Undead Butler MTG Card


Grants valuable card advantage by recycling creature cards from the graveyard to the library. Indirectly accelerates resources, aiding in the maintenance of a game’s momentum. Encourages play styles that leverage psychological advantage through strategic unpredictability.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Abilities Mill
Power 1
Toughness 2

Text of card

When Undead Butler enters the battlefield, mill three cards. (Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard.) When Undead Butler dies, you may exile it. When you do, return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.


Cards like Undead Butler

The Undead Butler card brings a unique twist to reanimation in Magic: The Gathering. It can be compared to the likes of Dutiful Attendant, which also retrieves a creature card from the graveyard to your hand. Where Undead Butler diverges is through its self-mill ability, which can help stack your graveyard with potential targets, while Dutiful Attendant requires a sacrifice to trigger the effect.

Similarly, Grave Digger stands as a parallel competitor with its simple yet functional enter-the-battlefield effect that returns a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. However, it does not offer the self-mill synergy that comes with Undead Butler. Moreover, Undertaker offers a repeatable version of this effect but requires discard as an additional cost, providing a different strategic angle.

Assessing these comparisons, Undead Butler shows its worth within the reanimation toolkit for MTG players. Its self-milling can be a double-edged sword, but within the right deck, it shines as both an enabler and retriever, a significant advantage over some of its counterparts.

Dutiful Attendant - MTG Card versions
Undertaker - MTG Card versions
Dutiful Attendant - MTG Card versions
Undertaker - MTG Card versions

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Scarred Vinebreeder - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Stromgald Crusader - MTG Card versions
Scarred Vinebreeder - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Undead Butler. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
BGBG PioneerPioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-16
SkelementalsSkelementals ModernSkelementalsModern Challenge 64 2024-04-14
Golgari Insidious RootsGolgari Insidious Roots StandardGolgari Insidious RootsTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 25, 2024
Jund Insidious RootsJund Insidious Roots StandardJund Insidious RootsStandard Challenge 64 2024-03-17
Golgari TokensGolgari Tokens StandardSultai Insidious RootsThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Abzan Amalia ComboAbzan Amalia Combo PioneerAbzan Amalia ComboPioneer League 2024-03-06
Sultai MillSultai Mill StandardSultai Insidious RootsBOP! Standard Open
Golgari SacrificeGolgari Sacrifice PioneerAxion Now Pioneer Regional Championship Qualifier
Sultai ReanimatorSultai Reanimator GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024
Sultai HogaakSultai Hogaak LegacyHogaak100 / The 100th Legacy at Home

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Undead Butler stands out by offering players the possibility to recoup resources from the graveyard. When it enters the battlefield or dies, you can select a creature card from the graveyard and put it back into your library, second from the top. This cyclic nature allows for the reusability of critical creature cards, subtly bolstering your hand and options for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: While the Undead Butler itself does not directly produce additional mana or tokens, its role in digging through the graveyard can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By retrieving integral creatures that provide mana benefits or other utility, it plays a pivotal role in maintaining a steady pace on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: Cards that operate at instant speed allow players to adapt to the ever-changing environment of a game. Although the Undead Butler doesn’t have an instant speed ability by itself, it encourages a style of play that keeps opponents guessing. The knowledge that you have the capability to reshuffle your library and bring back key creatures can be a psychological advantage, giving you the upper hand in strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Undead Butler card necessitates players to discard another card to utilize its effect, a steep price to pay when your hand is already running low on options, potentially setting you back in the game progression.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting the Undead Butler requires specific mana allocation, making it a tough fit in multicolored decks that might struggle with mana consistency. This makes it less versatile when planning your deck’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The casting cost for Undead Butler may be considered on the higher side for its abilities. In environments where the pace of play is quick and mana efficiency is key, there may be alternative creatures or spells that give you a similar effect without such a significant investment.


Reasons to Include Undead Butler in Your Collection

Versatility: Undead Butler works well across various deck archetypes. It shines in self-mill strategies, enabling graveyard manipulation while serving as an efficient creature block or sacrifice fodder.

Combo Potential: This card allows its owner to explore combo plays by retrieving a crucial creature from the graveyard to your hand, paving the way for powerful synergies and repeatable effects.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prominence of graveyard strategies in current gameplay, Undead Butler fits seamlessly into the meta, countering decks that rely on graveyard hate and enhancing those that exploit graveyard resources.


How to Beat Undead Butler

Undead Butler is an intriguing creature card that offers strategic depth to graveyard mechanics in Magic: The Gathering. Much like other graveyard-centric cards, this card can pose a challenge with its ability to return a creature card from the graveyard to its owner’s hand. Neutralizing this card’s advantage, therefore, becomes crucial in game strategy. To effectively counter Undead Butler, one could consider using graveyard hate cards such as Leyline of the Void or Rest in Peace, which prevent cards from hitting the graveyard in the first place.

Similarly, exile effects found in cards like Path to Exile or Dire Tactics can remove Undead Butler from the game completely, bypassing its ability to recycle other creatures. It’s also worth noting the role of timing in handling such cards. Playing instant-speed removal in response to its triggered ability allows you to maintain a level of control over the battlefield. Deployment of creatures with hexproof or protection from black can also prevent Undead Butler from targeting and bringing back key creatures from your graveyard, keeping your plan secure.

Ultimately, understanding and disrupting your opponent’s graveyard strategy can diminish the impact of Undead Butler and give you an edge, making it a key part of competitive play and deck construction within the Magic: The Gathering community.


BurnMana Recommendations

Undead Butler’s role in MTG is a dance with the graveyard, beckoning creatures back to your library with a strategic grace. Grasping how to manipulate this card to extract maximum value can tip the scales in your favor, whether it’s recovering from a poor position or accelerating your game plan. Discard, mana requirements, and cost – these elements shape the playability and worth of Undead Butler in diverse decks. If you’re intrigued by the intricate dynamics of graveyard play or seek to refine your strategy with subtle yet potent moves, explore the depths of this card’s potential. Dive into the full analysis and expert insights to harness the art of reanimation with Undead Butler and claim the edge over your opponents.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Undead Butler // Undead Butler MTG card by a specific set like Crimson Vow Art Series and Innistrad: Crimson Vow, 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 Undead Butler // Undead Butler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Undead Butler // Undead Butler Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Nestor Ossandon Leal.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-11-19Crimson Vow Art SeriesAVOW 372015Art seriesBorderlessNestor Ossandon Leal
22021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 1332015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal
32022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 4002015NormalBlackNestor Ossandon Leal

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Undead Butler has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal