Pointed Discussion

Quite useful, and underrated. Very viable in-block.

Looks like a Resident Evil boss. Doesnt it?

Best played in a mono-black, zombie heavy deck (duh).

4 Undead Warchiefs, and this guy is an 11/7 for 2B. Combine that with Corpse Harvester, and you have a quasi-infinite number of zombies flying into battle, with even the little 1/1's becoming 9/5's. Add in Call To The Grave...

One word: Unstoppable.

This guy is pretty sweet. They should reprint him sometime.

Ok card, but quite a bit worse than captivating vampire, imo. Vampires seem to be all around better than zombies.

Gravespawn Sovereign is a zombie I have mixed feelings about. He certianly has his place in a deck, I ran two in my zombie deck back in the day and I have played with almost every zombie in magic at one time or another. This guy is a finisher if he works, but he can also easily be a dead draw.

First lets try geting a basic feel for what you are paying for with this guy. 6cmc with in the cost for a 3/3 zombie is below par, TheImmortalSpike argues that with four Undead Warchiefs this guy is a powerhouse totaling at 11/7 for only a cost of . While I can not deny that this sounds great almost every zombie will be a power house with four warchiefs. If that is how you want to use this guy consider running a soulless one instead, even without ANY other zombies on the field or in the graveyard with 4 warchiefs this guy is a 13/9 for .

But what makes Gravespawn Sovereign a great card is not his power/toughness. What makes his great is his ability to reanimate the best creatures that have gone to the graveyard. Here is where many people may misuse his ability. To use Gravespawn Sovereign to his full potential you must pay close attention to when you use his ability. Usally his ability is best suited for when your opponents are attacking and you need a blocker out of nowhere, or right before your upkeep. Keep in mind that creatures with summoning sickness may still be tapped to pay this cost (including himself). In general if you use his ability right before your upkeep you never leave your self open to attacks since your zombies are not tapped out.

Like I said before I have a love hate relationship with this card. He is a strong card with a lot going for him, he is expensive for the body you get though, and he requires four other zombies under your control to even utalize his ability.

He is not right for every zombie deck, I learned that the hard way. Many zombie decks will not have the resources to make this creature an allstar member of the cast, due to either low mana curves or creatures that fit the 6 drop slot better or maybe even due to splashing too many colors such as Grixis/Nightscape decks (though the latter is less likely since he is a 6 drop and only requires ).

All in all, if you use him, play him wisely.

Lich Lord of Unx appreciates this guy offering his minions gainful employment. Mill opponent or self to find a big guy, then throw it back in their face.
Addition: Oh my, It's at instant speed. You can bring back that Emrakul yourflying deathtoucher valiantly gave its life to kill! You can grab a Progenitus milled by your Lich Lord of Unx! You can steal a Serra Avatar you just doom blade'd!

Serra Avatar goes back into the library alucard311 but we get your point

Try with Dralnu's Crusade and Siege-Gang Commander: With the Crusade in play, all goblins are zombies, so you can bring back siege gang for 4 more zombies which you can tap again and which will all have +1/+1.

Carnivale, gone horribly, horribly wrong.

This card is terrible. I don't even play black or use zombies, so how on earth does wizards expect me to use this at all? 6CC for a 3/3 creature. No thanks.

Drewsal, for those of us who actually do play black and zombies (Isn't it weird that there's more than just you in this world?) this is an amazing effect. Played with Undead Warchief and Cemetery Reaper, you put out bunches of tokens and tap them when they come into play to get even more creatures. Only problem is Noxious Ghoul.

No longer a Lord. :(

Somewhat fragile, but if you can somehow get enough zombies (Midnight Ritual comes to mind), you should be able to recruit one or two replacements before it gets shot down. Although a Necra deck could arguably use Teneb, the Harvester, the only problems being (1) barring haste, Teneb can't use the ability the turn he comes into play, and (2) you need mana at the ready with Teneb.

Greatly improved by Innistrad cards such as Army of the Damned and Endless Ranks of the Dead; you know, if having that many zombies isn't already winning you the game.

After you mill EVERYONE...play him...have fun. Not necessarily in that order.

It looks like it's choking.