Pyre Zombie MTG Card
2000-10-02 - Number 261
2023-01-13 - Number 362
2023-01-13 - Number 194
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Pyre Zombie’s graveyard ability ensures continued pressure with return potential from the hand.
- Instant speed return offers strategic advantage, optimizing mana and pressure on opponents.
- Despite versatility, its high mana cost and discard requirement limit its deck compatibility.
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Pyre Zombie is in your graveyard, you may pay o1o Bo B. If you do, return Pyre Zombie from your graveyard to your hand. o1o Ro R, Sacrifice Pyre Zombie: Pyre Zombie deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A graveyard-based mechanic lets Pyre Zombie return to your hand, offering a recurring threat and ensuring a steady presence on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the repeatable nature of Pyre Zombie aids in maintaining board presence without expending additional cards from your hand, indirectly conserving resources.
Instant Speed: Pyre Zombie can be returned from your graveyard to your hand at the end of your opponent’s turn, ready to be redeployed, thus optimizing your turn’s mana usage and keeping pressure on your opponent.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Pyre Zombie’s ability to return to hand from the graveyard necessitates discarding a card along with its mana cost. For players who are managing their hand size to maintain card advantage, this can present an undesired trade-off, particularly during tight late-game scenarios where discarding key cards can be detrimental to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: To maximize the potential of Pyre Zombie, a deck needs to comfortably produce both black and red mana. This can restrict the card’s inclusion in multicolored decks that might not be focused on a red-black combination or in mono-colored decks that cannot meet the mana requirements, making it less flexible than other creatures in the game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Pyre Zombie’s resurrection ability has a relatively steep activation price, requiring three mana in total, including one of each Black and Red. This cost can impact the pacing and resource allocation within a game, especially when there are alternative creatures or spells that can be played for a lower mana investment that provide comparable, if not superior, utility or pressure in a match.
Reasons to Include Pyre Zombie in Your Collection
Versatility: Pyre Zombie offers dual utility as both a recurring creature and a damage-dealer. Its ability to come back from the graveyard and inflict damage on opponents or creatures underlines its flexible role in various strategic setups.
Combo Potential: This card’s resurrection ability is ripe for combos in decks that exploit graveyard mechanics or sacrifice triggers. Utilizing Pyre Zombie can lead to powerful plays when paired with the right synergistic elements.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where control decks are prevalent, Pyre Zombie can be a relentless threat due to its return capability, especially if the battlefield is continuously cleared by sweepers, making it an enduring presence and a worthwhile addition for its resilience.
How to beat
Pyre Zombie offers a blend of resilience and aggression in the Magic: The Gathering gameplay. Facing this creature, one must be strategic to overcome its undying nature. Key to defeating Pyre Zombie is to prevent it from recurring. Utilize cards that exile creatures, like Path to Exile or Leyline of the Void, to ensure it doesn’t return from the graveyard. Additionally, countering its regeneration ability is vital. Therefore, having spells that deal damage in a single blow, like Wrath of God, can be highly effective. A timely response to its activation cost can also hinder its return to the battlefield.
It’s crucial to manage the pace of the game against a deck including Pyre Zombie. This particular card can become a persistent threat if left unchecked. Keeping graveyard hate cards or sweepers in hand will ensure that the Zombie doesn’t capitalize on slower game states. Furthermore, limiting the opponent’s resources can also play a part in containing Pyre Zombie’s power. Cards that restrict mana generation or increase casting costs can make it more difficult for the opponent to repeatedly resurrect their fallen creature.
Overall, dealing swiftly and decisively with Pyre Zombie is key. The right removal spells at the right time can mitigate the challenge it poses and keep the field to your advantage.
Cards like Pyre Zombie
Pyre Zombie holds a distinctive place in the vast arena of recurring creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It stands in parallel with Gravecrawler, which is renowned for its ability to cast itself from the graveyard provided you control a Zombie. Pyre Zombie differentiates itself with the built-in capacity to return to your hand at the beginning of your upkeep for a cost, allowing for consistent graveyard interaction and board presence.
Comparatively, we can look at Reassembling Skeleton, another creature that effortlessly returns from the graveyard to play, yet it demands mana each time you want it back on the battlefield. Pyre Zombie’s flexibility in returning directly to your hand for a later play can be a strategic advantage. Bloodghast is also worth mentioning with its hassle-free recursion whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control but lacks the direct control over the timing that Pyre Zombie offers.
While analyzing the strengths and uses of these undead contenders, Pyre Zombie impresses with its balance of mana investment and board impact. Its ability to integrate into various strategies, leveraging graveyard synergies, marks it as a versatile card among MTG’s resurrection-themed creatures.
Cards similar to Pyre Zombie by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Pyre Zombie MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and Dominaria Remastered, 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 Pyre Zombie and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Magic products
Printings
The Pyre Zombie Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Nelson DeCastro.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 261 | 1997 | normal | black | Nelson DeCastro | |
| 2 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 362 | 1997 | normal | black | Nelson DeCastro | |
| 3 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 194 | 2015 | normal | black | Nelson DeCastro |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Pyre Zombie has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
