Reanimate MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 14 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 1 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Put target creature card from any graveyard into play under your control. Lose life equal to that creature's total casting cost.
"You will learn to earn death." —Volrath
Cards like Reanimate
Exploring the depths of graveyard mechanics, the Reanimate card stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its ability to pull creatures from the graveyard straight into play. It’s not alone in its dark revival arts, sharing the stage with the likes of Animate Dead. While Animate Dead also brings creatures back from the grave, it does so by attaching itself as an enchantment, which can be a double-edged sword depending on removal spells your opponents might have.
Exhume is another comparison worthy of note. It allows each player to put a creature from their graveyard onto the battlefield, inevitably a more democratic option than Reanimate’s targeted approach, and potentially a risk if your opponents have potent creatures in their graveyard. Then we have the powerhouse Zombify, that operates at a higher mana cost but without the life loss associated with Reanimate—crucial in games where your life total is under threat.
Each of these cards offers nuanced advantages depending on the strategy and the state of play. Within the vast array of resurrection spells in the game, Reanimate shines with its low cost and surgical precision, making it a highly strategic tool for any graveyard-centric deck.
Cards similar to Reanimate by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Reanimate. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Reanimator | Legacy | Reanimator | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-28 | |
Orzhov Scam | Legacy | Orzhov Scam | Legacy League 2024-04-28 | |
Grixis Scam | Legacy | Grixis Scam | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 | |
Scam | Vintage | Scam | Vintage League 2024-04-29 | |
Death's Shadow | Legacy | Death's Shadow | Legacy Preliminary 2024-04-29 (1) | |
Sultai Scam | Legacy | Sultai Scam | Legacy Challenge 64 2024-04-28 | |
Mono-Black Scam | Legacy | Mono-Black Scam | Legacy Challenge 32 2024-04-28 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Reanimating a creature from the graveyard not only brings a powerful ally back into play but also effectively counts as drawing a high-impact card. This bolsters your position on the battlefield and in the overall game, potentially swaying the tide in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: By bringing creatures back to the battlefield for less than their original casting cost, you’re able to deploy threats or key pieces much faster than normal. This form of cost reduction ensures a more efficient use of resources, providing a significant advantage in terms of board presence.
Instant Speed: The ability to reanimate at instant speed offers incredible versatility, allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves and potentially disrupt their strategy. It also enables surprise blocking or end-of-turn plays that can catch an opponent off guard and shift the game dynamics in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The mechanics of reanimate cards often require a player to discard a card first. This can pose a strategic dilemma, particularly when hand size is crucial, or if the discarded card is of higher value to the game plan than the creature being resurrected from the graveyard.
Specific Mana Cost: Reanimate effects typically demand specific mana types, often a combination of black and additional colors or generic mana. This can limit flexibility, making them less accessible to decks not built around those mana colors or necessitating a more complex mana base to consistently cast the spell.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the power to bring back a potent creature from the graveyard is strong, reanimate cards often come at a high mana cost. Their effectiveness is somewhat offset by other, less mana-intensive spells that may not pack the same punch but allow for a more steady game progression.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Reanimate is a staple in decks that aim to pull powerful creatures from the graveyard directly onto the battlefield. This card can seamlessly integrate into various archetypes, from combo decks to control strategies, due to its straightforward and impactful effect.
Combo Potential: With Reanimate, the ability to resurrect key combo pieces from the graveyard offers players numerous opportunities to execute game-winning plays. Whether you are aiming to bring back a game-changing creature or to initiate an infinite loop, Reanimate can serve as the linchpin for these strategies.
Meta-Relevance: Given the recurring presence of graveyard-based strategies in the competitive scene, having Reanimate in your arsenal ensures you have a response to-and can also capitalize on-the current trends. It’s a card that continuously proves its worth as the meta evolves, solidifying its place in many players’ collections.
How to beat
The allure of bringing behemoth creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield makes Reanimate a powerful spell in MTG. Unlike other resurrection mechanisms, Reanimate has the advantage of being a low-cost, single black mana spell, allowing players to play high-value creatures early in the game. To effectively counteract this strategy, graveyard disruption is key. Cards like Scavenging Ooze or Rest in Peace exert control by eliminating the targets for Reanimate before they can be returned to play.
Moreover, spells that grant instant-speed graveyard exile, such as Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus, can be pivotal in disrupting a Reanimate deck’s momentum. Timing is crucial; activating these effects in response to Reanimate’s casting can leave opponents with a significant life loss without the payoff. Moreover, hand disruption techniques, employing cards like Thoughtseize or Duress, facilitate proactive strategies by removing Reanimate and other key pieces from an opponent’s hand before they can become a threat.
In essence, maintaining a balance of constant pressure and strategic graveyard management can thwart the potency of Reanimate spells, securing an advantage in MTG matches against decks that rely heavily on their graveyard synergy.
BurnMana Recommendations
If you’re enthralled by the strategic depth of MTG and the power of bringing formidable creatures into play from the graveyard, Reanimate is an essential card to consider for your collection. Whether it provides card advantage, speeds up your resource deployment, or surprises your opponents with instant speed play, it’s clear that Reanimate can shift the tide of any game. Tactically navigating through its pros and cons will not only challenge your skills but also enhance your deck’s performance. For players looking to keep their strategies fresh and competitive, embracing the transformative potential of graveyard play is key. Dive deeper into the art of reanimation with us, where we unveil sophisticated plays and tech against prevailing meta strategies, guiding you towards MTG supremacy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Reanimate MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Reanimate and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Reanimate Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 151 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
2 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 57 | 1997 | Normal | White | Robert Bliss | |
3 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 36052 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | ||
4 | Friday Night Magic 2004 | F04 | 10 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | ||
5 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 21 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
6 | 2011-11-18 | Premium Deck Series: Graveborn | PD3 | 15 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
7 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 136 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
8 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 112 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
9 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 110 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | |
10 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 270 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | |
11 | 2022-01-28 | Commander Collection: Black | CC2 | 5 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm | |
12 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Commander | LTC | 206 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
13 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 137 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | |
14 | 2024-04-19 | Breaking News | OTP | 18 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Michal Ivan |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Reanimate has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Reanimate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2018-12-07 | If a card in a player's graveyard has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0. |
2018-12-07 | If any abilities trigger on the creature entering the battlefield, those abilities resolve after you lose life. If losing life results in you losing the game, those abilities won't resolve. |
2018-12-07 | In a multiplayer game, if a player leaves the game, all cards that player owns leave as well. If you leave the game, the creature you control from Reanimate is exiled. |
2018-12-07 | The amount of life you lose is determined by the mana value of the card in your graveyard, not the creature once it's on the battlefield. |
2018-12-07 | You lose life after the creature is already on the battlefield. Any abilities it has that interact with loss of life, such as that of Platinum Emperion, apply to that loss of life. |