can hinder the strategic use of this card.

Specific Mana Cost: Revenge of the Drowned demands both blue mana and generic mana, which might not always align with players’ available resources, especially in multi-color decks that may struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana, including two blue, for a single-target effect that doesn’t outright remove the creature can be steep when compared to other control options in MTG that may permanently deal with threats for similar or lower investment.


Reasons to Include Revenge of the Drowned Mtg Card in Your Collection

Versatility: Revenge of the Drowned is not restricted to just blue-themed decks; its ability to disrupt opponents’ strategies can be beneficial in a variety of deck archetypes. It allows you to temporarily deal with threats and can set up further plays for the upcoming turns.

Combo Potential: The card synergizes well with mill strategies or deck manipulation tactics. It not only puts a creature on top of the opponent’s library, diluting their next draw, but it can also work in tandem with mechanics that exploit drawing or graveyard interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Within the current meta where creatures often play a significant role, having a card such as Revenge of the Drowned can mean the difference between weathering an opponent’s aggressive strategy or setting up your board for a strategic comeback in later turns.


How to beat

Revenge of the Drowned is a card that’s crafted to disrupt your gameplay with its ability to return a creature to its owner’s library and then complicate the upcoming draws with two mysterious library cards. Essential to navigate this hurdle is to harness cards that offer library manipulation or graveyard retrieval. These strategies ensure that even if a creature is knocked to the library or a key component is forecasted to arrive later, you can adjust or recover your game plan accordingly.

Spells such as Brainstorm and Noxious Revival shine here, offering the opportunity to rearrange the top cards of your library or to pull an important piece out of the graveyard. Also, instant-speed play allows for a reactive defense against such control tactics. Utilizing counter spells, such as Negate, can nip the problem in the bud before the spell takes effect. If Revenge of the Drowned has already resolved, cards like Scavenger Grounds can exile the lingering clues in the graveyard, robbing your opponent of the card advantage they might gain.

Though potent in its own right, Revenge of the Drowned can be mitigated with clever deck construction and strategic gameplay—key aspects that seasoned players master as they sail the vast oceans of MTG’s ever-evolving metagame.


Cards like Revenge of the Drowned

In the vast arsenal of Magic: The Gathering, Revenge of the Drowned emerges as a versatile spell in the realm of creature disruption. It shares similarities with other cards such as Unsummon or Voyage’s End which also specialize in returning creatures to their owner’s hand, however, Revenge of the Drowned takes it further by putting the target on top of the owner’s library, subtly delaying the opponent’s next draw.

Examine Unsummon, a classic – it has efficiency going for it with only one blue mana needed to cast. Yet, it lacks the mild card advantage brought forth by Revenge of the Drowned’s “mill” mechanism where a player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard. This effect can subtly tamper with an opponent’s strategy, especially in formats where every card draw counts. Thwart the Grave is worth mentioning as well, as it can not only return a creature but two, possibly from the graveyard directly to the battlefield, giving it an edge in the realm of reanimation rather than delay.

Ultimately, when comparing nuances and utilities, Revenge of the Drowned positions itself as more than just a simple bounce spell, meshing disruption with a sliver of deck manipulation, which in some scenarios, can prove to be game-changing.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Voyage's End - MTG Card versions
Thwart the Grave - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Voyage's End - Theros (THS)
Thwart the Grave - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)

Cards similar to Revenge of the Drowned by color, type and mana cost

Deflection - MTG Card versions
Ray of Command - MTG Card versions
Inspiration - MTG Card versions
Turnabout - MTG Card versions
Quash - MTG Card versions
Foil - MTG Card versions
Thwart - MTG Card versions
Plagiarize - MTG Card versions
Fact or Fiction - MTG Card versions
Cryptic Command - MTG Card versions
Urza's Command - MTG Card versions
Fold into Aether - MTG Card versions
Part the Veil - MTG Card versions
Gifts Ungiven - MTG Card versions
Surging Aether - MTG Card versions
Careful Consideration - MTG Card versions
Gifts Given - MTG Card versions
Discombobulate - MTG Card versions
Permafrost Trap - MTG Card versions
Bone to Ash - MTG Card versions
Deflection - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ray of Command - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Inspiration - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Turnabout - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Quash - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Foil - Prophecy (PCY)
Thwart - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Plagiarize - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fact or Fiction - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Cryptic Command - Amonkhet Invocations (MP2)
Urza's Command - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fold into Aether - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Part the Veil - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Gifts Ungiven - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Surging Aether - Coldsnap (CSP)
Careful Consideration - Modern Masters (MMA)
Gifts Given - Happy Holidays (HHO)
Discombobulate - Tenth Edition (10E)
Permafrost Trap - Worldwake (WWK)
Bone to Ash - Core Set 2020 (M20)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Revenge of the Drowned MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, 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 Revenge of the Drowned and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Revenge of the Drowned Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Chris Cold.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 722015normalblackChris Cold
22022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 722015normalblackChris Cold

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Revenge of the Drowned has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Revenge of the Drowned card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-09-24 Decayed does not create any attacking requirements. You may choose not to attack with a creature that has decayed.
2021-09-24 Decayed does not grant haste. Creatures with decayed that enter the battlefield during your turn may not attack until your next turn.
2021-09-24 Decayed represents a static ability and a triggered ability. "Decayed" means "This creature can't block" and "When this creature attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat."
2021-09-24 Once a creature with decayed attacks, it will be sacrificed at end of combat, even if it no longer has decayed at that time.

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