Gravegouger MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Nightmare Horror
Released	2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Torment
Set code	TOR
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	62
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daren Bader

Key Takeaways

Gravegouger provides key graveyard interaction disruption, securing card advantage over opponents.
Its low casting cost and instant speed make it a versatile card in various MTG formats.
Despite its utility, Gravegouger requires careful deck construction to optimize its effectiveness.

Text of card

When Gravegouger comes into play, remove up to two target cards in a single graveyard from the game. When Gravegouger leaves play, return the removed cards to their owner's graveyard.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gravegouger stands out by allowing players to selectively remove cards from opposing graveyards, which can interrupt strategies reliant on graveyard interaction. This card removal isn’t just disruption; it translates into card advantage by diminishing the resources available to your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Gravegouger does not directly generate mana, its low casting cost facilitates a faster play, which is crucial for maintaining tempo in the early to mid-game. Additionally, by exiling key pieces from the opponent’s graveyard, it can potentially accelerate your advantage by setting back their game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Gravegouger at instant speed gives players the flexibility to respond to threats as they emerge and to make strategic plays during the opponent’s turn. This can provide a significant tactical edge, as it allows you to adapt to the evolving state of the match without sacrificing your turn’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging this card comes with the stipulation of discarding another card from your hand, a strategic setback if your hand size is already waning.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Gravegouger, you’ll need an exact blend of mana, potentially restricting its integration only into decks that can reliably provide the necessary mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that might be considered steep for its singular ability, Gravegouger challenges players to evaluate its cost-effectiveness against other available options that might fulfil similar roles for less investment.

Reasons to Include Gravegouger in Your Collection

Versatility: Gravegouger’s ability to exile cards from graveyards gives it a prominent place in decks that aim to disrupt opponent strategies relying on graveyard manipulation. Its adaptability across various formats ensures that it can serve as a tactical asset regardless of the changing dynamics of the game.

Combo Potential: As a graveyard hate option, Gravegouger can be a combo enabler, removing key pieces from your opponent’s graveyard to enable strategies reliant on opponents having a clean graveyard. This makes it synergistic with cards that punish or inhibit graveyard-based plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on reanimator or graveyard-centric themes, having Gravegouger can prove instrumental. It can alter the course of the game by impeding opponents from accessing their crucial graveyard resources, making it a valuable card to possess during such meta phases.

How to Beat

Gravegouger presents a unique challenge in the realm of creature cards. In Magic: The Gathering, this particular card has the ability to disrupt graveyard strategies, which can be central to many decks. To counter Gravegouger effectively, a player needs to have a good understanding of how to inhibit its entrance or neutralize its effects once on the battlefield.

One straightforward method to tackle Gravegouger is to employ instant-speed removal so that it can be dealt with promptly before its ability can be a significant hindrance. This ensures that the targeted creatures in graveyards are safe from exile. Similarly, counterspells are very effective as they can prevent Gravegouger from entering the battlefield in the first place, thereby keeping your graveyard strategy intact.

Another strategy is less about direct confrontation and more about diminishing Gravegouger’s usefulness. Diversifying your deck’s reliance on the graveyard and incorporating alternate win conditions can make Gravegouger’s ability less impactful. Therefore, understanding the nuances of your opponent’s potential plays and maintaining a flexible approach can help mitigate the threats posed by subtle, yet powerful cards like Gravegouger.

Cards like Gravegouger

Gravegouger occupies a unique niche within the world of graveyard interaction spells in Magic: The Gathering. A close relative in function is Nihil Spellbomb, which also has the power to exile cards from graveyards, but instead of targeting creatures specifically, it sweeps out all card types and has the option to draw a card by sacrificing it. Gravegouger’s emphasis on creature removal means it directly disrupts recurrence strategies.

Bojuka Bog is another comparand, entering the battlefield tapped and exiling all cards from a single graveyard when it comes into play. It offers a land slot utility but lacks the selective targeting of Gravegouger. There’s also Tormod’s Crypt, a zero-cost artifact with the ability to exile all cards from a targeted graveyard without a mana investment, yet it doesn’t offer the creature recasting capability that Gravegouger does.

All things considered, Gravegouger’s creature-specific exile mechanic paired with the option to reuse the card gives it a strategic edge in creature-centric metagames, distinguishing it from other graveyard removal options available to MTG players looking to tackle persistent threats from beyond the grave.

Cards similar to Gravegouger by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gravegouger MTG card by a specific set like Torment, 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 Gravegouger and other MTG cards: