This can easily see play in Modern Jund decks since all of the abilities will be relivent in the format.
Superllama12
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This will see play in many formats. Legacy against dredge/fetchlands, Modern against fetchlands, and every format against Snapcaster Mage
CammyWhite
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(5 votes)
Badass art
useful card
4.5/5 for an overrated pricetag
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
The key words are "from a graveyard." Incredible utility for a 1-drop.
thisisnotmyname
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Combos with fetch lands in eternal formats to be a reliable turn one mana dork. If you have fetches, then there is this, Llanowar Elves, Fyndhorn Elves, and Arbor Elf. This is often better with the two toughness and the ability to hate on graveyards.
darkrai88
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Wait a minute... exiling a land, creature, or instant/sorcery isn't part of the cost. Am I not recalling the rules correctly, or can you use his abilities without removing something from a graveyard if it's not there?
Anyone have clarification on this? If there are no spells in any graveyard, can you just : Deal 2 damage to a target?
Cyberium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like the second ability the most, given that you could exile opponent's spells to prevent them from reusing, or you can do it on your own spells to deliver final blows.
ThisisSakon
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
P1: "You have to target a card first before it gains flashback, right?" P2: "Yeah..." P1: "K, then that one" *points*
I feel that this is really gonna anger some Snapcaster players XD
ChozoGhost
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You cannot use his abilities unless the appropriate card is in the graveyard. Each ability has a target. You can't activate them if there's no legal target.
Sweet card, though. Looks like a lot of fun to use.
Demento_Recraves
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(26 votes)
Captain Planet's morbid cousin.
"Remember kids, recycle everything! EVERYTHING!"
Lotsofpoopy
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(18 votes)
Pros like me will combo this with Evolving Wilds so the first ability can be used without land destruction.
shotoku64
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Exile what you milled from you and your opponents, then exile the instants and sorceries you used to mill you and your opponents. Seems efficient and very much like Golgari
Goatllama
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(7 votes)
What? There's three planeswalkers in RTR?
HappyJackington
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@darkrai88 Even though exiling a card is not in the cost for the shaman's ability it still comes before the other part of the ability in the text so if that cannot be satisfied then the rest of the ability is countered. Meaning you can tap the guy for the fun of it and have nothing happen.
Trygon_Predator
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
Fits in perfectly with the Golgari recycling theme, and great for dealing with specific cards in graveyards. May see play. If his abilities didn't require tapping, it would be broken.
General_Naga
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
New Favorite EDH 1-Drop.
steinburger1109
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(2 votes)
If I'm correct, without a legal target when it resolves, none of it will resolve. So you must exile some instant or sorcery to deal the two damage or exile some creature to gain the life.
LordRandomness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
First turn drop that completely hoses a LOT of graveyard strategies. This guy is Relic of Progenitus, only you choose what to exile and you get benefits for it! The biggest noticeable downside is that he can't stop artifact recursion, but given that Scars just vanished, who cares? As far as one drops go, Deathrite Shaman is way up there, especially since he acts as a mana dork on top of everything else if your opponent is running fetchlands.
OWNdizzaled
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Love this card, I would like to know, however, how Wizards wrote the rulings for this almost 8 years ago...
MyrBattlecube
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
So it's Birds of Paradise. Sometimes. Under unreliable circumstances that Self Mill has the best chance of pulling off. And it has limited uses of that mana ability.
pedrodyl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Methinks it is playable in legacy to counter RUG Delver decks, good sideboard material at least if there isn't room for it in the main.
Caspalta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@HappyJackington, steinburger1109 and darkrai88
You can't use the bottom 2 abilities if there is no card to target because there is no card to target... You can't cast counterspell from your hand if there are no spells on the stack because it needs a target when you cast it, so same goes for here, you don't even have the option to tap it as long as there are no legal targets in the graveyard. The way it is formatted means that when you do use, say, G, T: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life to exile a arbor elf in your opponents graveyard, The card is exiled after it resolves as opposed to before so an opponent could still use a card like noxious revival in response to you using the ability to save it.
RAV0004
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Bajeezus. There's so much going on here, and I love all of it. I didn't use to, but then I learned how to use him properly. He just seemed so weak, first of all because I had no idea how to put lands into the grave that early, and second of all because I didn't think the lifegain was that relevant.
Then I realized (as Lotsofpoopy has suggested) that Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse turn Deathrite Shaman into an almost-Lotus Cobra, and that the creature exile is ALREADY a bonus, since it turns off an opponent's reanimator.
Mode
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Birds of Paradise and Grim Lavamancer apparently had an unwanted child they tried to abort, but somehow came to life anyways - as a result as a being with graveyard-embracing interest.
Odd stories aside, does anyone else find it rather ridiculous that a hybrid one-drop (that is half black) with three considerable abilities was given a 1/2 body? This would have easily seen play even as a 0/1.
The second ability alone can drain your opponents' (all at once, even) life considerably - even if you don't play those sorceries and instants and especially if you're playing against control decks, flashback decks and/or decks with Snapcaster Mage.
The first ability will also be rather reliable in formats where fetchlands are heavily played.
The third ability has good use against reanimator decks or similar stuff like Golgari's Scavenge effect. Of course Deathrite Shaman is a Golgari himself and can exile your creatures for some extra lifegain, but that's just even more gravy from an already excellent card.
AlphaNumerical
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Even though I haven't commented in about a year, I had to login just to comment on this.
Every so often Wizards prints a card that attempts to redefine the Legacy metagame. Mental Misstep. Scavenging Ooze.
There are just so many things wrong with this card I don't know where to begin. Hybrid mana costed cards shouldn't be stronger than single coloured, though they often are. 1/2 for B is better than what black should get already. I have no idea why this thing needs 2 toughness and needs to block.
The second thing is that it can hit any graveyard. Not just your own. And it can hit just about anything that ever sits in a graveyard. This makes it so powerful for interacting and counter Tarmogoyf, Knight of the Reliquary, Terravore, Snapcaster Mage, Necrotic Ooze - so many staples in legacy. It may even give you a chance against dredge since you can maindeck it, though you'd still probably lose game 1. But its maindeck hate, which makes Grim Lavamancer look like trash. Before you know it RDW will be splashing black for this. It will also interact with your own or counter Fauna Shaman and Survival of the Fittest. Christ.
The abilities too are just over the top. In 99% of legacy games there will be fetchlands like Polluted Delta which will be targetable for his first ability by your 2nd turn. Why not a turn 2 Knight of the Reliquary, which simultaneously weakening theirs? The lose life ability is just utterly crazy. Instants AND sorceries. ALL opponents LOSE 2 life, which can't be prevented. Utterly insane.
The life gain ability is the only one remotely fair, but hey, it can save your life, especially cause so many decks and cards, like Ichorid are based off creatures in GY.
5/5, the only reason I'm willing to buy packs for RTR.
alphagprime
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm going to go on record right now: This card is a MONSTER.
Also, it seems like his mana ability is getting the most attention especially in comparison to Birds of Paradise. If that's a fair comparison then I think he also needs to be compared to Grim Lavamancer.
Given that in most formats he will be a Golgari Lavamancer more than he will be a Birds of Paradise I don't understand why people are so geeked over his mana ability. He can take all of your removal spells and turn them into Shocks. Then turn around and use the creature you killed to gain life.
Grisly Salvage and this guy are going to be atrocious bedfellows.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Look at this. Anti-Snapcaster and Zombies. And the hybrid mana is very convenient (not to mention the mana-producing ability). About half of my wins at the prerelease were because of him.
Lord_of_Tresserhorn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I drew this in my Golgari guild booster yesterday, such a wickedly powerful little monster.
Today, I played Azorius and learned that if my opponent has mana over (and targets in the graveyard), you can't even detain the bastard, they just activate it in response, and they usually use it end of my turn anyway.
Valtiaal
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this will be more widely-used in EDH than Modern. Depending on the relevance of graveyard-based decks in standard, this guy might not be important at all.
Still a damn good card though.
TherealphatMatt
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
works quite nicely with Terramorphic Expanse/Evolving Wilds
Yozuk
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
@darkrai88
You need a target for each of the 3 abilities. If there are no instants, sorceries, creatures or lands in a graveyard none of the abilities have a legal target to be activated. So no, you can't just tap and cause 2 life lose.
MANABURNWASGOOD
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Cool card...
exquisite blood and sanguine bond say hello...not only that he feeds bloodchief ascension
GruesomeGoo
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Oh wow. This card brings so much utility to the table in the form of cheap graveyard hate, undercosted abilities, and a mana sink. All that for one hybrid mana, and comes with great art as icing on the cake. Incredible one-drop, one of my favorites ever printed.
NuckChorris
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's like this is made for Modern. Fetchlands make its first ability T-2able, use its abilities celverly and you can weaken your opponents Tarmogoyfs, oh and one of the abilities has the power of Grim Lavamancer, except the cost is changed into a bonus. And it's a 1/2 for hybrid.
Wurmcaller
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pretty happy I snagged one of these guys at Prerelease. He'll fit great in the Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord Sac EDH deck I'm building.
Ouroborobelisk
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
This little guy was HUGE at Sunday's pre-release. I cracked 2 in my Golgari pack for Two-Headed Giant and my partner cracked one in his packs and slide it over to me. This dude beat so much face when he hit the table. So good now I want another 5 to have 2 playsets!
mdakw576
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(5 votes)
I believe this is the sleeper card of the set. This card is 6 bucks and I think it will go up. It feels like grim lavamancer on steroids. Keywords are "from a graveyard".
Everyone knows the power of Grim Lavamancer in getting the last points of damage through for cheap in mono red decks by recycling already spent cards in the graveyard. This card does it one card cheaper, uses any graveyard and not just the graveyard of its controller, and can be played in not one but two different deck colors.
AncientTimer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Did Black really need a turn one mana dork also? Is there anything left in the game what Black can't do better than Green?
chainsmoker
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
so much graveyard hate in return to ravnica. maybe we should instead call it "sh** on innistrad" set.
RJStCroix
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
this guy puts in work all game long. turn 1 drop forest/swamp and this guy turn 2 drop evolving wilds sac it and fix you mana, tap him remove wilds and play your two drop anyways.
later in the game if you need a bit of life this guy helps, a pesky flashback/snapcaster-ish spell making you sweat this guy helps.
so many options with this guy.
Kryptnyt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy is high! High on FETCHCRACK! But seriously. Don't play him in a format without fetches.
Pocko
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
This card has great synergy with a Dimir/Simic mill theme. Mill the opponents deck and then feed off their graveyard! :D
Shard_Fenix
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Dear Wizards: Start playtesting new sets before you release them. This card is retarded. At first glance, you think "this would be a good sideboard card against flashback/scavenge/zombies," then you realize it's ridiculous even when not fighting those decks.
bfellow
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
It's a lesser version of Scavenging Ooze for Ravnica standard. Still very efficient.
wholelottalove
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Fine card but really fragile. I see people gunning for this creature when it drops. Not as versatile as many legacy cards for sure.
needwater97
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
a vaniila 1/2 for 1 is quite playable, but with those abilities... whoa
snickerpuss
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I nickname him Captain Hamlet. He loves recycling while he ponders existence by examining skulls.
mazmith
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
this card is gonna be nasty in legacy. the jund hierarch. 5/5
Kurraga
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
So good. Especailly in formats with fetchlands. It just does everything. Gains life, add mana, hurts your opponent, eats reanimation tagets, eats Spapcaster Mage targets and eats fetchlands, which can make this work like a mono-black Birds of Paradise. It also isn't bad without fetchlands, it puts a clock on your opponent or keeps you alive, that's not to be sneered at.
Reeltempting
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I have played him in a few tournies already. He is pretty good and I will keep using him. In my area though, many players play direct damage and in those cases he just gets pinged off asap. Even still I keep using 4 of him becuase of his low mana cost and that he basically forces an opponent to kill him, leaving opponents with less resources to remove the main threat of my deck.
I would suggest you do NOT make Deathrite the key to winning with your deck. And there is no need to. He has so many uses that as long as you are playing Green or Black he is worth it, if only to make the game predictable....I.E. if you play him you know what your opponent will be doing next...getting rid of him asap. So if bluehe good for drawing our a counter, red a bolt-ish card, black/white some crazy exile sorc/instant.
Don't sweat over using the fetch lands, if you don't want to in your deck. So many other ways to use him it isn't even funny.
I am not sure though is if the "undying" effect goes on the stack...if it does, then you can use shaman to prevent the undying effect, making him even more super amazing nstufzz. Gravecrawler? Buh-bye-bye...and snap caster etc. so many people have comented. If he was 3 mana totally different card, but for one hybrid...amazing.
Kirbster
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(14 votes)
They didn't print one-drops like this when I was a kid.
Cards like these make me wonder how much commission wizards makes off of the secondary market. Ridiculously powerful card for 1 mana, and a hybrid mana no less. Even at 0/1 and the abilities only working on your own graveyard, this is still at least a 2 mana costing card. But it's a 1/2 and you can totally crap on your opponents.
Semperpi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Finally something to do with some of my trash in Dredge.
EnShine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think mana coat 1 and it's Hybrid mana and his P/T is 1/2 !! and exile card in graveyard... a lot of ability in one creature - For me this guy is insane shaman !! look like Planeswalker that can activate his ability like instant!?
I think hybrid B/G that produce mana of any color, in my opinion this's Mythic creature. any way to play in casual , I will put 4x "Shaman", and hope to draw him in first hand.
Good gaming to every player :)
LordBubbles
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
True story.
A friend of mine pulled this card from a pack and decided it sucked. I offered to trade him a rare I wasn't using, and he accepted.
And thats how I got a Deathrite Shaman in exchange for Deadeye Navigator.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The best part, "from a graveyard" instead of "from your graveyard". I have never seen a more spike card in my life!
It could have been an 0/1 and be a champion. 1/2 is ensuring the pricetag skyrockets and stays there. Best card of the set!
Ligerman30
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card in a nutshell: Limited Player: "Oh my gosh, this card does everything!" *tables the card immediately* Standard Player: "Hey look, I found another grim lavamancer, but, in black? And look I can ramp into turn 2 Geralf's Messenger with Ghost Quarter. How neat!" Modern Player: "Goyf hate and Snapcaster Hate that comes down before snapcaster or goyf. Wow, cool 1 drop fits right into my jund deck." Leagacy Player: "Eh, it's something to do with the cards I pitch to force of will. I guess it's good." Vintage Player: "But, it's not mox lotus! *flips table*" (just kidding, most vintage players aren't like that.)
5/5 This card is a home run imo. Draft with it, play it in sealed, maybe in standard if you can get it to work, definitely play it in modern, and maybe even play it in legacy if you need another grim lavamancer. This card literally does everything short of beating down . Trade for your playset now before it's overpriced. (p.s. why is this a 1/2??? are they trying to kill sanctuary cat? But, seriously, why is this a 1/2?)
Domak
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I dare you to name a better all around quality 1 drop.
This card is a ridiculous powerhouse in the right deck while still being really strong in most decks.
Lord_Sauron
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Simply stop using all other 1 mana green or black creatures. This is by far the best and therefore only option there is. Card will soon be worth lots of money; indeed the Wizards' new cash cow.
