Grief Tyrant MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Horror
Released	2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Shadowmoor
Set code	SHM
Power	8
Toughness	8
Number	189
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Izzy

Key Takeaways

Grief Tyrant’s death-trigger can shift board dynamics, demanding strategic creature sacrifices from opponents.
Its specific mana cost and higher investment can restrict deck-building options, favoring certain strategies.
In the right meta, Grief Tyrant becomes a valuable asset against creature-heavy decks, offering potent deterrence.

Text of card

Grief Tyrant comes into play with four -1/-1 counters on it. When Grief Tyrant is put into a graveyard from play, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature for each -1/-1 counter on Grief Tyrant.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enables you to manipulate counters to gain potential card advantage by strategically eliminating opponent’s creatures and influencing the board state.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly a resource accelerator, Grief Tyrant can substantially swing the resource balance by its power growth mechanic, effectively working as a deterrent and protecting your other resources.

Instant Speed: While Grief Tyrant itself doesn’t act at instant speed, its death-trigger ability interacts with the game at any speed. This allows it to be a versatile threat, especially if you can sacrifice it on your terms during either player’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grief Tyrant’s potential to deal damage is contingent on creatures dying, which becomes a disadvantage if you’re unable to regularly sacrifice or have creatures removed from the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature has a narrowly defined mana requirement, demanding a hybrid of black and red mana that can be restrictive, making it less flexible for inclusion in a variety of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Grief Tyrant has a notable mana cost at six total, with four generic and one black and one red mana. This makes it a heavier investment compared to other options in the same mana range, which could provide more immediate or impactful board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Grief Tyrant is a card that brings flexibility to black-aligned decks. As a beefy creature that can alter the board by redistributing -1/-1 counters upon death, it can find its place in various strategies, from attrition-based control to midrange decks.

Combo Potential: Grief Tyrant pairs well with strategies that manipulate -1/-1 counters, enabling intricate combos. It can also synergize with persist creatures and sacrifice outlets, making it a linchpin in many combo setups that aim to clear the board or finish opponents quickly.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where creature-based strategies predominate, Grief Tyrant can serve as a formidable deterrent. Its ability to potentially modify combat outcomes and leave long-lasting effects on the field after its departure makes it a valuable asset in any collector’s arsenal against creature-heavy decks.

How to beat

Grief Tyrant is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. This formidable creature card from the Shadowmoor expansion has the power to sway the direction of a game upon its death, distributing -1/-1 counters equal to its power among your creatures. Mitigating its impact requires a strategic approach. Having enchantments or creatures that negate death triggers, such as Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void, can neutralize Grief Tyrant’s ability by removing it from the game instead of letting it hit the graveyard.

Counterplay can also stem from card effects that prevent counters from being placed on your creatures. By including cards like Melira, Sylvok Outcast or Solemnity in your deck, you can fortify your defenses against such abilities. Additionally, since Grief Tyrant’s death ability only activates upon its demise, instant removal spells that exile it, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, can be key in dealing with this mechanical monstrosity effectively.

Conclusively, while Grief Tyrant may appear daunting at first glance, a well-prepared MTG player can adapt their deck with the right answers to neutralize the threat, turning a potential setback into a strategic advantage.

Cards like Grief Tyrant

Grief Tyrant is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, fitting into decks looking for ways to manipulate +1/+1 counters and impact the battlefield on its demise. When compared to other cards with death-triggered abilities, such as Abyssal Gatekeeper, which forces each player to sacrifice a creature, Grief Tyrant offers a unique advantage by distributing its counters among target creatures after its death, potentially altering the board state significantly.

Scavenging Ooze stands as another relative in terms of interacting with the graveyard by allowing you to exile cards from the graveyard to beef up the Ooze. Even though it doesn’t directly influence the board upon death, the incremental growth and graveyard control create a different kind of strategic advantage. Grief Tyrant’s six mana might be steep compared to the two mana cost of Scavenging Ooze, yet it can be a game-changer with the right setup.

Finally, comparing it with a card like Skinrender, which also manipulates -1/-1 counters upon entering the battlefield, Grief Tyrant shows its uniqueness by dealing with these counters post-mortem, potentially catching opponents off guard. Therefore, Grief Tyrant inhabits a distinct slot in the MTG universe, combining the dilemmas of removal and the art of orchestrating surprise shifts in power during the game.

Cards similar to Grief Tyrant by color, type and mana cost

Rohgahh of Kher Keep - MTG Card versions

Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats - MTG Card versions

Deathbringer Thoctar - MTG Card versions

Rakdos, the Showstopper - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grief Tyrant MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Grief Tyrant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grief Tyrant has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grief Tyrant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.