Vile Entomber MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Zombie Warlock
Abilities Deathtouch
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Selectively places a crucial card in your graveyard to set up future plays or enable certain strategies.
  2. Deathtouch provides a defensive advantage, making it a versatile card in gameplay.
  3. A mandatory discard and specific mana requirements may restrict its utility in diverse decks.

Text of card

Deathtouch When Vile Entomber enters the battlefield, search your library for a card, put that card into your graveyard, then shuffle.

The dead are lonely in the crypt and always eager for company.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vile Entomber grants you the edge by permitting the direct search for a key card from your deck to place into your graveyard, effectively setting up future plays or enabling graveyard-matter strategies.

Resource Acceleration: The Entomber can act as a setup for a potent reanimation spell on the next turn. By selecting the right creature to put into your graveyard, you can accelerate your game plan and outpace your opponents.

Instant Speed: While Vile Entomber does not function at instant speed, its deathtouch ability defends against attacks easily, thus buying you time to find answers and control the pace of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vile Entomber’s ability necessitates parting with another card from your hand, which can be a strategic setback if you’re already tight on options or trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Demanding a black mana cost makes Vile Entomber exclusively suitable for decks that run swamps or have a mana base crafted to generate black mana, limiting its versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost that includes two black mana, this card can be a bit expensive for its graveyard tutoring effect, especially when considering similar cards with lower mana requirements that fulfill comparable roles in a deck’s strategy.


Reasons to Include Vile Entomber in Your Collection

Versatility: Vile Entomber can seamlessly adapt to various deck strategies, particularly those that aim to leverage the graveyard as a resource. Its ability to tutor any card into the graveyard makes it an asset in any deck looking to reanimate creatures or utilize graveyard synergies.

Combo Potential: This card unveils opportunities for powerful combos, serving as a crucial piece in assembling combo elements by directly placing required pieces into your graveyard. Whether it’s setting up a reanimation target or enabling delve and threshold, its tutoring effect can be the linchpin for combo execution.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, decks that manipulate the graveyard continue to be influential. Vile Entomber fits comfortably in this space, aligning well with decks designed to outmaneuver opponents through strategic graveyard play. Its presence could be especially potent in a meta that prizes subtlety and tactical graveyard interaction.


How to beat Vile Entomber

Vile Entomber is a standout creature for its ability to fetch crucial graveyard components, catering to a deck’s reanimation strategy in Magic: The Gathering. Tackling this deathtouch creature requires a preemptive approach, as it places cards directly into the graveyard upon entering the battlefield. Graveyard hate cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void are pivotal in negating the Entomber’s capability, effectively exiling cards before they become a threat.

Another strategy involves counterspells like Cancel or mana-efficient options like Spell Pierce to neutralize the Entomber before it can activate its ability. Direct removal spells, for example Fatal Push or Path to Exile, can dispatch the creature after it hits the board, mitigating further graveyard setup. If Vile Entomber has already activated its ability, cards like Scavenging Ooze can be valuable for single-target graveyard removal, thus hindering the recursive potential of your opponent’s strategy.

Maintaining a level of control over the opponent’s graveyard and their on-board threats is essential in managing creatures like Vile Entomber that pivot on graveyard leveraging. Swift intervention paired with strategic graveyard management can neutralize the advantage Vile Entomber offers in a regular MTG matchup.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG players, assembling the ultimate deck means knowing every card’s strengths and nuances. Vile Entomber stands out for its tactical depth, offering both the precision of graveyard tutoring and the defensive utility of deathtouch. Ideal for decks that thrive on graveyard strategies, this card is a valuable asset to your collection. Yet, it’s not without its challenges. Its requirements and costs must align with your overall strategy to harness its full potential. Want to learn more about refining your deck to gain the upper hand with Vile Entomber? Delve deeper with us and discover strategies that champion your gameplay.


Cards like Vile Entomber

Vile Entomber is a unique creature card that offers a strategic advantage in gathering key cards from your deck. Comparable to Entomb, another powerful card that transports a card directly to the graveyard, Vile Entomber offers a similar effect but directly tied to its deathtouch ability. This means that it also serves as a creature that can potentially deter attackers, not just a graveyard tutor.

Gravebreaker Lamia is another card that shares a kinship with Vile Entomber in that they both search for a card to place into the graveyard when they enter the battlefield. The Lamia stretches out its influence by making spells in the graveyard cost one less to cast. Meanwhile, Buried Alive is a spell that allows for three cards to be selected and placed into the graveyard, providing more immediate impact than the single-card approach of Vile Entomber but without the added utility of a deathtouch creature on the field.

When considering utility and flexibility, Vile Entomber is a strong option for players looking to incorporate graveyard strategy into their deck. It provides a creature that not only disturbs opponents with its deathtouch but simultaneously shapes future play with its graveyard tutoring.

Entomb - MTG Card versions
Gravebreaker Lamia - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Entomb - Odyssey (ODY)
Gravebreaker Lamia - Theros Beyond Death (THB)
Buried Alive - Weatherlight (WTH)

Cards similar to Vile Entomber by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vile Entomber MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 and Modern Horizons 2, 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 Vile Entomber and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Vile Entomber Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-06-18. Illustrated by Chris Cold.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4031997normalblackChris Cold
22021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 1082015normalblackChris Cold

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vile Entomber has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

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