Shivan Zombie MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Barbarian Zombie
Abilities	Protection
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	271
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tony Szczudlo

Key Takeaways

Enables card advantage and graveyard synergy, becoming a substantial threat within multicolored strategies.
Accessible mana cost quickens board presence, aiding in resource allocation for impactful later plays.
Complements instant-speed dominated decks by forcing opponents to act during their turn.

Text of card

Protection from white

Barbarians long for a glorious death in battle. Phyrexia was eager to grant that wish.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shivan Zombie’s unique synergy with multicolor and graveyard strategies can lead to indirect card advantage. It becomes a significant threat if paired with cards that capitalize on its creature type or enemy colors.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of mana acceleration, this creature’s low casting cost enables a quicker board presence, allowing you to utilize mana for more substantial plays sooner.

Instant Speed: While Shivan Zombie itself isn’t an instant, it complements decks that operate at instant speed. By establishing early pressure, it forces opponents to respond on their turn, keeping the way clear for you to leverage your instant speed removals and counterspells.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Shivan Zombie’s abilities can be quite effective on the battlefield, the card itself doesn’t impose a discard requirement. However, the absence of card advantage can be keenly felt. Players might find themselves wishing for additional effects or interactions that could help cycle through their decks more efficiently.

Specific Mana Cost: Shivan Zombie demands a specific mana cost split between black and red, thereby restricting its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate both types of mana. Players running multicolored decks may sometimes find this mana requirement taxing and may experience difficulty casting it on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to get Shivan Zombie on the field is two mana. While this could be considered reasonable for a 2/2 creature with two creature types, there are numerous other two-mana creatures in the ever-expanding MTG universe that might offer additional abilities or higher stats, thus overshadowing Shivan Zombie’s usefulness.

Reasons to Include Shivan Zombie in Your Collection

Versatility: Shivan Zombie’s presence in a deck can be a real game-changer in matches where opponents rely on protection from specific colors. Its black and red identity allows it to bypass protections from mono-colored creatures, giving players an edge over decks that aren’t prepared for multicolored threats.

Combo Potential: This card possesses synergy in decks that capitalize on creature type bonuses. With its Zombie and Barbarian types, it can benefit from various lords and tribal-enhancing cards. Integrating Shivan Zombie can help fire up a tribal strategy, especially in casual or thematic deck builds.

Meta-Relevance: While it may not be a staple in the most competitive formats, Shivan Zombie holds its own in casual circles and specific formats like Pauper. In a metagame where enchantments or abilities are targeted towards single-color creatures, it becomes a valuable player, dodging many of those restrictions.

How to beat Shivan Zombie

The Shivan Zombie holds a unique position in the realm of creature cards. Its blend of red and black mana makes it a versatile yet menacing adversary due to its protection from white. This protection can be troublesome, especially when your strategy heavily relies on white creatures or spells for removal.

To effectively counter Shivan Zombie, you might consider using universal removal spells that aren’t color specific, such as Murder, which can destroy any creature regardless of protections. Alternatively, board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God can bypass the Shivan Zombie’s protection by not targeting it directly. Moreover, exploiting its lack of keywords such as flying or trample gives you the upper hand by blocking it with creatures that can survive its assault or by utilizing creatures with higher toughness to stonewall it.

Tactics to outmaneuver Shivan Zombie also include ramping up your mana to outpace your opponent in terms of threats on the board, forcing them to make unfavorable trades or to deal with your more pressing threats. In summary, understanding and utilizing colorless removals, strategic blocking, or simply outpacing the threat can turn the tide against the Shivan Zombie in your MTG matchups.

Cards like Shivan Zombie

The Shivan Zombie stands out in the pantheon of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. At its core level, it is comparable to other two-colored creatures, such as the Viashino Skeleton that also enjoys a blend of black and red mana in its casting cost. Though both cards bask in the aggressive synergy between their colors, Shivan Zombie offers consistent resistance to being a casualty of combat by being immune to regeneration prohibitions.

Another parallel can be drawn with Rakdos Shred-Freak. While both creatures come from the aggressive Rakdos guild and share the haste ability, the Shred-Freak offers immediate impact with its haste, allowing for a quicker offense. The Shivan Zombie’s strength lies in its potential for a more resilient field presence, standing firm where others might falter. Lastly, Stromkirk Captain presents another card that shares the zombie creature type. This one, however, leans into boosting others, giving fellow vampires +1/+1 and first strike, creating an undercurrent of strategic superiority for vampire-centric decks.

Evaluating these cards next to the Shivan Zombie, it becomes clear that the diversity of MTG cards caters to an array of tactical approaches. Shivan Zombie continues to hold its own within the specific niche of black and red creature cards, known for their resilience and cooperative strategic value within their deck types.

Cards similar to Shivan Zombie by color, type and mana cost

Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - MTG Card versions

Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - MTG Card versions

Juri, Master of the Revue - MTG Card versions

Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions

Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shivan Zombie 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 Shivan Zombie and other MTG cards: