Corpse Augur MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Zombie Wizard
Power 4
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Corpse Augur provides card draw when it dies, ideal for black-aligned graveyard strategies.
  2. Instant speed death-triggering lets players control their card advantage timing.
  3. Requires thoughtful play to maximize value, as death trigger reliance can be tricky.

Text of card

When Corpse Augur dies, you draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of creature cards in target player's graveyard.

Even when the flesh grows cold, knowledge waits in the bones for a master to release it.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Corpse Augur rewards you by drawing cards equal to the number of creature cards in target player’s graveyard upon its demise, a substantial gain in resources that can tilt the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Corpse Augur itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, the cards drawn can lead to more plays and more opportunities to utilize mana, indirectly influencing your resource management and pacing for the game.

Instant Speed: Corpse Augur’s ability is triggered when it dies, which you can orchestrate at instant speed through various sacrifice outlets. This manipulation allows strategic plays during your opponent’s turn, maximizing the timing and impact of regained card advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Corpse Augur’s ability hinges on it dying, requiring strategic planning or potential sacrifice outlets. This can be a hindrance if you lack ways to reliably trigger its ability or if the opposing player avoids killing it, denying you the card draw.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature demands both black mana and generic mana, which may clash with multicolored mana bases and is not as flexible compared to mono-colored or colorless options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana, including two black, Corpse Augur comes with a sizeable investment. In competitive play where mana efficiency is key, players may opt for lower-cost creatures or spells that provide card advantage or graveyard interaction without such a steep cost.


Reasons to Include Corpse Augur in Your Collection

Versatility: Corpse Augur is an excellent addition to any black-based deck, particularly those centered around graveyard strategies. Its ability to draw cards upon death makes it a multifaceted tool for both maintaining card advantage and fueling reanimation tactics.

Combo Potential: This creature’s death-triggered card draw effect pairs incredibly well with sacrifice outlets. By intentionally sacrificing Corpse Augur, players can strategically manipulate card flow and exploit death-trigger mechanics, leading to powerful interactions on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s applicability in the current playing environment, Corpse Augur stands out in metas that heavily employ creature removal. In such scenarios, having a card that capitalizes on the frequent demise of creatures can turn the tide of the game in your favor.


How to beat

Corpse Augur is a nuanced creature card that offers an impactful death trigger, rewarding players when it dies with card draw proportional to the number of creatures in their graveyard. This kind of ability can make it a formidable component in graveyard-centric decks, where death is not an end but a new strategic angle.

To circumvent the card advantage that Corpse Augur can provide, it is wise to manage your removal resources efficiently. One tactic is to exile the Augur before its death trigger can activate, perhaps using cards with exile effects like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares. Moreover, graveyard hate spells like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void will nip the problem at its root, nullifying the reward of drawing cards by disabling the accumulation of creatures in the graveyard altogether.

Another strategy is to employ counterspells, preventing Corpse Augur from entering the battlefield in the first instance. Effective counter magic like Counterspell or Dovin’s Veto can provide such a solution. By anticipating the moment your opponent seeks to gain card advantage and acting preemptively, you can maintain control of the game’s flow and diminish the impact of cards like Corpse Augur.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re delving into the realm of black mana decks, Corpse Augur can be an astute addition to your Magic: The Gathering collection. Given its ability to turn the demise of creatures into a valuable card advantage, it’s a card that aligns well with strategies centered on graveyard play. Enhance your MTG deck’s performance by leveraging Corpse Augur’s potential for card draw and combo plays. Keep in mind the metagame, and adapt your strategy to harness the power of this impactful creature. Ready to delve deeper into MTG tactics and refine your deckbuilding skills? Explore further with us and embrace the full depth of your card collection.


Cards like Corpse Augur

Corpse Augur is an intriguing creature card for any Magic: The Gathering arsenal, particularly within strategies that toy with the graveyard. When looking at cards of a similar nature, you may consider Midnight Reaper, which like Corpse Augur, allows you to draw cards when creatures die. However, Corpse Augur is unique in that it can potentially draw you a multitude of cards at once upon its demise, based on the number of creature cards in target player’s graveyard, setting it apart from the Reaper’s one-card-per-creature limit.

Another card worth mentioning is Grim Haruspex, which shares the theme of profiting from death by allowing the player to draw a card whenever another nontoken creature they control bites the dust. Where Grim Haruspex requires a more active creature-focused strategy, Corpse Augur isn’t picky about whose creatures fill the graves to apply its effect. Harvester of Souls further expands upon these themes, yet it triggers on any creature’s death—not just your own—although at a higher mana cost.

A reckoning of features reveals that Corpse Augur presents a compelling choice, especially for players capitalizing on graveyard manipulation. Its ability to reap card advantage from deaths makes it stand out in the realm of death-triggered draw effects in Magic: The Gathering.

Midnight Reaper - MTG Card versions
Grim Haruspex - MTG Card versions
Harvester of Souls - MTG Card versions
Midnight Reaper - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Grim Haruspex - Khans of Tarkir Promos (PKTK)
Harvester of Souls - Avacyn Restored (AVR)

Cards similar to Corpse Augur by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Corpse Augur MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2015 and Legendary Cube Prize Pack, 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 Corpse Augur and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Corpse Augur Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2015-11-13 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-11-13Commander 2015C15 172015normalblackScott M. Fischer
22015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 402015normalblackScott M. Fischer
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 522015normalblackScott M. Fischer
42017-08-25Commander 2017C17 1062015normalblackScott M. Fischer
52021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1092015normalblackScott M. Fischer
62022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7442015normalblackScott M. Fischer
72023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 1452015normalblackScott M. Fischer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Corpse Augur has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-11-04 You choose the target player as the ability goes on the stack, but you determine the value of X as that ability resolves. If you target yourself and Corpse Augur is still in the graveyard, its ability will count itself.

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