Necropolis MTG Card


Necropolis - The Dark
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Wall
Abilities Defender
Released1994-08-01
Set symbol
Set nameThe Dark
Set codeDRK
Power 0
Toughness 1
Number105
Frame1993
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byNéNé Thomas

Key Takeaways

  1. Necropolis enhances strategies by turning graveyard creatures into card advantage and resource acceleration.
  2. Limited by specific mana requirements and a discard condition, Necropolis may strain deck versatility and resource management.
  3. It offers strong combo potential and meta relevance, but strategies against it include graveyard hate and exile effects.

Text of card

Counts as a wall. : Take a creature in your graveyard and remove it from the game. Put X +0/+1 counters on Necropolis, where X is the removed creature's casting cost.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Necropolis provides a strategic edge by offering a steady stream of card advantage. As it gradually converts graveyard resources into card draws, it enhances your game position with each creature that’s funneled through its ability.

Resource Acceleration: This enchantment taps into resource acceleration by allowing you to exploit your graveyard as an asset. By processing your creatures after they’ve served their purpose, Necropolis accelerates your resource utilization, setting you ahead in the resource race.

Instant Speed: Despite not being an instant itself, Necropolis complements instant speed strategies. It enables you to use your creatures and other instant-speed interactions in innovative ways. It does this by giving value to creatures even after they might be used defensively or sacrificed at instant speed, further leveraging every card played.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Necropolis card mechanism compels players to discard a card to activate its ability. This can hinder your game if your hand is already depleting and you’re unable to spare valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Necropolis requires a dedicated mana setup to cast, demanding black mana that may not seamlessly fit into multicolored deck strategies, thereby reducing its versatility across different deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While offering a potentially beneficial effect, the mana investment to get Necropolis on the field is significant. Considering most strategies, there are alternatives with lower mana costs and comparable or even superior capabilities.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Necropolis card can serve multiple roles in your deck. It’s not just a creature; it’s also a graveyard manipulator that can make use of your own cards that end up in the graveyard, providing sustained value throughout the game.

Combo Potential: This card has inherent synergies that can be exploited in decks that focus on creature sacrifice or death-triggered abilities, making it a prime candidate for combo-centric strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where graveyard-based strategies are prevalent, Necropolis can be a game-changer. It can adapt to the current meta and can act as both an offensive and defensive asset, depending on how the match unfolds.


How to Beat Necropolis

Overcoming Necropolis in Magic: The Gathering involves tactical planning and a keen understanding of this artifact creature’s strengths and weaknesses. Primarily, Necropolis thrives in a game where graveyard manipulation is prominent, reassembling itself from the deceased creatures’ remains. One efficient strategy to dismantle its advantage is through graveyard hate cards. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt, which exiles a player’s graveyard, make it so Necropolis can’t leverage dead creatures to grow in power or to reanimate itself.

Additionally, leveraging exile effects can permanently handle the troublesome artifact creature. With spells like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, you can remove Necropolis without the worry of it returning from the graveyard. Direct destruction is less effective, as it plays into Necropolis’s recursive nature.

Also, counterspells are invaluable. By denying Necropolis’s initial cast, you preserve your graveyard’s integrity and keep the playing field clear of this undying threat. Ultimately, the game plan against Necropolis demands foresight and the right card choices to prevent it from becoming an unyielding force on the battlefield.


Cards like Necropolis

When exploring the realm of powerful artifact cards in Magic the Gathering, Necropolis stands as an intriguing point of comparison. It’s similar to cards like Phyrexian Processor, as both allow players to pay life and tap into the creation of creature tokens. Necropolis differs in that it creates 2/2 black and red Necropolis creature tokens, and the life payment is not optional nor is it a one-time cost; it’s a necessity at the end of each turn for each untapped creature you control that didn’t attack.

Drudge Spell is another counterpart, sharing the theme of creating creature tokens from your graveyard. While Necropolis generates tokens based on untapped creatures, Drudge Spell requires you to exile two creature cards from your graveyard to create a Zombie. This distinction is crucial because Necropolis can steadily supply an army without depleting your graveyard resources. Conversely, Mortuary provides a benefit from creatures dying by placing them on top of your library, offering recurring potential for card advantage instead of immediate token generation.

Each artifact offers its own strategic approach. The relentless token production of Necropolis provides consistent battlefield presence that can be leveraged in various decks, making it a unique option for those looking to exploit untapped creatures.

Phyrexian Processor - MTG Card versions
Drudge Spell - MTG Card versions
Mortuary - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Processor - Urza's Saga (USG)
Drudge Spell - Homelands (HML)
Mortuary - Stronghold (STH)

Cards similar to Necropolis by color, type and mana cost

Ring of Renewal - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Avian - MTG Card versions
Gauntlets of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Soldevi Steam Beast - MTG Card versions
Sand Golem - MTG Card versions
Pandora's Box - MTG Card versions
Belbe's Portal - MTG Card versions
Crumbling Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Mind's Eye - MTG Card versions
Horizon Stone - MTG Card versions
The Deck of Many Things - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Vorrac - MTG Card versions
Timesifter - MTG Card versions
Leveler - MTG Card versions
Myr Matrix - MTG Card versions
Dross Golem - MTG Card versions
Razormane Masticore - MTG Card versions
Thran Golem - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Hydra - MTG Card versions
Ring of Renewal - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Clockwork Avian - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Gauntlets of Chaos - Chronicles (CHR)
Soldevi Steam Beast - Alliances (ALL)
Sand Golem - Mirage (MIR)
Pandora's Box - Astral Cards (PAST)
Belbe's Portal - Nemesis (NEM)
Crumbling Sanctuary - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Mind's Eye - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Horizon Stone - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
The Deck of Many Things - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Clockwork Vorrac - Mirrodin (MRD)
Timesifter - Mirrodin (MRD)
Leveler - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Myr Matrix - Darksteel (DST)
Dross Golem - Darksteel (DST)
Razormane Masticore - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Thran Golem - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Coat of Arms - The List (PLST)
Clockwork Hydra - Time Spiral (TSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Necropolis MTG card by a specific set like The Dark, 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 Necropolis and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Necropolis has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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