Gravebane Zombie MTG Card

Mirage (MIR)
1996-10-08 - Number 127

Gravebane Zombie - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)

Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
1999-04-21 - Number 133

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie
Power	3
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Graveyard manipulation allows Gravebane Zombie to return and maintain board presence without using up additional cards.
It poses a persistent threat in graveyard-centric strategies, proving difficult for opponents to remove permanently.
Requires careful mana management and may prompt the discard of other valuable cards, thus planning is crucial.

Text of card

If Gravebane Zombie is put into the graveyard from play, put Gravebane Zombie on top of owner's library.

"A zombie's bed must be a lumpy one or he wouldn't leave it so often." —Rana, Suq'Ata market fool

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gravebane Zombie provides strategic depth in managing your graveyard. This creature can return to the top of your library after death, repeatedly offering you a blocker or attacker without losing card quantity from your overall hand and deck resources.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to constantly return from the graveyard to your deck, Gravebane Zombie can be considered a form of resource acceleration in graveyard utilizing strategies, effectively allowing you to extend the utility of all your zombie-related cards and synergies within the deck.

Instant Speed: Though Gravebane Zombie itself does not operate at instant speed, its ability to recur from the graveyard permits players to maintain a presence on the battlefield without having to commit mana to recast it immediately, freeing up resources to use other instant speed interactions and spells in the meantime.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Employing Gravebane Zombie in play demands that you discard another card, potentially depleting your hand and reducing your options during the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Gravebane Zombie requires a precise combination of mana, which might be challenging for players running multiple colors in their deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side for its effects, players might find other creatures or spells that provide similar benefits for a lower investment, therefore making the Gravebane Zombie a less competitive choice in mana-tight situations.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gravebane Zombie can be a flexible addition to a variety of decks, especially those that are focused on graveyard manipulation or those seeking resilient creatures for attrition strategies.

Combo Potential: Its ability to shuffle itself back into your library upon death makes it an excellent piece in self-mill or reanimator combos, continuously providing a creature presence on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where graveyard strategies are prevalent, Gravebane Zombie offers a recurring threat that can be challenging for opponents to permanently deal with, making it a worthy consideration for your lineup.

How to beat

Gravebane Zombie is a unique creature card that adds layers of strategy to Magic: The Gathering gameplay. This creature’s special ability allows it to return to the top of your library whenever it’s put into the graveyard from play. While at first it can seem like an unending obstacle, it can be efficiently handled.

To effectively counter Gravebane Zombie, exile effects or removal spells that do not send it to the graveyard are key strategies. Cards that can permanently remove creatures from the game, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, sidestep the Zombie’s regenerative ability. Moreover, spells that force a player to shuffle their library or exile graveyards like Bojuka Bog disrupt the recurring nature of Gravebane Zombie, stifling its potential comeback.

Another tip is to apply pressure with card advantage or board presence, encouraging a Gravebane Zombie player to use resources elsewhere. Utilizing sacrifice effects or using enchantments to nullify its abilities can also prevent its return to the library. Balancing your attack and defense while managing graveyard interactions is crucial when facing this persistent undead combatant.

Cards like Gravebane Zombie

Gravebane Zombie carves a niche within the Magic: The Gathering zombie archetype, akin to other undead brethren that manipulate the graveyard. When comparing Gravebane Zombie to its peers, we notice parallels and distinct features. Like Sultai Emissary, which offers the upside of manifesting the top card of your library when it dies, Gravebane Zombie does not transition to new forms, instead, it shuffles back into your library to return later on.

Another relative in this category is Relentless Dead, a card that shines with flexibility, allowing you to return it to your hand and potentially resurrect another zombie for an additional cost upon death. Despite this, Gravebane Zombie continues to distinguish itself with its simple and predictable graveyard cycling. Ghoulraiser presents another comparison, capable of randomly returning a zombie from your graveyard to your hand. Gravebane Zombie forgoes the randomness for the guarantee of another round of use, as long as it’s not removed from the game or exiled.

Ultimately, Gravebane Zombie’s resilience and the cyclical use from the library give it an essence of inevitability, making it a hardy contender in decks that capitalize on zombie synergies and graveyard interactions.

Relentless Dead - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

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

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gravebane Zombie MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Classic Sixth Edition, 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 Gravebane Zombie and other MTG cards: