Ichorid MTG Card
2002-02-04 - Number 65
2014-06-16 - Number 123
2016-06-10 - Number 93
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Horror |
| Abilities | Haste |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Ichorid provides card advantage with multiple returns from the graveyard, enhancing resource management.
- It accelerates gameplay momentum without direct mana costs, disrupting opponents’ strategies.
- The card’s upkeep-triggered ability offers strategic benefits that simulate instant speed interaction.
Text of card
Haste At end of turn, sacrifice Ichorid. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Ichorid is in your graveyard, you may remove a black creature card in your graveyard other than Ichorid from the game. If you do, return Ichorid to play.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ichorid can potentially return from your graveyard to the battlefield multiple times, giving you recurring advantages without spending cards from your hand. This repeatable process allows savvy players to maximize their available resources, as the creature represents a persistent threat each turn it’s able to come back.
Resource Acceleration: Despite not directly accelerating mana, Ichorid facilitates a faster game by bypassing casting costs from the hand. This self-recurring creature demands an immediate answer from opponents, which can disrupt their own plans and resource allocation. Additionally, the presence of Ichorid can feed other graveyard synergies, indirectly contributing to a form of resource acceleration within certain deck archetypes.
Instant Speed: While Ichorid itself does not function at instant speed, its triggered ability to return to play at the beginning of your upkeep can provide strategic advantages akin to instant speed interactions. It allows you to potentially re-establish board presence just before your turn begins, circumventing sorcery-speed removals, and catching your opponent off-guard. This creates a dynamic where Ichorid acts as a relentless force, applying pressure without needing to dedicate time or mana during your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ichorid necessitates that you have a black creature card in your graveyard to use its ability, a condition that might not always be favorable, hindering its effectiveness in certain game states.
Specific Mana Cost: As a card requiring black mana, Ichorid is somewhat niche, demanding a dedicated or dual-color deck and possibly restricting deck-building options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its resurrecting capability, Ichorid’s initial casting cost is on the higher side, making other creatures or reanimation spells potentially more appealing for early-game tempo.
Reasons to Include Ichorid in Your Collection
Versatility: Ichorid can be an asset in decks that capitalize on graveyard mechanics. Its ability to return to the battlefield under certain conditions makes it a resilient threat that can persist even after removal attempts.
Combo Potential: This card has great synergy with strategies focused on self-mill and sacrifice to leverage its recurrent nature. It can also fuel powerful engines in Dredge decks, a staple in formats like Legacy or Vintage.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard-based strategies are prominent, Ichorid stands out for its ability to continually pressure opponents and provide a recurring source of damage, maintaining its relevance in various competitive scenes.
How to beat
Ichorid is a special breed of creature within the MTG universe, with its unique ability to return from the graveyard to the battlefield at the beginning of your upkeep. Those who face this persistent horror know that it’s not just a simple matter of discarding it to be free from its presence. Unlike standard creatures, Ichorid can come back again and again, which can be a thorn in your side if not adequately prepared for.
To successfully counteract Ichorid’s resilience, players need to focus on strategies that target the graveyard. Using cards that exile creatures from the graveyard or that can remove the graveyard entirely from play are effective tactics. This is because Ichorid relies heavily on its graveyard mechanics to be a continual threat. Cards such as Tormod’s Crypt can be a game-changer, as it can entirely wipe out the graveyard, severing Ichorid’s ability to return. Another solid tactic is to use exile effects during your opponent’s upkeep before the trigger of Ichorid’s ability. Don’t overlook the power of making preemptive strikes to mitigate threats and maintain control over the game’s pace.
Understanding the nuances of your opponent’s strategies and assembling the right tools to neutralize threats are both essential. By focusing on disabling the graveyard or preemptively exiling creatures like Ichorid, you stand a good chance of keeping this formidable card at bay.
Cards like Ichorid
Ichorid falls into the category of graveyard-centric creatures that make a dramatic impact in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest comparisons often draw upon other graveyard-activating creatures like Bloodghast. Both are resilient creatures adept at returning from the graveyard to the battlefield, yet Ichorid does so with the caveat of exiling a black creature card from your graveyard and losing it at the next end step, ensuring its presence is fleeting but potentially game-altering.
Another card that resonates with Ichorid’s motif is Nether Shadow. Like Ichorid, Nether Shadow has the inherent ability to resurrect itself from the graveyard, providing a recurring threat to opponents. The conditions differ, as Nether Shadow requires a specific number of creature cards above it in your graveyard to reanimate without any additional cost. While it lacks Ichorid’s speed and brute force, the Shadow floats out of the graveyard naturally, requiring less setup to return.
Assessing the unique position of Ichorid among MTG’s self-recursing creatures, it’s evident that its high-power, aggressive reanimation style caters to a specific strategy that leverages its temporary yet impactful presence, distinguishing itself in the fast-paced, resource-intensive decks of the game.
Cards similar to Ichorid by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ichorid MTG card by a specific set like Torment and Vintage Masters, 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 Ichorid and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Ichorid Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-02-04 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by rk post.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-02-04 | Torment | TOR | 65 | 1997 | normal | black | rk post | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 123 | 2015 | normal | black | rk post | |
| 3 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 93 | 2015 | normal | black | rk post |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ichorid has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ichorid card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-06-08 | If multiple Ichorids are in your graveyard, you can’t exile the same creature card to return each of them to the battlefield. |
| 2016-06-08 | If one Ichorid’s ability exiles another, the exiled Ichorid’s ability can’t return it to the battlefield. |