This is still stupidly good though. Being a 1/2 helps too for when that annoying Devil that pings upon entry turns up.
x2FAR2CRYx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just got this card along with a foil lotleth troll a few days back. im getting a return to ravnica booster box in 2 days and omg i hope i get a jace or a vraska because i spent 110 bucks on it. anyway, deathrite shaman is a great card.
supafly13
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Very versatile card. Altho the strength in the card is graveyard dependent, considering it's a one-drop it is rare that it is not going to be useful as it can target cards in any graveyard. Of all the cards in this set, this is the one that should be considered a "must-have" as it's value has steadily increased in leaps and bounds in the past months. Fortunately I acquired my three playsets very early on as I expect this to reach ~20 dollars by the end of January. It can be effective in too many decks not to reach 20 bones. A staple across all formats for years to come. Get yours now.(Bad*** artwork too)
MojoVince
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
By his colors he should be Golgari but since Golgaris are using your graveyard you can't give it all to him , he's a wolverine ! Wait he can us an opponent graveyard ... Ok i see you coming Dimir elf spy ! If you are using only black he still can do his best , pumping and hiting ! I'm gonna mill with him !
j_mindfingerpainter
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Pretty bad rating for an instant 4-of in the dominant deck of Modern. Well, often dominant.
Anyway, if I do make my anti-Jund Junk ({G}{W}{B}) deck, this card will definitely be in it. It always does something, even if it never attacks. And then when they go to Lightning Bolt this card, I could play Harm's Way or something targeting their Shaman. Yeah, I should make that deck.
sonorhC
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Y'know, I remember when a 1/2 with no drawbacks for 1 was a pretty big deal, even in green (the only color that had it). Now that's available to black, too, and with some useful extra abilities to boot?
WarioMan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Outclasses Grim Lavamancer and I think it'll be the next $20 must have in Modern and possibly Legacy. Get your playset now while they're at $12.
The_Craft
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm very surprised this card only has a rating of a 4.2. Even if it had no abilities it would be at a 4(Sanctuary Cat). With the abilities I think it's a clear 5. Every individual ability is great and there's three of them. And not only does it cost one mana, it cost one hybrid mana. And getting cards into you're graveyard shouldn't be a problem with all the mill cards in this set and the last. If it costed 2 mana it would still be a 4.2 in my opinion. Maybe people are just tired of losing to it. Or they want the price to go down.
auhosj877
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I've had an argument with my friends about this, I'll see if anybody agrees. I believe that in any format where fetchlands are a thing, this is the best creature ever printed.
Salient
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Wow, even the Golgari are beating up on Dredge decks.
This might hit a price point comparable to Noble Hierarch.
Wow. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the definition of a utility card.
Jojabi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Opened a booster with this guy and a foil Lotleth Troll... But it was at FNM... I passed the Troll.
Scuba7787
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just ripped a foil DRS in a box. Should I hold on to it or trade/sell it for 45$?
ZimmerRemmiz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I knew this card was gold from the first time I saw it, pre-ordered a playset at $5 a piece, these guys have served me better than I ever could have imagine 5/5
Osprey_93
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
sure it's amazing in any deck that consistently fills it's graveyard but this card has easily found a home in my Dmir mill alongside Nightveil Spectre. You are going to be exiling cards out of color anyways so deathrite ramps/mana fixes into casting them. Besides milling into lands is kinda Dmirs "thing" now so don't ever expect this slick little guy to sit idle.
And if Chromatic Lantern has taught me anything, it's than foreign mana color is just another tool at the Dmir's disposal.
Lueseto
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why on earth is he a 1/2. He would be overpowered anyway as a 0/1.
Lord_Seth_02
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Boy, did people underestimate THIS card when it first came out!
TheKazu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Gimme one of these over a Birds of Paradise any day. Although its a bit more complicated to net that 1 mana, it gains healing power, burn power, graveyard disruption, and an extra point of toughness, not to mention usability in monoblack decks. Pure utility. Awesome. Its never sad to draw this card.
whoiam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think the person who created Bloodbraid Elf is behind this. That tendency to overpowered multicolored elves can't be a coincidence!
