Zombie Brute MTG Card


Zombie Brute - Legions
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Abilities Amplify,Trample
Released2003-02-03
Set symbol
Set nameLegions
Set codeLGN
Power 5
Toughness 4
Number87
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byGreg Hildebrandt

Key Takeaways

  1. Graveyard synergies and card advantage become accessible through the Zombie Brute’s abilities.
  2. Strategic instant-speed play enhances combat surprises and board control with the Zombie Brute.
  3. Managing the Zombie Brute requires careful resource and graveyard interaction in MTG.

Text of card

Amplify 1 (As this card comes into play, put a +1/+1 counter on it for each Zombie card you reveal in your hand.) Trample

Measure its determination by the screams of its prey.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The brute affords players a significant edge by potentially filling the graveyard with additional creatures. This action sets the stage for reanimation strategies or enhancing graveyard-based synergies, thus creating opportunities for accumulating card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This formidable undead powerhouse can smack down on the battlefield early with its reduced casting cost from leveraging zombie tribal aspects. This acceleration offers a quick pathway to deploying other higher-cost cards sooner, maximizing tempo and board presence.

Instant Speed: A rather unique trait for zombie creatures, the brute can come into play at instant speed, catching opponents off guard—especially during combat. The sudden appearance of a sizeable blocker or an unexpected attacker can shift the dynamics of the game. This flexibility allows players to adapt to evolving on-board threats and opportunities with surprising agility.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the main drawbacks is the need to discard another card to harness its full potential. This condition can be particularly challenging when your hand is already depleted, forcing tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Zombie Brute comes with a mana cost that is specific to black, which might not always align with multicolored deck strategies. This can be restrictive and potentially disrupt the synergy within a diverse deck composition.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The casting cost required to summon the Zombie Brute onto the battlefield is on the higher end. When evaluating its abilities against other creatures in the same mana range, you may find that it doesn’t always provide the best value or impact during critical turns of the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Zombie Brute is a formidable addition to any deck seeking resilient creatures. With its ability to shrug off removal and thrive in graveyard-centric strategies, this card adapts to multiple gameplay situations.

Combo Potential: As a creature with powerful synergies, Zombie Brute can amplify the impact of sacrifice, reanimation, and zombie tribal themes, offering numerous avenues for innovative combo builds.

Meta-Relevance: Given the frequency at which graveyard manipulation and creature-heavy tactics surface in current metagames, Zombie Brute can serve as a strategic ace, adept at tipping the scales in your favor during intense matches.


How to beat

The Zombie Brute card brings a menacing presence to the battlefield in MTG, with resilience and potential for rapid graveyard synergistic plays that can overwhelm opponents. To counter this threat, it’s crucial to interrupt the synergies that could bring the Brute back from the graveyard. Cards with exile abilities can prove essential, as they prevent recurring strategies from taking root. Graveyard hate cards, such as Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void, can disrupt the entire graveyard mechanic, which is central to Zombie Brute’s game plan.

One should also consider keeping removal spells ready for when the Brute hits the board. Since it often harbors high toughness, spells that can deal with large creatures or can bypass toughness, like Path to Exile or Toxic Deluge, can be highly effective. Speed is another factor; instant-speed interaction allows you to respond before your opponent can capitalize on the Brute’s presence. Plan your plays understanding that against a card like Zombie Brute, managing the board state and keeping your graveyard interaction tools at the ready are key to maintaining control of the game.

Overall, preparing your deck with adequate answers and playing strategically can ensure that Zombie Brute’s impact is minimized, allowing you to keep the upper hand in your MTG matches.


Cards like Zombie Brute

In the realm of creature spells within Magic: The Gathering, Zombie Brute finds itself among a bustling horde of undead. When assessing the likeness to other zombie creatures, we must consider its core attributes. Just as Zombie Brute wields a certain degree of power over the board, other cards such as Diregraf Colossus also offer a remarkable presence, entering the game with a +1/+1 counter for each zombie card in your graveyard, thus potentially surpassing Zombie Brute in terms of raw stats.

Another comparable card is the iconic Death Baron, providing not only a steadfast attack and defense boost to other zombies but also the fearsome ability of deathtouch, rendering any block fatal for opposing creatures. While Zombie Brute may lack the synergy and team empowerment that Death Baron boasts, it stands out with its individual might. Ghoulcaller’s Chant is also worth mentioning; it doesn’t put a creature directly onto the battlefield, but its ability to resurrect zombies from the graveyard can lead to a formidable board presence over time, including the return of a fallen Zombie Brute.

Every card carries its unique strengths in the undead arsenal, but Zombie Brute shines with its individual prowess, making it a robust choice for players aiming to dominate through sheer power.

Diregraf Colossus - MTG Card versions
Death Baron - MTG Card versions
Ghoulcaller's Chant - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Colossus - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)
Death Baron - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Ghoulcaller's Chant - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to Zombie Brute by color, type and mana cost

Lord of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Minion of Tevesh Szat - MTG Card versions
Minion of Leshrac - MTG Card versions
Veldrane of Sengir - MTG Card versions
Cateran Overlord - MTG Card versions
Deathbringer Regent - MTG Card versions
Black Dragon - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Eater of Hope - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Nezumi - MTG Card versions
Pus Kami - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Skyknight - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl the Necromancer - MTG Card versions
Phage the Untouchable - MTG Card versions
Mournwhelk - MTG Card versions
Ebon Dragon - MTG Card versions
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Sutured Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Pit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Minion of Tevesh Szat - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Minion of Leshrac - Ice Age (ICE)
Veldrane of Sengir - Homelands (HML)
Cateran Overlord - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Deathbringer Regent - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Black Dragon - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Eater of Hope - Midnight Hunt Commander (MIC)
Patron of the Nezumi - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Pus Kami - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Tresserhorn Skyknight - Coldsnap (CSP)
Lim-Dûl the Necromancer - Time Spiral (TSP)
Phage the Untouchable - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Mournwhelk - Lorwyn (LRW)
Ebon Dragon - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet - Zendikar (ZEN)
Sheoldred, Whispering One - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Butcher of Malakir - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Sutured Ghoul - Magic 2012 (M12)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zombie Brute MTG card by a specific set like Legions, 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 Zombie Brute and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zombie Brute has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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