Watchers of the Dead MTG Card

Graveyard disruption through exile can be pivotal, especially against strategies that rely heavily on graveyard synergy. Instant speed activation allows flexible and strategic use, providing a means to disrupt opponents’ plans effectively. Demands careful resource management due to its discard condition, which could lead to potential hand depletion.

Amonkhet (AKH)
2017-04-28 - Number 238

Watchers of the Dead - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)

Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
2020-08-13 - Number 283

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Cat
Power	2
Toughness	2

Text of card

Exile Watchers of the Dead: Each opponent chooses two cards in his or her graveyard and exiles the rest.

They are tasked with protecting the entrance to the embalming chambers.

Unpacking Watchers of the Dead’s Utility

Watchers of the Dead proves to be an intriguing addition in the realm of utility creatures within MTG. It shares similarities with cards such as Scrabbling Claws and Relic of Progenitus, which are both artifacts designed for strategic graveyard management. What sets Watchers of the Dead apart, however, is its creature type and the ability to become a blocker while also offering graveyard disruption.

Cards like Watchers of the Dead

Watchers of the Dead is a versatile card, akin to Nihil Spellbomb in its knack for disrupting opponents’ graveyards. Unlike Nihil Spellbomb, which requires a tap and one mana to activate with the option of drawing a card, Watchers of the Dead offers continuous presence on the board, ready to clear multiple graveyards without the need to sacrifice it. It lacks the card drawing utility but compensates by being a creature that can deter attacks.

Then there’s Sentinel Totem, another parallel in terms of graveyard handling. Sentinel Totem provides a one-off effect and exiles itself along with the graveyard contents, a difference to be considered when deck building. Watchers of the Dead allows for repeated use as long as it remains in play, which can be advantageous in longer duels where maintaining board presence is key.

Assessing these comparable options, Watchers of the Dead slots into a unique role, blending the dichotomy of a creature with an exile ability, tapping into both offense and strategic graveyard control.

Cards similar to Watchers of the Dead by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Watchers of the Dead doesn’t directly draw cards but offers a unique form of hand disruption by letting players exile cards from their opponent’s graveyard, potentially hindering strategies reliant on graveyard interaction.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a traditional accelerator, this artifact creature can indirectly speed up your gameplay by limiting your opponents’ resources, making it easier for you to outpace them with your remaining cards.

Instant Speed: Watchers of the Dead’s ability to exile cards from graveyards can be activated at instant speed, allowing for strategic timing particularly during the opponent’s turn or in response to graveyard-based actions, ensuring minimal disruption to your plays while maximizing impact on theirs.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in battles within the realm of MTG often hinges on resource management, making each card in hand a precious commodity. Pilots of the Watchers of the Dead must reckon with a non-negotiable condition that imposes a discard of not just one, but two cards if they wish to navigate the perilous ability of this artifact creature. This can rapidly deplete a player’s hand, leaving them vulnerable and at a disadvantage should the tide of battle demand a full arsenal.

Specific Mana Cost: Designed to demand a tailored mana base, Watchers of the Dead necessitates an investment of both generic and specific black mana for its summoning. This tethering to black mana restricts this card to certain archetypes, typically those decks embracing the darker, necromantic arts, potentially alienating it from inclusion in a more diverse range of decks that thrive on broader mana versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the vast universe of MTG, where countless creatures vie for a slot in a finely-tuned deck, efficiency is key. With a casting cost set at a convergence of two mana, one could argue that the ability yielded by Watchers of the Dead might lack the lucrative return one would expect. This becomes even more evident when contrasted against other artifacts or creature cards that offer more impactful board presence or strategic advantages at a similar, if not lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Watchers of the Dead in Your Collection

Versatility: Watchers of the Dead offers utility in various deck builds, particularly in strategies that require graveyard management. Its ability to exile cards from opponents’ graveyards can be crucial in disrupting their game plan.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with archetypes that focus on leveraging graveyard-based mechanics, acting as a strategic piece to control the flow of the game by managing graveyard resources effectively.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prominence of graveyard-centric decks in the current landscape, having Watchers of the Dead as a part of your collection provides a tactical edge. Its presence can shift the dynamics of gameplay, particularly when facing decks that heavily invest in using the graveyard as a resource.

How to beat

Watchers of the Dead offers a unique challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. As an artifact creature card, it can be a tricky obstacle, especially with its ability to exile all cards from an opponent’s graveyard at a moment’s notice. However, overcoming Watchers of the Dead can be achieved by prioritizing removal spells that can target artifacts or creatures. Direct removal spells like Abrade or Naturalize will dispose of the Watchers efficiently, allowing you to proceed without the threat of an instant graveyard wipe hanging over you.

Another strategy involves timing your graveyard interactions. Since Watchers of the Dead requires the player to sacrifice it to activate its ability, smart play and patience can pay off. Waiting until the end of your opponent’s turn to engage in graveyard tactics, or baiting the Watchers’ sacrifice before committing key resources from the graveyard, ensures you maintain control over your strategies. Rushing to bring cards back from the graveyard only to have them exiled can set you back, so play wisely to stay one step ahead.

Ultimately, it’s about understanding your deck and having a plan to deal with disruptive cards like Watchers of the Dead that makes all the difference in Magic: The Gathering. By appropriately timing your plays and having a responsive removal strategy, you can effectively negate the Watchers’ influence and keep your graveyard strategies intact.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Watchers of the Dead MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Watchers of the Dead and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Watchers of the Dead Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Joseph Meehan.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-04-28	Amonkhet	AKH		238	2015	Normal	Black	Joseph Meehan
2	2020-08-13	Amonkhet Remastered	AKR		283	2015	Normal	Black	Joseph Meehan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Watchers of the Dead has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-04-18	An opponent with one or two cards in their graveyard won’t exile any cards.
2017-04-18	When this ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is (if that player is an opponent) chooses two cards in their graveyard, then each other opponent in turn order does the same, then all of the other cards in their graveyards are exiled simultaneously. Each player will know the choices made by the players who chose before them.