Eater of the Dead MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Horror
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Eater of the Dead excels in maintaining card advantage by exiling creatures from graveyards to disrupt opponent strategies.
  2. It’s valuable for resource acceleration in MTG, untapping at no mana cost, allowing for multiple plays within a turn.
  3. Its ability to operate at an effective instant speed makes it a strategic asset in multiplayer MTG formats.

Text of card

: Take one creature from any graveyard and remove it from the game. Untap Eater of the Dead.

Even the putrid muscles of the dead can provide strength to those loathsome enough to consume them.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Eater of the Dead can become a powerful card engine in a right deck. By exiling a creature card from a graveyard during each turn, Eater of the Dead can help you maintain and even enhance the card advantage while consistently disrupting your opponent’s plans.

Resource Acceleration: To accelerate your resources, Eater of the Dead can be an excellent tool. It is capable of untapping itself without spending any mana. This ‘free’ activation of its ability can be invaluable in decks that seek to maximize resource acceleration, as it allows for more potential actions or plays within a given turn.

Instant Speed: While Eater of the Dead doesn’t have explicit instant speed, it can effectively operate at instant speed using its untap ability. This allows for strategic gameplay, particularly in multiplayer formats where graveyards are often filled with creatures, it can tap and untap at instant speed in response to various triggers or actions from opponents.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Eater of the Dead card’s ability compels you to discard a creature from your graveyard before it can untap. If your graveyard is sparsely populated with creatures, this mechanic may be a hindrance.

Specific Mana Cost: To summon Eater of the Dead to the battlefield, a specific mana cost that includes at least one black mana is required. This stipulation could limit its incorporation into multi-color decks lacking sufficient black mana support.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of five, including four generic and one black, it’s a card that you might be reluctant to use early in the game. There are other lower-cost creatures in MTG that may yield lower but quicker advantages. Hence, the Eater of the Dead may strain your mana resources, particularly in fast-paced matchups.


Reasons to Include Eater of the Dead in Your Collection

Versatility: Eater of the Dead complements a variety of decks focusing on creature removal. This unique card’s effect, which enables it to untap by exiling a creature card from a graveyard, gives it a distinct edge in both casual games and commander setups.

Combo Potential: Coupled with cards that load up opponents’ graveyards, the Eater of the Dead offers significant synergy. When combined with Phenax, God of Deception, its constant untapping ability can be leveraged repeatedly within a turn to mill an opponent’s library rapidly.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalent use of creature-focused strategies, the Eater of the Dead holds significant value in the current meta-game. Its ability to remove creatures from an opposing graveyard can disrupt various strategies, encompassing reanimation to flashback spells.


How to beat

Eater of the Dead is a notorious creature card from the Phantom Monster family, renowned in the MTG sphere. Its unique Millstone ability needs close consideration when planning your strategy. To combat this, one needs to focus on minimizing the creature size in their graveyard, being aware that Eater of the Dead addicts feast off creatures buried there.

One effective solution is the use of graveyard-removal cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus, these clear all cards in a graveyard preventing your opponent from reanimating creatures. Eater of the Dead requires untapped mana to function, so cards like Static Orb or Winter Orb that restrict mana availability are incredibly efficient.

It’s also worth implementing creature destruction or exiling techniques. These could involve using cards like Path to Exile or Murder. They’ll help eliminate the Eater of the Dead entirely, rendering its abilities obsolete.

In conclusion, dealing with Eater of the Dead might be challenging, but the right combination of creature management, mana blockage, and direct card removal can slide the odds in your favor. Remember that in the dynamic world of Magic: The Gathering, understanding your enemy’s deck is half the battle won.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the complexities and opportunities that Eater of the Dead brings to your MTG gameplay is essential for any seasoned player. The card’s capacity to disrupt graveyard strategies and facilitate resource acceleration must be effectively integrated into your deck to harness its full potential. Mastering its unique untapping ability could place you ahead of the curve in multiplayer engagements. If you’re looking to refine your deck’s competitive edge or explore new synergistic combos, considering Eater of the Dead is indeed wise. Deepen your understanding of this card and many others by joining us to broaden your strategic horizons and claim victory in your next encounter.


Cards like Eater of the Dead

The Eater of the Dead MTG card is a unique spectacle in the realm of black creatures in the Magic: The Gathering universe. Comparable to Dread Wight, another black creature with four power and five toughness, Eater of the Dead indeed packs more punch with its ability to remove opponent’s creatures from the game. Unlike Dread Wight, the Eater doesn’t impose severe mana constraints, making it a more efficient game-changer.

Nekrataal, another black creature, shares common ground with the Eater. Both have high impact with their unique abilities but Eater of the Dead proves superior in its ability to significantly alter the board’s state by consuming the graveyard of opponents – a technique unmatched by Nekrataal.

Next up, we find Avatar of Woe, often measured against our card in question. Like Eater of the Dead, Avatar of Woe shines in controlling the board with its destroy mechanism. However, the Eater flexes notable superiority in game strategy by indefinitely tapping and untapping, offering nearly unlimited creature removal.

In conclusion, when we dissect these cards and assess their game-altering abilities, Eater of the Dead clearly stands above the rest within the creature class in Magic: The Gathering, attributed to its uncanny graveyard eating capacity and board control.

Dread Wight - MTG Card versions
Nekrataal - MTG Card versions
Avatar of Woe - MTG Card versions
Dread Wight - Ice Age (ICE)
Nekrataal - Visions (VIS)
Avatar of Woe - Prophecy (PCY)

Cards similar to Eater of the Dead by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - Tempest (TMP)
Entropic Specter - Exodus (EXO)
Predatory Nightstalker - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fallen Angel - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Stone Catapult - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sengir Vampire - Arena Beginner Set (ANB)
Hollow Dogs - Beatdown Box Set (BTD)
Grotesque Hybrid - Torment (TOR)
Earwig Squad - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Indulgent Tormentor - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sootfeather Flock - Legions (LGN)
Zombie Cutthroat - Scourge (SCG)
Gluttonous Zombie - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Vermiculos - Mirrodin (MRD)
Woebearer - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Wei Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Halo Hunter - Zendikar (ZEN)
Malakir Bloodwitch - Zendikar (ZEN)
Caustic Crawler - Worldwake (WWK)
Shriekmaw - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Eater of the Dead MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Masters Edition, 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 Eater of the Dead and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Eater of the Dead Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by Jesper Myrfors.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-08-01The DarkDRK 441993normalblackJesper Myrfors
22007-09-10Masters EditionME1 671997normalblackJesper Myrfors

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Eater of the Dead has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 It untaps during the resolution of its ability.
2007-09-16 You can activate the ability whether or not Eater of the Dead is tapped. However, if Eater of the Dead is untapped when the ability resolves, the ability won’t do anything.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks