Not Dead After All MTG Card


Grants card advantage by reviving creatures, often pivotal in swinging the game’s momentum. While offering instant speed flexibility, it requires careful management of resources and timing. Strategic play and specific counters like exile effects can mitigate its powerful resilience.
Not Dead After All - Wilds of Eldraine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Role token
Released2023-09-08
Set symbol
Set nameWilds of Eldraine
Set codeWOE
Number101
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRandy Vargas

Text of card

Until end of turn, target creature you control gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control, then create a Wicked Role token attached to it." (Enchanted creature gets +1/+1. When this Aura is put into a graveyard, each opponent loses 1 life.)


Cards like Not Dead After All

Not Dead After All is a unique spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels to other resurrection-themed cards. It echoes the functionality of spells such as Unearth, allowing players to reanimate creatures from the graveyard temporarily. What sets Not Dead After All apart is its flexibility to target any card type and its potential to become a permanent fixture on the battlefield under the right conditions.

Contrasting this, we have Zombify, a card that directly brings back creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield without the temporary limitation. However, it doesn’t share the broad targeting capabilities of Not Dead After All. Moreover, Stitch Together stands as a close competitor, with its threshold mechanic providing a cost-effective reanimation option, but again, it’s limited to creatures, and without the threshold, it doesn’t match the permanence that Not Dead After All can achieve.

When we examine the nuances and utility offered by these reanimation spells, Not Dead After All secures a position of favor among MTG players for its versatility. It’s a spell that cleverly enables recovery from a seemingly desperate board state, reaffirming why strategy and adaptability are keys to triumph in Magic: The Gathering.

Unearth - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Stitch Together - MTG Card versions
Unearth - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Stitch Together - MTG Card versions

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Dark Ritual - MTG Card versions
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Darkness - MTG Card versions
Marsh Gas - MTG Card versions
Deathlace - MTG Card versions
Gravebind - MTG Card versions
Misinformation - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Tutor - MTG Card versions
Dredge - MTG Card versions
Vendetta - MTG Card versions
Coffin Purge - MTG Card versions
Defile - MTG Card versions
March of Wretched Sorrow - MTG Card versions
Fatal Push - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Fade from Memory - MTG Card versions
Duh - MTG Card versions
Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions
Stop That - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Not Dead After All. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Rakdos ScamRakdos Scam ModernRakdos ScamModern Challenge 32 2024-05-06
Orzhov ScamOrzhov Scam ModernOrzhov ScamModern League 2024-05-06
Golgari ScamGolgari Scam ModernGolgari ScamModern League 2024-05-06

Card Pros

Card Advantage: This card truly shines when it comes to gaining an edge over your opponents in terms of resources in hand. With its ability to resurrect a key creature card from your graveyard, Not Dead After All grants you significant card advantage, often swinging the momentum of the match in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: In addition to returning a creature from the grave, it can also boost your resource acceleration. This comes from enabling powerful combos or synergies that were previously disrupted, thus accelerating your game plan and pressuring your adversaries to respond quickly.

Instant Speed: The convenience and flexibility of casting Not Dead After All at instant speed cannot be understated. This allows you to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to bring back a creature, tailoring your play to the evolving state of the board without sacrificing the element of surprise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not Dead After All necessitates discarding another card, which can be a drawback when facing a scarcity of cards in hand. Parting with valuable resources can sometimes hinder your game plan, leading to difficult decisions during play.

Specific Mana Cost: A narrow mana requirement, including both black and another color, makes this card less flexible across various deck types. This restricts its playability to only those decks that can accommodate the particular mana combination without disrupting mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Five mana for returning a creature card from the graveyard to the battlefield is substantial. Considering the mana investment, players may find other avenues for reanimation that cost less or provide additional benefits. This can make Not Dead After All less appealing in a competitive environment where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Not Dead After All offers flexibility across various deck themes due to its ability to return creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield. This can be pivotal in decks that thrive on recurring creatures for continuous value.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combination setups, particularly those that manipulate the graveyard. Its synergistic potential can turn the tide of a game by surprising opponents with an unexpected creature revival, fueling explosive turns.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that favors grindy, long games, Not Dead After All’s capacity to recur key creatures becomes a strategic advantage. It allows for sustained pressure and the reusability of powerful creatures that can dominate the board state.


How to Beat Not Dead After All

Not Dead After All is a newer Magic: The Gathering card that lends resilience to creatures on the battlefield. Effectively acting as a safeguard against the demise of your valuable creatures, it can be a headache for opponents if not handled strategically. Overcoming this card requires a precise approach, focusing on removing key threats from the game or limiting their impact.

One method to combat Not Dead After All is by capitalizing on exile effects. Since this card can only rescue creatures from the graveyard, exiling creatures bypasses this safety net. Alternatively, utilizing abilities or spells that force a player to sacrifice creatures can effectively circumvent Not Dead After All, as it does not prevent sacrifices. Additionally, playing cards that control the graveyard, such as those that remove cards or shut down graveyard-based strategies, can severely undercut the impact of Not Dead After All.

Timing is also crucial. You can wait until your opponent has tapped out of mana to avoid the card’s activation or use instant speed removal to respond to its casting. Being vigilant and strategic with your card choices and play style will ensure that Not Dead After All doesn’t spell the end for your chances of victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the depths of MTG card strategies unveils the multifaceted nature of the game. Not Dead After All offers resourceful and timely creature recursion, but its efficiency is conditional. It’s essential to weigh its card advantage against the mana and card costs required. For those who seek to refine their decks further, there’s an endless array of pathways to explore. Expand your understanding and collection with us to harness the full potential of cards like Not Dead After All, strengthen your strategies, and maintain dominance throughout your matches. Explore more with BurnMana and gain the upper hand in your next duel.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Not Dead After All MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine, 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 Not Dead After All and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Not Dead After All has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Not Dead After All card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-09-01 A permanent can have multiple Roles attached to it if each one is controlled by a different player.
2023-09-01 Cards in the Wilds of Eldraine main set create six different Role tokens: Cursed, Monster, Royal, Sorcerer, Wicked, and Young Hero. A seventh Role token, Virtuous, is created by Ellivere of the Wild Court, the commander of the “Virtue and Valor” Commander Deck.
2023-09-01 Hexproof and shroud won’t prevent a Role from becoming attached to a permanent if the ability creating that Role attached to that permanent doesn’t target it.
2023-09-01 If a permanent has more than one Role attached to it controlled by the same player, each of those Roles except the one with the most recent timestamp is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based action.
2023-09-01 If multiple creatures return to the battlefield (possibly because Not Dead After All targeted a melded permanent), a Wicked Role token will be created attached to each of them.
2023-09-01 If the creature doesn't return to the battlefield or returns as a noncreature permanent, the Wicked Role token won't be created.
2023-09-01 If two or more Roles controlled by the same player become attached to a permanent at the same time (perhaps due to an effect such as that of Doubling Season), that player chooses which one to keep and which are put into their owners’ graveyards.
2023-09-01 In rare cases, a spell or ability might attempt to create a Role token enchanting a permanent that it can’t legally enchant (because of an ability like protection from enchantments). In such cases, the Role token isn’t created.
2023-09-01 Roles are colorless enchantment tokens. Each one has the Aura and Role subtypes and the enchant creature ability.
2023-09-01 Some spells and abilities that create Role tokens require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won’t resolve. The Role token won’t be created.