Ghoulraiser MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage from Ghoulraiser’s ability bolsters zombie tribal decks through graveyard synergy and unexpected resilience.
  2. Its mana-specific demands and discard requirement can limit deck flexibility and strategic options during play.
  3. Ghoulraiser’s presence in a collection provides versatility, combo potential, and sustains pressure in extended matches.

Text of card

When Ghoulraiser enters the battlefield, return a Zombie card at random from your graveyard to your hand.

"Come. Bring your brothers. Tonight, you feast on living flesh." —Jadar, ghoulcaller of Nephalia


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ghoulraiser’s ability to return a Zombie card at random from your graveyard to your hand can help you recover key pieces that have been lost earlier in the game. This effect is particularly powerful in Zombie tribal decks where the synergies between zombie creatures can lead to overwhelming the board, giving you the edge as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: By effectively reusing your Zombie creatures without expending additional cards from your hand, Ghoulraiser can provide a form of resource acceleration. This economy of cards allows you to maintain pressure on your opponent while dedicating resources to other strategic plays and board developments.

Instant Speed: While Ghoulraiser itself is not an instant, the return of a Zombie card from your graveyard to your hand can provide an unforeseen blocker or an effect at a crucial moment during your next turn, giving it a pseudo-instant speed quality by setting up unexpected defenses or combos for your next turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Ghoulraiser in your deck means you need to be prepared for its discard requirement. Every time you want to benefit from its ability to return a zombie from your graveyard to your hand, it comes at the cost of another valuable card in your hand. When your hand size is decreasing, and options become limited, this can hinder your gameplay strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Ghoulraiser’s casting cost isn’t just about the amount but also the specific mana it demands. Requiring black mana, it can restrict your deck-building options. If your mana base isn’t solidly focused on black or at least heavily adjusted to support black mana, including Ghoulraiser could lead to consistency issues during your games.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Holding a relatively high mana cost for its ability to bring back only a single zombie card to your hand, Ghoulraiser may not always be the most mana-efficient choice. Especially in a fast-paced game where mana efficiency can be the difference between winning and losing, Ghoulraiser could potentially slow down your momentum compared to other lower-cost cards with similar or better effects.


Reasons to Include Ghoulraiser in Your Collection

Versatility: Ghoulraiser fits seamlessly into zombie-themed decks, serving both as an early blocker and a means to refill your hand with more undead threats. Its role is flexible, working well in aggressive and control synergies alike.

Combo Potential: Its ability to potentially return another zombie to your hand creates opportunities for combos with creatures that have enter-the-battlefield effects or with graveyard-based strategies, amplifying the potential for recurring value.

Meta-Relevance: In games that tend to stretch into longer battles, having a card like Ghoulraiser can be instrumental. It ensures a steady flow of zombie creatures, maintaining pressure on opponents and bolstering your board presence consistently.


How to beat

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Ghoulraiser stands as a challenge with its ability to reinforce a zombie-themed deck. When Ghoulraiser enters the battlefield, it gives players the edge by potentially returning another zombie card from the graveyard to their hand, reinforcing their army of the undead. This seemingly humble creature can become a persistent threat if not addressed efficiently. To counter this, a strategic approach is to minimize the number of zombies in your opponent’s graveyard. Cards with exile effects, like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void, can help ensure that the creatures Ghoulraiser aims to bring back don’t return to the fray.

Targeted removal tools that exile or shuffle creatures into the library, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, can mitigate the risk of a recurring undead menace. It’s also worth considering graveyard hate strategies, as these can indirectly mitigate the impact of Ghoulraiser activations by ensuring the graveyard is devoid of zombie targets. With the right mix of exile and graveyard control, the Ghoulraiser’s potential can be firmly kept in check, tilting the advantage in your favor.


Cards like Ghoulraiser

Ghoulraiser stands as a pivotal card for players looking to enhance their zombie-themed decks in MTG. This creature, when compared to other zombie reanimators like Gravecrawler, offers a different approach. Gravecrawler can be cast from the graveyard, granting relentless board presence. Ghoulraiser, however, requires being on the field to activate its ability, which randomly returns a zombie card from the graveyard to the player’s hand when it enters the battlefield.

Another peer in the pantheon of undeath is Lord of the Undead. This potent lord not only boosts other zombies but also offers a more controlled reanimation by allowing the player to choose which zombie card to return from the graveyard to their hand for a small mana investment. Ghoulraiser doesn’t provide the same power or choice, but its lower casting cost can make it a more accessible option in the early game.

Zombies are a dominant archetype thanks to such variety in resurrection mechanics. While Ghoulraiser may not offer the power of selectivity or repetitive casting, its ability to potentially bring back powerful zombies makes it a key card in strategies seeking to capitalize on undead synergy.

Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Gravecrawler - Dark Ascension Promos (PDKA)
Lord of the Undead - Planeshift (PLS)

Cards similar to Ghoulraiser by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ghoulraiser MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed, 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 Ghoulraiser and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Ghoulraiser Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Steve Prescott.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 1022003normalblackSteve Prescott
22016-02-26Duel Decks: Blessed vs. CursedDDQ 582015normalblackSteve Prescott
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2382015normalblackSteve Prescott
42022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4182015normalblackSteve Prescott
52023-03-21Shadows of the PastSIS 302015normalblackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ghoulraiser has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks