Returned Reveler MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie Satyr
Abilities Mill
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Graveyard synergy and threshold tactics make Returned Reveler a flexible pick for certain MTG decks.
  2. This card’s presence enriches combo potential, boosting reanimation strategies and enhancing game play.
  3. Disruption tools like Tormod’s Crypt effectively counter Returned Reveler’s self-mill advantage.

Text of card

When Returned Reveler dies, each player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

The flesh is dead and the life forgotten, but old habits persist.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Returned Reveler is put into a graveyard from play, it allows both players to put the top three cards of their libraries into their graveyards. This can be advantageous for decks that benefit from having cards in the graveyard, setting up for potential powerful plays in the future.

Resource Acceleration: While the Returned Reveler itself does not directly accelerate resources, it can help fill the graveyard with lands or creatures that interact with graveyard mechanics, effectively offering a form of acceleration for strategies that rely on delving into the graveyard for resources.

Instant Speed: While Returned Reveler is a creature and not played at instant speed, its death-triggered ability can work well with instant-speed removal spells you may control. This allows you to time the milling effect at a crucial moment, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy while bolstering your own.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When discussing Returned Reveler, one detracting element is its discard requirement for activation. This can be a significant drawback for players when hand resources are scarce, as it forces a choice between advancing the board and maintaining card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Returned Reveler demands an exacting mana cost, one that necessitates black mana. This requirement can potentially restrict its inclusion solely to decks that run black or those with a robust mana base to accommodate such specific needs, thus reducing its flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the card’s ability against its mana cost, Returned Reveler can feel costly. Considering the card’s effect, there are alternatives that might provide a more cost-effective solution or a stronger impact on the game state for a similar or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Returned Reveler in Your Collection

Versatility: Returned Reveler’s ability to put cards from a player’s library into their graveyard makes it a versatile pick for decks that utilize graveyard strategies or threshold mechanics.

Combo Potential: In the right deck, this card can be a key piece, working in tandem with spells that benefit from having a certain number of cards in the graveyard or that enable reanimation tactics.

Meta-Relevance: As graveyard-based strategies remain a constant in various MTG metas, Returned Reveler can be a cost-effective way to keep your deck competitive within those themes.


How to Beat Returned Reveler

Returned Reveler is an interesting card in the world of MTG, serving as both a creature on the field and a potential catalyst for self-milling strategies. Its death-triggered ability to put the top four cards of a player’s library into their graveyard can be a double-edged sword, offering both an advantage and a vulnerability.

To successfully navigate against Returned Reveler, consider employing graveyard disruption tools. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt can nip the self-mill strategy in the bud, exiling the graveyard contents and nullifying any potential benefits your opponent might receive. Similarly, cards with the Rest in Peace effect can keep graveyards clear, ensuring that the effects of the Reveler are minimally impactful. Another strategy is to use removal spells strategically, choosing to eliminate the Reveler when its ability is least advantageous for your opponent, or using instant-speed removal in response to graveyard interaction attempts, rendering the milling effect moot.

Overall, while Returned Reveler can be a nuisance if it synergizes well with your opponent’s deck, a well-timed graveyard disruption or removal can turn the tide and move the matchup in your favor, neutralizing the threat it poses and keeping the path to victory clear.


Cards like Returned Reveler

Returned Reveler finds its place within the pantheon of self-milling cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its kinship is seen with fellow creature cards like Satyr Wayfinder, which offers the ability to look at the top four cards of your library and potentially land a land card in your hand, simultaneously fueling your graveyard. However, unlike the Reveler, the Wayfinder allows for selective milling.

Another comparable card is the Stitcher’s Supplier, an efficient self-mill agent that can stock your graveyard upon entering the battlefield or dying, similar to Returned Reveler. Although the Supplier mills three cards instead of four, its lower casting cost provides strategic flexibility. Then we have Nyx Weaver, extending the mill theme but with a recurring effect every upkeep and granting access to return a card from the graveyard to your hand; a versatility Returned Reveler lacks.

Evaluating the choices amongst self-milling creatures, Returned Reveler occupies a niche that balances effect and cost. Its strength lies in the undeniable impact of milling four cards in one instance, potent for enabling graveyard strategies. Especially in a metagame where death triggers and graveyard synergies are paramount, Returned Reveler can be a valuable asset.

Satyr Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Stitcher's Supplier - MTG Card versions
Nyx Weaver - MTG Card versions
Satyr Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Stitcher's Supplier - MTG Card versions
Nyx Weaver - MTG Card versions

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Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Returned Reveler MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Returned Reveler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Returned Reveler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-05-02 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Allen Williams.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-05-02Journey into NyxJOU 792003NormalBlackAllen Williams
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4602015NormalBlackAllen Williams

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Returned Reveler has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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