There is too much things in this card. Deathrite can be played anywhere. It removes the graveyards, adds ANY mana, and additionaly gives you life or cause opponent to lose it. Gosh!
The biggest threat to Tinder Wall's one-drop supremacy.
Xineombine
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Tell me, where is there a down side? I don't see one!
Redeemer707
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you run Terramorphic Expanse to use for the mana ramp portion, consider replacing it with Ghost Quarter.You can tap a land for mana, then tap GQ to destroy the land you just tapped, 2 lands go into the graveyard giving you mana ramp for more than 1 turn, PLUS you have an untapped land that you just fetched out. OR it also gives you the option of destroying one of their annoying lands (Kessig wolf run), while still giving you 2 for mana ramp.
That's a hell of a lot of utility over a basic Terramorphic, paired with the already ridiculous utility of this card, and makes for a VERY good black splashed mana ramp, over the green mana ramp creatures in standard right now.
Also, my absolute favorite part about this card is it's toughness. It stays alive with (My personal favorite standard card) Heartless Summoning.
I won't even get started on the other 2 activated abilities.
Gets a 5/5 from me
WolfenZ
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
MTG's first 1-CMC planeswalker.
EGarrett01
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
...and in case you didn't notice, that says "EACH opponent loses 2 life."
Laguz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Combos with deck.
Okuu-chan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Great with Deadbridge Chant for whittling down the randomness. Then again it's great with everything.
Cloak_of_Mists
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a Boros deck running Rest in Peace just to ruin this guy's party
Mindbend
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"I just havn't got room in my (insert deck which contains black or green) deck for this guy" .....said no one, ever!
Seriously if it had no abilities it would still be slighty undercosted
Hussalo
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I've had a play set of these guys since a month after RtR. I've recently used them with Illusionist's Bracers, and OMGoodness, board stalls are a thing of the past. Also, since the first ability is not a mana ability, Illusionist's Bracers will copy that too.
blurrymadness
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Iz in ur decks Warping ur formatz
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card doesnt need combos.... play it.
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
It's a 1/2 for 1.
It's not like it even NEEDS the extra abilities to be good.
MortisAngelus
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I do not deny his supreme ability of emptying graveyards, but one thing is for sure: He is even better at emptying my wallet and bank account.
lungsoftheocean
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
So much value here. TOO much value in fact. Talk about a format warping card. An insane amount of top performing decks in legacy, modern, and standard play 3-4 copies of him, and the archetypes for these decks vary wildly.
Plus this really hurts one of my favorite cards of all time, Knight of the Reliquary, and that is something I just can't forgive.
Vanukas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
If you look closely, exiling a card from a graveyard isn't a cost of the activated ability, ergo: You still get the effect even when you couldn't exile anything.
But even though, this card is superb.
Havens
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Vanukas
Actually, if you look at the text after the cost, it says "target", so you at least need to be able to target a card for whichever ability you are activating and need that card to be there on resolution to get the effect.
Also
@ lungsoftheocean
It does, in a way hurt Knight of the Reliquary, although, if used together with it, can provide you with a lot of mana for that one turn. Tapping a forest for mana, then sacrificing it to the Knight, to get another land to tap for mana, followed by exiling the land in the graveyard with the Deathrite will net you 3 mana for that turn. Sure it shrinks the Knight down, but if you need that extra mana that turn, losing a bit of power to get a second knight or another card out could be worth it.
GlintKawk42
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Probably the greatest 1 drop creature of all time; an absolute toolbox, almost as good as a planeswalker!
Mother of Runes has nothing on Deathrite. His second ability goes right past her!
