Overgrown Tomb MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 279
2012-10-05 - Number 243
2015-10-02 - Number 13
2018-10-05 - Number 253
2018-10-05 - Number 253p
2022-10-07 - Number 535
2022-10-07 - Number 284
2024-01-12 - Number 407z
2024-01-12 - Number 283
2024-01-12 - Number 296
2024-01-12 - Number 407
2024-02-23 - Number 278
2002-06-24 - Number 72315
2019-12-02 - Number 130
| Card sets | Released in 14 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land — Swamp Forest |
Text of card
(: Add or to your mana pool.) As Overgrown Tomb comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, Overgrown Tomb comes into play tapped instead.
Cards like Overgrown Tomb
Overgrown Tomb is a powerful land card that stands as a pillar in many Magic: The Gathering decks requiring black and green mana. It’s part of the well-regarded “shock land” family, akin to the likes of Temple Garden and Watery Grave. Like its cousins, Overgrown Tomb has the ability to enter the battlefield untapped at the price of two life. This creates immediate access to vital mana colors, an advantage not afforded by cards such as Woodland Cemetery, which enters untapped only if you control another Forest or Swamp.
In comparison, the comparable lands such as Godless Shrine or Stomping Ground offer similar flexibility for different color combinations, maintaining the delicate balance of life payment for mana fluidity. Overgrown Tomb also parallels Breeding Pool, which serves blue-green decks with the same untapped feature. Yet, what sets Overgrown Tomb apart is its synergy with tribal and graveyard-based strategies prevalent in the black-green archetype.
Assessing its place among the shock lands, Overgrown Tomb offers an irreplaceable role within its color pairing, blending seamlessly into diverse strategies while providing optimal mana consistency. Its value in enabling complex plays from early turns makes it a staple in competitive formats.
Cards similar to Overgrown Tomb by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Overgrown Tomb. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yawgmoth | Modern | Yawgmoth | Modern League 2024-04-24 |
 | Abzan Amalia Combo | Pioneer | Abzan Amalia Combo | Pioneer League 2024-04-24 |
 | Domain Zoo | Modern | Domain Zoo | Modern League 2024-04-24 |
 | Asmo Food | Modern | Asmo Food | Modern League 2024-04-25 |
 | Jund Scam | Modern | Jund Scam | Modern League 2024-04-25 |
 | Abzan Greasefang | Pioneer | Abzan Greasefang | Pioneer League 2024-04-24 |
| Golgari Vampires | Pioneer | Golgari Vampires | Pioneer League 2024-04-24 |
| Kethis Combo | Modern | Kethis Combo | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-24 (1) |
 | Jund Saga | Modern | Jund Saga | Modern League 2024-04-24 |
 | Golgari Scam | Modern | Golgari Scam | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-24 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Overgrown Tomb may not directly draw cards, but it fixes your mana allowing for smoother plays and maintaining consistency in your deck’s performance. Access to multiple colors of mana is critical for playing a variety of powerful cards, thus indirectly contributing to card advantage through versatility and reliability.
Resource Acceleration: Overgrown Tomb enters untapped if you pay 2 life, which leads to quick resource acceleration. It can give you an edge by allowing the casting of high-impact spells earlier in the game. This can be especially beneficial in formats like Commander or Modern where speed and efficiency are key.
Instant Speed: While Overgrown Tomb itself doesn’t function at instant speed, it provides the necessary mana to cast spells at a moment’s notice. By ensuring you have the appropriate colors of mana, you’re prepared to react to an opponent’s actions or end-of-turn opportunities, keeping you one step ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Overgrown Tomb doesn’t directly require you to discard a card, entering the battlefield tapped unless you pay 2 life can be seen as a resource loss. This can be particularly hindering in fast-paced games where life totals are precious and the need for untapped mana is critical.
Specific Mana Cost: Overgrown Tomb taps for green or black mana, which is perfect for Golgari decks but not as flexible for multi-color decks that don’t use these colors. This specificity can limit the card’s inclusion in varied deck builds, potentially narrowing its appeal.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though it’s a land card, the choice to pay 2 life to have it enter untapped is a cost that could be considered high compared to basic lands, which enter the battlefield untapped for free. In situations where every point of life may count, the decision to use Overgrown Tomb’s untapped feature can be costly.
Reasons to Include Overgrown Tomb in Your Collection
Versatility: Overgrown Tomb stands out as a highly adaptable land card. This dual land’s ability to tap for both green and black mana makes it an essential part of many Golgari decks, and it can be searched for with land-fetching cards, providing a consistency boost to your mana base.
Combo Potential: Key to various graveyard-centric combos in formats like Modern, the value of having Overgrown Tomb in your collection increases. It allows for smooth execution of strategies involving cards like “Life from the Loam” or “Tarmogoyf” by ensuring the right mana is available when needed.
Meta-Relevance: With its place cemented in competitive play, Overgrown Tomb is almost always a meta-relevant choice. Its presence in powerful and persistent deck archetypes ensures that it retains value and utility regardless of shifting meta-games, making it a wise addition to any discerning player’s collection.
How to beat
Overgrown Tomb is an influential land card in MTG, belonging to the category of “shock lands.” It has the distinction of being able to tap for either black or green mana, which can be essential in mana-fixing for multi-colored decks. What sets Overgrown Tomb apart is the option to enter the battlefield untapped at the cost of 2 life, a small price for the significant advantage of immediate mana availability.
To outplay an opponent using Overgrown Tomb, consider strategies that limit their use of life as a resource. Employing cards that inflict damage each time a land enters the battlefield untapped, such as “Sulfuric Vortex” or “Zo-Zu the Punisher,” can turn their life-giving lands into double-edged swords. Additionally, land destruction or denial mechanics, like “Stone Rain” or “Blood Moon,” can disrupt your opponent’s mana base and negate the benefits of the Overgrown Tomb.
Focusing on these strategies can tilt the scales in your favor against decks that rely heavily on the flexible mana Overgrown Tomb provides. In essence, the key to overcoming this powerful land card is to pressure life totals and disrupt mana acceleration, ensuring that the cost of their resource advantage becomes a liability.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Overgrown Tomb MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Overgrown Tomb and other MTG cards:
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- MTG Mint Card
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- ABU Games
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Printings
The Overgrown Tomb Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by 8 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 72315 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | ||
| 2 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 279 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 3 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 243 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Steven Belledin | |
| 4 | 2015-10-02 | Zendikar Expeditions | EXP | 13 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Noah Bradley | |
| 5 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 253 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 6 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica Promos | PGRN | 253p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 7 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 130 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette | ||
| 8 | 2022-10-07 | Unfinity | UNF | 535 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Cliff Childs | |
| 9 | 2022-10-07 | Unfinity | UNF | 284 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Cliff Childs | |
| 10 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 407z | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 11 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 283 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 12 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 296 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 13 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 407 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rob Alexander | |
| 14 | 2024-02-23 | Ravnica: Clue Edition | CLU | 278 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Chris Ostrowski |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Overgrown Tomb has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Overgrown Tomb card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | If an effect puts this land onto the battlefield tapped, you may pay 2 life, but it still enters tapped. |
| 2018-10-05 | Unlike most dual lands, this land has two basic land types. It's not basic, so cards such as District Guide can't find it, but it does have the appropriate land types for effects such as that of Drowned Catacomb (from the Ixalan set). |