Gravespawn Sovereign MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Tap five Zombies to reanimate a creature at any time, providing major card advantage on the battlefield.
  2. Instant speed activation of Sovereign’s ability allows for surprise tactics and flexible response during play.
  3. Demands heavy black mana, but accelerates resource use, especially valuable in Zombie-focused decks.

Text of card

Tap five untapped Zombies you control: Put target creature card from a graveyard into play under your control.

The Cabal never expected its creations to create servants of their own.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Gravespawn Sovereign allows you to reanimate a creature from any graveyard whenever you tap five untapped Zombies you control. This action can significantly increase your board presence without expending cards from your hand, providing substantial card advantage as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: By bringing creatures directly onto the battlefield, the Sovereign bypasses traditional casting costs. This not only accelerates your resource usage but also potentially allows you to utilize high-cost creatures much earlier than normal, giving you a leg up on the resource curve.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant card itself, the Sovereign’s ability can be activated at instant speed during any player’s turn. This offers tactical flexibility, allowing you to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to bring back creatures, which can swing the game in unexpected ways and create responsive plays that opponents may not foresee.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gravespawn Sovereign necessitates having creatures in the graveyard to utilize its ability effectively. This can be a downside as it requires set-up and potentially discarding or sacrificing valuable creatures to take full advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a heavy black mana investment of five black mana symbols in its total cost. This restricts deck flexibility, making it challenging to include in multi-colored decks without a reliable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Gravespawn Sovereign comes into play quite late in the game. This can be at a distinct tempo disadvantage when faster strategies are dominant in the format. Additionally, other cards in the six mana slot might provide immediate impact without contingent setup.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gravespawn Sovereign offers utility in a variety of black-based decks, particularly those that focus on creature control and reanimation. Its ability to reanimate any creature from any graveyard as long as you control enough Zombies makes it a flexible addition to your arsenal.

Combo Potential: This card enables numerous synergies and combo plays in Zombie tribal decks. Pair it with cards that create Zombie tokens to continuously bring back powerful creatures from graveyards directly onto the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Gravespawn Sovereign remains relevant in metas where creature-based strategies prevail. As it can disrupt opponents by stealing their best creatures post-mortem, it remains a versatile tool for gaining the upper hand in creature-centric games.


How to Beat Gravespawn Sovereign

Gravespawn Sovereign presents an intriguing challenge in Magic: The Gathering. This zombie lord offers a powerful advantage, allowing you to reanimate creatures by tapping five untapped Zombies you control. Combatting such a card requires a strategy that disrupts this synergy. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus can thwart any reanimation plans by removing creatures from the graveyard before they can be brought back. Additionally, board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can clear out a swarm of Zombies, leaving the Sovereign without its required tapping cohort.

Single-target removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can also be key by not only removing Gravespawn Sovereign from the battlefield but also limiting Zombie accumulation. For decks not in white, consider universal options like Beast Within or Terminate that can target the Sovereign directly, regardless of color. Remember, if you can control the tide of Zombies, you significantly weaken the Sovereign’s impact, keeping the battlefield in check with consistent removal both from the field and the graveyard.

Diligent control over the board state and key interruptions in your opponent’s plans make overcoming the challenges posed by a Gravespawn Sovereign-led deck both feasible and rewarding for adept Magic: The Gathering players.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the ins and outs of Gravespawn Sovereign is essential for players who want to harness the undead might of Zombie decks in MTG. With an ability to raise creatures from any graveyard, this card can be a game-changer. If you’re looking to deepen your strategic play, expand your collection, or simply get the edge in your next duel, we’ve got insights to share. Delving into advanced play techniques and discovering how to optimize your deck can make all the difference. Join us as we explore the potential of Gravespawn Sovereign and help you unlock new levels of play in the world of MTG.


Cards like Gravespawn Sovereign

Gravespawn Sovereign is a unique piece on the MTG chessboard, finding its niche in the realm of zombie tribal strategies. Often compared to the likes of Ghoulcaller Gisa or The Scarab God, the Sovereign has an ability that sets it distinctly apart — the power to reanimate any creature from an opponent’s graveyard directly onto the battlefield under your control. Ghoulcaller Gisa also leverages the undead, but she dismantles your own creatures to amass an army of Zombies, while The Scarab God snacks on the graveyard, albeit giving risen creatures a new, eternal unlife as 4/4 zombies with a potentially game-shaking, incremental life-loss and scry ability for your adversaries.

Another card reminiscent of Gravespawn Sovereign’s dark resurrection theme is Liliana, Death’s Majesty. She, too, can call creatures from the grave but her loyalty abilities are a smorgasbord of necromancy, creature destruction, and self-mill synergies. Gravespawn Sovereign lacks these versatile tools but offers consistent board presence leveraging any zombie crowd without a loyalty counter in sight.

Between these candidates, Gravespawn Sovereign may not wield the flashy, immediate impact of its counterparts, but in a sustained match, its tactical resurrection can turn the tide, especially when you’re piloting denser zombie-infested decks.

Ghoulcaller Gisa - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Liliana, Death's Majesty - MTG Card versions
Ghoulcaller Gisa - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Liliana, Death's Majesty - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gravespawn Sovereign MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and The List, 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 Gravespawn Sovereign and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gravespawn Sovereign Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2021-09-24. Illustrated by Adam Rex.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-10-07OnslaughtONS 1521997NormalBlackAdam Rex
22020-09-26The ListPLST ONS-1521997NormalBlackAdam Rex
32021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1202015NormalBlackAdam Rex

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gravespawn Sovereign has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 It can tap itself but is not required to do so.
2004-10-04 Since the ability does not have the symbol, you can use the ability before this creature begins a turn under your control.

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