Greven il-Vec MTG Card

Rarity	Rare
Type	Vanguard
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Vanguard Series
Set code	PVAN
Number	203
Frame	1993
Layout	Vanguard
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Tedin

Key Takeaways

Greven il-Vec shines in aggressive strategies, offering potent attack power paired with beneficial card draw.
Strategically sacrificing creatures for Greven’s attack can turn games, but be wary of the discard requirement.
Defend against Greven with instant removal, deathtouch, or combat damage prevention tactics.

Text of card

Whenever any of your creatures damages any creature, bury the damaged creature.

As a ruthless leader for Volrath, Greven *il*-Vec serves his lord by commanding the flying ship *Predator*. Greven has attained his powerful rank through a series of underhanded schemes and assassinations, the majority of which were blessed by Volrath himself.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Greven il-Vec offers unique card advantage by allowing you to draw cards equal to the lost life of sacrificed creatures, which keeps your hand replenished during a match.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Greven’s ability to potentially eliminate blockers and attackers can indirectly accelerate resources by reducing the threats on the board and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Instant Speed: While Greven himself does not operate at instant speed, his ability to gain power from life loss synergizes well with instant-speed interactions that can be played prior to the combat damage step or in response to attackers, maximizing his impact and surprise factor in combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Greven il-Vec necessitates a card discard as part of the activation of his powerful abilities. This can be a detrimental play when your hand is already diminished, forcing you to relinquish vital resources that could be decisive in the latter stages of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Greven’s casting cost requires both black and red mana, which may not be universally flexible for all deck archetypes. This specificity restricts him to a Rakdos build or a multi-color deck that can accommodate these requirements without affecting mana flow consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of five, comprised of one colorless, two black, and two red, Greven comes at a significant cost. While his ability to potentially deal massive damage is alluring, there are alternatives that provide utility or board presence for a more economical investment.

Reasons to Include Greven il-Vec in Your Collection

Versatility: Greven il-Vec offers a dynamic presence in any Commander deck aiming for aggressive strategies. As a creature that excels in battle, it can deal significant damage while providing card draw, a rare commodity in black-based agro decks.

Combo Potential: This character pairs well with effects that gain you life or sacrifice other creatures for value, enabling intricate combos that can turn the tide of the game. His ability to potentially grow in power and toughness with each swing creates opportunities for explosive turns.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape often dominated by creature-centric play, having a commander that can remove potential blockers simply by attacking, and simultaneously replenishing your hand, keeps you relevant and threatening regardless of the shifting meta.

How to Beat

Greven il-Vec stands out as a challenging adversary in the MTG world, with his potent combination of abilities making him a formidable commander. His ability to potentially grow in power with each attack, paired with life loss that fuels his strength, creates a unique pressure on opponents. Getting past Greven can be tricky, but removing him from the battlefield is key. Strategies involve using instant-speed removal to disrupt the timing of his attack or employing creatures with deathtouch to neutralize him despite his power.

To mitigate the life loss and card advantage Greven offers, focus on preventing combat damage, through cards like ‘Fog’ or ‘Holy Day,’ which can invalidate a crucial attack phase. Additionally, since Greven requires sacrificing another creature to attack, limiting the number of creatures your opponent controls will hinder his ability to strike. Ensnaring Greven in control auras or artifacts that keep him tapped down can be effective as well. Remember to prioritize your life total, as each attack he makes can represent a significant swing in the game state.

Ultimately, staying ahead of Greven il-Vec calls for a game plan that diminishes his impact: be it creature control, damage prevention, or removal, ensure you have answers ready in your deck to tackle this monstrous adversary whenever he hits the battlefield.

Cards like Greven il-Vec

Greven il-Vec stands out among the pantheon of commanders in MTG due to his exceptional risk-reward design. Comparable commanders like Shauku, Endbringer, offer the ability to eliminate creatures but at the cost of mana each turn and at the detriment of not being able to attack. Greven, by contrast, leverages lifeforce for power, garnering strength through his own life loss and gaining card advantage by sacrificing other creatures.

Another similar comparison comes with Kresh the Bloodbraided, which also grows stronger as you sacrifice creatures. However, where Greven requires a loss of life to enhance his abilities, Kresh benefits directly from the death of creatures around him without the steep cost to the player’s life total. Despite this, Greven allows immediate card draw, which provides a swift advantage that Kresh does not inherently offer.

Assessing the Eldrazi titan, Rakdos the Defiler also feels apropos in this conversation. Rakdos mandates a substantial sacrifice of non-Demon permanents when he attacks. While this could be considerably disruptive, Greven’s specific demand for creature sacrifice is a more controlled form of payment, allowing precise management of resources on the battlefield and ensuring card draw simultaneously.

Kresh the Bloodbraided - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Greven il-Vec by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Greven il-Vec MTG card by a specific set like Vanguard Series, 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 Greven il-Vec and other MTG cards: