Necrotic Ooze MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Ooze
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Necrotic Ooze synergizes with graveyard strategies, making it a versatile card across multiple MTG deck types.
  2. Can potentially ramp up gameplay fast with mana abilities from creatures in graveyards when on the battlefield.
  3. Ability to use instant-speed abilities from graveyard creatures gives tactical advantage in matches.

Text of card

As long as Necrotic Ooze is on the battlefield, it has all activated abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards.

"To death all must go, and so in death lies ultimate power." —Geth, Lord of the Vault


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Necrotic Ooze gains abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards. This opens up a plethora of options and strategies, effectively turning the graveyard into an extension of your hand, and often providing immense card advantage without needing additional draws.

Resource Acceleration: With the right creatures in the graveyard, this card can lead to significant acceleration of resources. Imagine it gaining mana abilities from cards like Birds of Paradise or Elvish Mystic, enabling you to ramp up your gameplay much faster and more efficiently than many other cards.

Instant Speed: Although Necrotic Ooze itself isn’t an instant, it can utilize instant-speed abilities from creatures in the graveyard. This feature allows for surprise interactions during an opponent’s turn, keeping your adversaries guessing and providing a tactical edge that can turn the tide of the game at a moment’s notice.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Necrotic Ooze does not require a discard directly, it does necessitate having creatures in the graveyard to utilize their activated abilities. This can demand self-mill or discard strategies, potentially depleting your hand or library faster than desired.

Specific Mana Cost: Necrotic Ooze’s mana cost includes both black and green mana, making it less flexible and more suited for decks that can reliably produce both types of mana. This requirement can be restrictive for players who prefer mono-color decks or those running a different color combination.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two colorless and one of each black and green mana, Necrotic Ooze may be considered costly for its underlying 4/3 body. In faster-paced games, players might find it challenging to derive value before it can be effectively leveraged, especially when facing aggressive or tempo-driven strategies.


Reasons to Include Necrotic Ooze in Your Collection

Versatility: Necrotic Ooze offers unique adaptability and becomes a chameleon on the battlefield, able to utilize abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards as long as it’s on the field. It fits seamlessly into a variety of deck strategies, particularly those that revolve around graveyard play or ability copying.

Combo Potential: With its capacity to adopt numerous activated abilities, Necrotic Ooze works as a linchpin in many combo setups. Skilled players can craft infinite combos or game-finishing moves by carefully curating the graveyard contents to exploit synergistic activated abilities.

Meta-Relevance: This card can provide an unforeseen angle of attack in a metagame where graveyard manipulation is prevalent. By leveraging the strengths of other creature cards across graveyards, Necrotic Ooze can often become a powerful and unexpected threat that adapts to various meta shifts.


How to Beat

Necrotic Ooze is a versatile and sometimes game-ending card in MTG due to its ability to gain activated abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards. To effectively counter this threat, controlling graveyard interaction becomes key. Graveyard hate cards such as Tormod’s Crypt or Rest in Peace can neutralize the Ooze’s advantage by exiling opposing graveyards, rendering the Ooze’s ability nearly useless.

Alternatively, keeping the battlefield clear of creatures through board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God can prevent the Ooze from obtaining powerful abilities. If Necrotic Ooze is already present and a threat, instant-speed removal spells such as Path to Exile or Murderous Cut can dispatch it before it can utilize any dangerous abilities. In essence, by managing what’s available in graveyards and being prepared to remove Necrotic Ooze promptly, you can mitigate the risk it poses and keep the upper hand in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

The alchemy of MTG gameplay is enriched by cards like Necrotic Ooze, blending graveyard dynamics with on-board versatility. Whether utilized in combos or as a standalone powerhouse, the Ooze can morph into the heart of many deck archetypes. Knowledge of the card’s strengths and weaknesses is paramount in both employing it effectively and countering it smartly. If you are keen to master the subtle art of using such multifaceted cards, or if outmaneuvering an opponent with clever graveyard tactics excites you, delve deeper into our resources. Enhance your deck-building skills and learn how to wield Necrotic Ooze to its full potential, ensuring your next duel narrates a tale of strategic triumph.


Cards like Necrotic Ooze

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Necrotic Ooze stands out as a unique creature. With its ability to gain activated abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards, it bears some similarities to the famed Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. Lazav can become a copy of any creature card put into a graveyard, albeit only once per turn and gaining the entire suite of abilities and stats of that card. This allows for dynamic play decisions but is less broad in scope compared to Necrotic Ooze’s ongoing effect.

Another creature that echoes Necrotic Ooze’s graveyard synergy is Mimeoplasm. This creature not only copies abilities but also combines the best attributes of creatures in the graveyard by exiling them. However, Mimeoplasm’s ability is a one-time occurrence during its casting, which differentiates it from Necrotic Ooze’s continuous graveyard watch.

Exploring this shared design space, Necrotic Ooze’s continuous ability hoarding offers a persistent threat, making it a staple for strategies looking to exploit graveyard potential. Understanding the nuances of these similar cards can profoundly impact deck construction and gameplay for enthusiasts of the Magic: The Gathering landscape.

Lazav, Dimir Mastermind - MTG Card versions
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind - MTG Card versions

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Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
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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

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Necrotic Ooze MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Necrotic Ooze and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Necrotic Ooze Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 722003NormalBlackJames Ryman
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1332015NormalBorderlessWizard of Barge
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4412015NormalBlackJames Ryman
42022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 832015NormalBlackJames Ryman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Necrotic Ooze has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelBanned
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-01-01 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities; they have colons in their reminder text.
2011-01-01 If an activated ability of a card in a graveyard references the card it’s printed on by name, treat Necrotic Ooze’s version of that ability as though it referenced Necrotic Ooze by name instead. For example, if Cudgel Troll (which says “: Regenerate Cudgel Troll”) is in a graveyard, Necrotic Ooze has the ability “: Regenerate Necrotic Ooze.”
2011-01-01 Necrotic Ooze gains only activated abilities. It doesn’t gain keyword abilities (unless those keyword abilities are activated), triggered abilities, or static abilities.

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