Dredge MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Number	103
Frame	1997
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Donato Giancola

Key Takeaways

Dredge allows replacing draws with graveyard retrieval, creating unique in-game resource advantages.
Deckbuilding with Dredge needs careful color consideration, with a focus on black and green.
Dredge mechanics can be central in strategies for decks that thrive on graveyards and combos.

Text of card

Sacrifice a creature or land. Draw a card.

"I'd strip away the world to see what's under it, but I'd never just leave it to these Phyrexian parasites and their false god." —Urborg witch

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dredge provides a unique form of card advantage by allowing a player to replace their normal draw with a variety of cards from the graveyard. This can lead to significant gains in the resources available during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: By utilizing the Dredge mechanic, players can rapidly fill their graveyard, which can be leveraged by other cards and abilities that interact with the graveyard to accelerate resource availability and gain an edge over the competition.

Instant Speed: While Dredge itself does not operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with instant-speed cards, giving players the flexibility to fill the graveyard on their opponent’s turn and gain immediate access to those cards during their own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Dredge mechanic often necessitates a heavy discard strategy, which could deplete important cards, putting you at risk of losing vital resources when you’re trying to set up your graveyard for the Dredge effect itself.

Specific Mana Cost: Accessing the full potential of Dredge cards generally requires a commitment to specific colors within a deck, typically green and/or black. This limits the versatility and demands a dedication to these colors, potentially restricting your deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Dredge avoids traditional draw, it comes at a cost. Many Dredge cards feature a relatively high mana cost for direct play from one’s hand, which can slow down a player’s game tempo and make these cards clunky in hand without the graveyard setup.

Reasons to Include Dredge Mtg Card in Your Collection

Versatility: Dredge cards are a staple in strategies that capitalize on having a large graveyard. They enable different game plans, ranging from fueling delve abilities to empowering creature recursions or threshold mechanics.

Combo Potential: The Dredge mechanic synergizes exceptionally well with cards that benefit from or trigger upon putting cards into your graveyard. This sets the stage for powerful combinations and can swiftly tilt the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: Whether it’s Legacy or Modern, a meta that leans towards long, grindy games can be upended by the relentless engine that Dredge cards provide, making them a formidable piece in any strategic deck builder’s arsenal.

How to beat

Dredge as a strategy in Magic: The Gathering brings a unique challenge to the table. Known for its ability to quickly fill the graveyard and use it as a resource, the Dredge mechanic can be difficult to tackle. Cards like Golgari Grave-Troll epitomize the Dredge archetype, allowing players to replace their draw with a hefty mill, fueling explosive plays.

To counteract such a strategy, one effective approach is to use cards that can exile the opponent’s graveyard. Rest in Peace is a well-known option that can stop Dredge in its tracks by removing the cards from the game entirely, rendering the Dredge ability ineffectual. Other cards like Leyline of the Void work ahead of the curve by exiling cards as they hit the graveyard, preventing them from ever becoming useful. Utilizing instant-speed removal and graveyard hate can catch Dredge players off-guard, disrupting their game plan before it takes full effect.

Understanding the mechanics and having the right countermeasures in place is crucial. Sustaining consistent pressure while dismantling their resource engine ensures that players can stay ahead of the Dredge strategy and secure victory.

Cards like Dredge

Dredge as a mechanic in the realm of Magic: The Gathering stands out due to its unique approach to card advantage by replacing a draw with the ability to return a card from the graveyard to your hand. Life from the Loam is a renowned representative of this mechanic, offering recurring land retrieval. This provides a stark contrast to something like Stinkweed Imp, where the accent is on constantly bringing back a creature with significant defensive properties.

Consider Golgari Grave-Troll, a giant among cards sharing the dredge mechanic. It dwarfs others with the highest dredge number of six, alongside the capacity to grow in strength proportionate to the number of creatures in the graveyard. This potentially outmatches the utility provided by other dredge cards when considering the end-game scenarios. Then there’s Dakmor Salvage, a land with the dredge feature, that provides consistent land drops but does not quite contribute to board state like its creature counterparts.

Comparing these similar cards sheds light on the distinct strategic advantages that each version of dredge brings to the table. The dredge mechanic ensures that each play maintains its unique essence while offering diverse avenues to guide a player’s deck to victory.

Life from the Loam - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Stinkweed Imp - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Golgari Grave-Troll - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Cards similar to Dredge by color, type and mana cost

March of Wretched Sorrow - MTG Card versions

Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions

Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions

Howl from Beyond - Seventh Edition (7ED)

Dark Ritual - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)

Sacrifice - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Darkness - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)

Vampiric Tutor - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)

Vendetta - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)

Defile - Modern Horizons 1 Timeshifts (H1R)

March of Wretched Sorrow - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)

Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - The List (PLST)

Disembowel - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Surgical Extraction - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dredge MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Dredge and other MTG cards: