Golgari Death Swarm MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Bat Fungus Horror
Abilities Flying, Vigilance
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers sustained card advantage by retrieving creatures from the graveyard to the hand.
  2. Enables resource acceleration with graveyard synergies, crucial for Golgari strategies.
  3. Provides the flexibility of instant speed actions to disrupt opponent plays.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Flying, vigilance


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Golgari Death Swarm provides a distinct edge by enabling you to routinely bring creatures back from the graveyard to your hand, ensuring a consistent flow of resources and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This card synergizes with the Golgari guild’s focus on utilizing the graveyard as a resource, opening up strategies that accelerate your board state through the retrieval of powerful creatures or combo pieces previously lost to initial interaction.

Instant Speed: The ability to operate at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond effectively to your opponent’s actions during their turn, potentially disrupting their strategy while continuing to develop your own game plan without missing a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must discard another card to fully utilize Golgari Death Swarm’s abilities. This can be a setback in game situations where preserving hand size is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: The Golgari Death Swarm necessitates a precise combination of black and green mana, which could be restrictive for decks not fully aligned with the Golgari guild’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While bringing a swarm of creatures, the initial mana investment is significant. There are alternatives within the Golgari spectrum that may allow for swifter board presence or more immediate effects relative to the cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Golgari Death Swarm is an asset to players who relish in varied strategies. This card slots seamlessly into multiple deck builds that emphasize graveyard manipulation and creature recursion, adaptable to the player’s tactical preferences.

Combo Potential: The power of Golgari Death Swarm arises in its synergy with cards that feed off creature deaths or graveyard stocking. With the right combo, it can turn the tide of the game by overwhelming your opponent with critical mass or key triggered abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In a playing environment where resource efficiency and resilience are essential, Golgari Death Swarm stands out. It holds its own in the face of sweeping board clears and spot removals, commonly seen in competitive play, making it a relevant choice for strategically minded collectors and players.


How to beat

Golgari Death Swarm is a formidable presence on the battlefield, often anchoring a strategy that revolves around graveyard manipulation and creature recursion. To outmaneuver this card, one must interrupt the typical Golgari game plan. Graveyard hate cards, such as Scavenging Ooze or Rest in Peace, can be critical in this endeavor, effectively removing the resources Golgari Death Swarm relies upon.

Another robust approach involves utilizing exile effects. Cards such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can permanently deal with the creatures that Golgari Death Swarm seeks to bring back. It’s also beneficial to apply pressure and force unfavorable trades for your opponent, reducing the effectiveness of their swarm tactics. In this match-up, speed can be of the essence, so a fast-paced aggro deck could outpace the Golgari strategy before it fully unfolds.

Ultimately, success against Golgari Death Swarm depends on proactive disruption and maintaining board control. By understanding the deck’s intrinsic synergy and planning your plays accordingly, you can successfully navigate this challenging match-up.


Cards like Golgari Death Swarm

The Golgari Death Swarm card finds its niche in the vast world of Magic: The Gathering by offering players a unique blend of offensive and defensive options. In comparison to similar cards, such as the resilient Izoni, Thousand-Eyed, Golgari Death Swarm stands out. Izoni lets players generate an impressive number of Insect creature tokens upon entering the battlefield, which is dependent on the number of creature cards in your graveyard. However, Golgari Death Swarm provides a steady stream of creature token generation throughout the game.

Another comparable card is Slimefoot, the Stowaway, which also capitalizes on the death of creatures for gain. While Slimefoot may seem more mana-efficient, it hinges on the sacrifice of Saprolings for direct damage and life gain. The Golgari Death Swarm, alternatively, excels in overwhelming opponents with its creature tokens. Moreover, cards like Savra, Queen of the Golgari, focus on a sacrifice-and-gain mechanic, which fuels the graveyard strategy inherent to the Golgari guild but does not directly populate the board like Golgari Death Swarm does.

Ultimately, the Golgari Death Swarm’s capacity for generating a formidable army of insect tokens presents a persistent threat that, when combined with other Golgari strategies, can be a formidable force in any player’s deck configuration.

Izoni, Thousand-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slimefoot, the Stowaway - MTG Card versions
Savra, Queen of the Golgari - MTG Card versions
Izoni, Thousand-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slimefoot, the Stowaway - MTG Card versions
Savra, Queen of the Golgari - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Golgari Death Swarm by color, type and mana cost

Wormwood Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Spiritmonger - MTG Card versions
Deathbloom Ritualist - MTG Card versions
Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper - MTG Card versions
Vulturous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Grave-Shell Scarab - MTG Card versions
Golgari Rotwurm - MTG Card versions
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf - MTG Card versions
Deity of Scars - MTG Card versions
Creakwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Sapling of Colfenor - MTG Card versions
Marrow Chomper - MTG Card versions
Lord of Extinction - MTG Card versions
Golgari Longlegs - MTG Card versions
Korozda Gorgon - MTG Card versions
Pharika's Mender - MTG Card versions
Kheru Dreadmaw - MTG Card versions
Brood Butcher - MTG Card versions
Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest - MTG Card versions
The Gitrog Monster - MTG Card versions
Wormwood Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Spiritmonger - MTG Card versions
Deathbloom Ritualist - MTG Card versions
Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper - MTG Card versions
Vulturous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Grave-Shell Scarab - MTG Card versions
Golgari Rotwurm - MTG Card versions
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf - MTG Card versions
Deity of Scars - MTG Card versions
Creakwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Sapling of Colfenor - MTG Card versions
Marrow Chomper - MTG Card versions
Lord of Extinction - MTG Card versions
Golgari Longlegs - MTG Card versions
Korozda Gorgon - MTG Card versions
Pharika's Mender - MTG Card versions
Kheru Dreadmaw - MTG Card versions
Brood Butcher - MTG Card versions
Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest - MTG Card versions
The Gitrog Monster - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Golgari Death Swarm MTG card by a specific set like Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019 and Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021, 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 Golgari Death Swarm and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Golgari Death Swarm Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-11-07 and 2021-08-20. Illustrated by Ovidio Cartagena.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-11-07Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019CMB1 912015NormalBlackOvidio Cartagena
22021-08-20Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021CMB2 912015NormalBlackOvidio Cartagena

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
See more decks