Graveborn Muse MTG Card


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

Key Takeaways

  1. Graveborn Muse fortifies hand size by drawing cards equal to zombies controlled every upkeep.
  2. While it requires a black mana commitment, its tribal synergy amplifies zombie strategies.
  3. Its potential for card advantage makes it a mainstay in resource-heavy MTG gameplay.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, you draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of Zombies you control.

"Her voice is damnation, unyielding and certain." —Phage the Untouchable


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Graveborn Muse grants you a draw for every Zombie you control during your upkeep, ensuring persistent replenishment of your hand and bolstering your strategy with a steady flow of resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Graveborn Muse itself does not directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it facilitates resource acceleration indirectly by drawing you into more lands or ramp spells, keeping the momentum on your side of the battlefield.

Instant Speed: Although Graveborn Muse operates at sorcery speed, its powerful draw effect compensates by providing you with potentially multiple cards every turn, which includes instants that you could use to interact or respond during your opponent’s turn with the right setup.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Every upkeep, Graveborn Muse prompts you to discard cards, which may strain your hand especially if you’re unable to balance the loss of resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This zombie muse demands a commitment to black mana, potentially restricting deck-building flexibility and the card’s integration into multicolor strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana cost including three black mana symbols, Graveborn Muse can be a weighty draw on your mana resources, particularly when compared to other card-drawing alternatives.


Reasons to Include Graveborn Muse in Your Collection

Versatility: Graveborn Muse is more than just a Zombie; it’s a powerhouse of card draw that complements various deck types. Its design allows it to seamlessly integrate into tribal Zombie decks as well as strategies that hinge on life manipulation and drawing cards.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes exceptionally well with undertaker-themed decks, unlocking the potential for impressive combos. Its ability to draw extra cards can be tactically exploited to fuel graveyard-based interactions or to simply overwhelm your opponents with card advantage.

Meta-Relevance: With MTG environments that often emphasize sustained card advantage, Graveborn Muse can play a crucial role. It suits the current trend of decks that thrive on considerable reserves of cards and life points as leverage.


How to beat Graveborn Muse

Graveborn Muse is a formidable card in MTG due to its strength in providing continuous card advantage in Zombie tribal decks. Standing against Graveborn Muse requires disruption of this card draw engine before it allows your opponent to overwhelm you with resources. Counteracting its power can be approached by diminishing the zombie presence on the board, thus reducing the cards your opponent draws while also mitigating the life loss penalty the Muse imposes.

Removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can efficiently dispatch Graveborn Muse before its effect compounds over several turns. Additionally, graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus stifle strategies relying on, or amplified by, zombie synergy. In essence, keeping the undead horde in check is key to mitigating the advantage brought by Graveborn Muse, ensuring it doesn’t turn into the harbinger of your defeat.

Ultimately, Graveborn Muse’s value is intrinsic to the number of zombies in play. By keeping that number low or disrupting your opponent’s graveyard strategy, you can neutralize the Muse’s threat and maintain control over the game. A strategic approach to managing threats and resources is essential when facing a card with such a significant impact on the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’ve been in awe of the recursive might of Graveborn Muse, you’re not alone. Its allure in MTG is undeniable for players who leverage the undead. This potent card drawer can be the lifeblood of your Zombie deck, fueling your strategical depths with each zombie you control. But be cautious of the life-draining balance required. Embrace the thrill of optimizing your graveyard antics and draw strength with every upkeep. To learn more about harnessing the full power of Graveborn Muse and to discover strategies that tip the scales in your favor, join the cadre of enthusiasts at BurnMana. Build, play, and conquer with finesse.


Cards like Graveborn Muse

Graveborn Muse brings a unique power to the playing field in Magic: The Gathering. This card is often weighed against other zombie-centric cards like Undead Augur and Midnight Reaper. In contrast to Undead Augur, which also provides card draw related to zombie creature deaths, Graveborn Muse grants card draw during the upkeep phase, which can offer a more reliable stream of new options in your hand. Additionally, compared to Midnight Reaper that draws a card upon any nontoken creature’s death, Graveborn Muse can potentially draw multiple cards per turn but does it at the cost of life equal to the number of Zombies you control, presenting a calculated risk for the player.

Analogous to Phyrexian Arena, which also allows drawing an additional card during upkeep at the expense of life, Graveborn Muse has the advantage of being tribal-specific, synergizing well within zombie decks to intensify the theme’s strategy. While Phyrexian Arena is a persistent non-creature enchantment, Graveborn Muse’s creature type allows for more dynamic interaction within the game. Players must consider the life loss trade-off inherent in Graveborn Muse, as accumulating too many zombies might turn this boon into a potential peril.

Choosing the right card for your deck in Magic: The Gathering hinges on strategy and the specific demands of your deck’s theme. While Graveborn Muse may excel in zombie-heavy decks, evaluating its cost against potential life loss is vital for leveraging its card draw ability effectively.

Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Midnight Reaper - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Arena - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - Modern Horizons (MH1)
Midnight Reaper - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Phyrexian Arena - Apocalypse (APC)

Cards similar to Graveborn Muse by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Cabal Surgeon - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Gixian Puppeteer - 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
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Cabal Surgeon - Torment (TOR)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Gixian Puppeteer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Graveborn Muse MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Tenth Edition, 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 Graveborn Muse and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Graveborn Muse Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2007-07-13. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-02-03LegionsLGN 731997normalblackKev Walker
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1452003normalblackKev Walker
32020-09-26The ListPLST 10E-1452003normalblackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Graveborn Muse has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks