Relentless Dead MTG Card


Relentless Dead excels at maintaining card advantage and preserving board presence. Its instant speed ability and undead synergy provide significant strategic depth. Specific mana costs and late-game constraints may limit Relentless Dead’s versatility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Zombie
Abilities Menace
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.) When Relentless Dead dies, you may pay . If you do, return it to its owner's hand. When Relentless Dead dies, you may pay . If you do, return another target Zombie creature card with converted mana cost X from your graveyard to the battlefield.


Cards like Relentless Dead

Relentless Dead stands as a keystone in the realm of zombie tribal decks in Magic: The Gathering, evocative of the resilient nature of the undead. Its kinship with other cards in this strategy can be particularly seen in comparison with Gravecrawler. Both offer the thematic ability to rise from the graveyard, yet Relentless Dead brings an extra layer, allowing you to also return another zombie card to your hand when it dies.

Another notable parallel can be drawn with Diregraf Colossus, which bolsters your board state by creating zombie tokens when you cast zombie spells. While Diregraf Colossus excels in quantity, Relentless Dead focuses on quality, ensuring strategic pieces stay in play. Even against Geralf’s Messenger, a zombie with a potent undying mechanic, Relentless Dead holds its ground with its potential for board state manipulation and synergy within zombie-based strategies.

In the grand tapestry of MTG’s zombie options, Relentless Dead carves out a unique niche. Its revival abilities and tactical advantages make it not just a mere creature but a linchpin in decks where swarming the field and resource recycling are paramount to achieving victory.

Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Colossus - MTG Card versions
Geralf's Messenger - MTG Card versions
Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Colossus - MTG Card versions
Geralf's Messenger - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Relentless Dead by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cyclopean Mummy - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Black Knight - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cyclopean Mummy - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Black Knight - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Relentless Dead. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Dimir ZombiesDimir Zombies ModernDimir ZombiesModern Preliminary 2024-04-17
DecklistDecklist Free formCanadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed
ZombiesZombies LegacyEternal Challenge 23
Orzhov MidrangeOrzhov Midrange LegacyEternal Challenge 22

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Relentless Dead boasts a powerful ability to return to your hand upon death. This ability ensures you never lose out on this creature’s value, effectively increasing your card longevity and maintaining board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Enabling you to bring back other zombie creatures from your graveyard to the battlefield, Relentless Dead can swiftly tip the scales in your favor. This accelerates your resource deployment by bypassing normal casting costs and tapping into the undead synergy.

Instant Speed: The key aspect of Relentless Dead is its flexibility at instant speed. The card’s regeneration mechanism can be activated whenever you could cast an instant, allowing strategic preservation of your creature during your turn or in response to an opponent’s move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Relentless Dead offers robust return potential, it necessitates the player to have another Zombie card in hand to optimize its revival ability. This can be particularly cumbersome during late-game scenarios when hand sizes are typically reduced, thus potentially limiting the card’s effectiveness or necessitating suboptimal discards.

Specific Mana Cost: Relentless Dead’s mana cost is specifically black, necessitating a dedicated or heavily black-influenced mana base. This requirement can constrain deck-building options and may deter incorporation into multicolor decks that are less focused on black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a mana value of two, Relentless Dead might seem initially cost-effective. However, the additional mana required for its triggered abilities can result in a deceptively high investment over the course of a game. This investment can divert essential resources from other pivotal plays, thus presenting strategic opportunity costs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Relentless Dead offers flexibility in gameplay, easily fitting into various zombie-themed decks as well as black-centric strategies that thrive on creature recursion.

Combo Potential: This resilient creature shines when paired with sacrifice and revival mechanics, allowing players to construct powerful synergies that repeatedly exploit enter-the-battlefield and death-triggered abilities.

Meta-Relevance: As the game ebbs and flows with different trends, the Relentless Dead maintains its status as a formidable card in competitive play, matching up well against a diverse array of opponent strategies due to its tenacity and board presence.


How to beat

Confronting Relentless Dead in a Magic: The Gathering match can certainly be daunting. This Zombie with its resurrection abilities can be a tenacious opponent on the battlefield. When it’s defeated, its controller has the opportunity to return it to their hand, provided they pay the required mana. Additionally, the card allows for the revival of another Zombie card from the graveyard to the battlefield, amplifying its potential to be a persistent threat.

The most effective strategy against Relentless Dead involves utilizing exile effects that bypass its revival capabilities. Cards that forcibly exile creatures at the moment of destruction, such as Anguished Unmaking or Path to Exile, can permanently deal with Relentless Dead without triggering its notorious abilities. Another approach is to employ graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, which can negate the benefits acquired from all graveyard interactions that Relentless Dead thrives on.

Understanding the strengths and adapting your deck to include cards that counter Relentless Dead’s resilience is key. This can turn the tide in a match where your opponent relies heavily on the undying tactics afforded by this formidable Zombie creature.


BurnMana Recommendations

Stepping into the realm of MTG means embracing the ebb and flow of strategy, tactics, and resource management. With Relentless Dead, you have a creature card that exemplifies resilience and adaptability. Its unique ability to recover from the graveyard and escalate your zombie forces can dramatically change the course of a game. Building a deck around such a versatile card requires insight into both its strengths and vulnerabilities. If you’re looking to construct a deck that’s not only competitive but also rich in synergies, considering the inclusion of Relentless Dead is a wise move. Join our community of enthusiasts and experts to further refine your deck and conquer the battlefield with undead precision.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Relentless Dead MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad Promos, 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 Relentless Dead and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Relentless Dead Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Ryan Yee.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 1312015NormalBlackRyan Yee
22016-04-08Shadows over Innistrad PromosPSOI 131s2015NormalBlackRyan Yee
32023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 1302015NormalBlackRyan Yee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Relentless Dead has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Relentless Dead card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2016-04-08 Relentless Dead’s last two abilities trigger at the same time and can be put on the stack in either order. The ability put on the stack first will be the last to resolve.
2016-04-08 You decide whether to pay for each triggered ability as it resolves. If you do, the rest of that ability’s effect happens before any player may take actions.