Open the Graves MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Open the Graves, each non-token creature’s death turns into new utility for you. This effect stacks up, allowing the creation of a significant number of 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens over the course of a game, thus maintaining your presence on the battlefield and bolstering your defenses or attack force.

Resource Acceleration: Each Zombie token produced by Open the Graves can essentially be considered a resource. When played in decks with sacrifice outlets, these tokens can be converted into mana, life, draw, or other valuable in-game assets, effectively accelerating your gameplay and giving you an edge.

Instant Speed: While Open the Graves itself is not an instant, it rewards you at instant speed. Every time a creature you control dies on your turn, an opponent’s turn, or during combat, you instantly get a Zombie token. This continuous and immediate token generation can dissuade opponents from removing your creatures, knowing it will result in further reinforcement for your side.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Open the Graves doesn’t require a card to be discarded, it necessitates a creature’s death for its effect to trigger. This can be limiting, as it hinges on either sacrificing your own creatures or having your creatures die in battle, which may not always align with your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Open the Graves has a specific mana cost, needing two generic and three black mana to play. This mana requirement makes it less flexible, as it fits primarily into mono-black or heavily black-influenced decks, potentially restricting its utility across varied deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of five, Open the Graves falls into the category of higher-cost cards which may delay deployment, particularly if efficient mana ramp options are not in play. This can be a disadvantage in fast-paced matches where setting up defenses early is key, as there might be other, lower-cost cards that can provide more immediate board presence or effects.

Reasons to Include Open the Graves in Your Collection

Versatility: Open the Graves is a card that can seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Its ability to create 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens upon the death of your creatures adds a layer of resilience against board wipes and removals, making it a useful asset in both aggressive and control strategies.

Combo Potential: This enchantment shines when paired with cards that either sacrifice creatures for value or those that benefit from creatures dying. It enhances strategies around death triggers and can lead to an overwhelming board presence, turning each of your creature’s demise into a new threat on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: As the metagame shifts, Open the Graves can maintain its relevance by generating an army of creatures that can be a nuisance for opponents. Whether it’s stalling aggressive decks or pressuring control opponents, the consistent token generation helps to keep pace with various popular strategies.

How to beat

Confronting the Open the Graves card in MTG creates a unique challenge. This enchantment transforms your opponents’ mortality into power, spawning 2/2 black Zombie creature tokens whenever a nontoken creature they control bites the dust. Disrupting this cycle is key, and one effective strategy is to employ graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus, which can remove creatures from the graveyard completely, or Tormod’s Crypt, which can do so at no cost.

Enchantment removal spells are another avenue to outplay Open the Graves. Look to cards like Naturalize or Disenchant, which directly destroy target enchantments, cutting off the supply of Zombie tokens at the source. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-timed counter spell either. By preventing Open the Graves from entering the battlefield in the first place, you can maintain control of the game and ensure your opponent’s creatures remain merely mortal.

All things considered, while Open the Graves can seem daunting by leveraging the inevitability of death for advantage, with the right responses and strategies, it is possible to nullify the threat it poses and keep the undead horde at bay.

BurnMana Recommendations

Dive into the synergy-rich environment of MTG with Open the Graves as your linchpin. Transform every creature’s end into a tactical advantage, flooding the battlefield with a relentless army of Zombies. Ideal for decks that exploit death triggers and sacrifice mechanics, this enchantment is an investment in enduring board presence. Looking to optimize your gameplay or build around this pivotal card? We offer in-depth insights and strategy tips to leverage Open the Graves to its fullest potential. Uncover synergies, combos, and innovative deck ideas by connecting with fellow enthusiasts ready to elevate your experience to grand summits of strategy.