This card bears all the markings of a modern-day creature: cheap, versatile, and completely one-sided. His abilities dig into all graveyards, yet he only heals you and only hurts the opponent. They don't make 'fair' cards anymore (just an example: Exile target instant or sorcery from a graveyard. The controller of that graveyard loses 2 life.).
Overpowered is underselling it; he appears in decks in ALL formats: standard, modern, legacy, vintage, commander, 100-card pickup, Yu-Gi-Oh... you name it, he's there.
tcollins
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
SO. MUCH. UTILITY.
MrBrightsideX11
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolutely wonderful ramper, especially in mill. Considering picking up two more so I can run four of them in my mill deck.
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
> is a 1/2. > Graveyard hate on a stick. > Ramps mana. > Gains you life. > Can serve as a wincon by itself. > Very relevant creature-type. > Is 1 CMC, and playable in two colors.
This card defines utility. It's no surprise that with the help of the simultaneously released Abrupt Decay, this guy turned Legacy upside down. This card sees heavy play in literally every format it's legal. That says something.
MCcreator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I like how it doesn't exile the card until the ability resolves so having a shaman locks down your opponents' and vice versa.
absreim
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Was meant to be hate card to answer Snapcaster Mage. It seems to have done its job a bit too well.
sk00gle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hell, I'd play this guy in a game of Texas Hold 'Em, he's so good. Like others who have posted here, I expect to see Modern as its signature format; and also like others here, I don't think he's a viable win condition on his own. Regardless, an absolute toolkit.
6/5, because I like improper fractions.
MasterOfTheVault
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is an awesome card, When your playing it. When your fighting it, It is the most annoying thing. Ever.
Fenix.
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Deserved to be banned. It ramps, nerfs graveyard strategies, pressures the opponent, gain you life for 1 mana, castable via black and green.
Honestly though, the most absurd thing about it in my opinion is the 2 thoughness. WHY IS IT A 1/2????
F33N1X
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Aaaand effective on the 7th of February, 2014, this guy is out of modern, and Bitterblossom and Wild Nacatl are back in.
sleuthyRogue
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Rest in peace, Deathrite Shaman...
...or not. You are Golgari after all!
casualhorror
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Good riddance, you latest example of how poorly balanced the "answer" cards are to the "problem" cards. The card it apparently was supposed to fight was Snapcaster Mage and instead of fighting this legitimate villain it ended up being a monster in its own right while failing to actually effect Tiago all that much. Sounds like some sort of super hero comic to me. Wasn't there another overpowered answer in recent memory? That also didn't have an effect on the card it was made to contain? Remember Thragtusk?
SNIKT
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Banned.
Sneetches
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Honestly not surprised that he's finally banned, but I still can't help to think that Wizards said "lets just abandon balancing and actually make this card".
MostlyLost
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
"Alas, poor Jund! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite value, of most excellent efficiency; he hath borne Top 8's on his back a thousand times; and now, how banned in my imagination it is!"
Drewskithelegend
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
"Alas poor yorick..."
This is a card that I severely underestimated. In all fairness, I don't really play modern so it was a little harder for me to understand how a card like this could be that powerful. I didn't notice that the damn thing DOES EVERYTHING. In EDH though, this is killer at just one copy. Definitely a lot better than it looks, and it looks pretty good to begin with. I suspect this will now be Legacy's problem, and by golly it is a problem. 4.5/5 by itself doing whatever in standard, 5/5 if you are playing against anything that cares about the graveyard.
@MostlyLost darn you, get off of my train of thought.
kiwhite
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's just *that* good
VineMaple253
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Time to move my playset back to Legacy Elves yeah!!! What's with everyone whining About a creature that dies to all removal spells. There are more broken cards in modern more deserving like fetch lands.
Quotations
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
""hey deathrite, i may suck, but at least they can USE me in modern"" -- tibalt on his trip to ravnica.
Enelysios
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
There's a Tapp for that.
raginglittepycho
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It's insane how much wizards hates golgari first our beloved grave-troll now our best friend DRS RIP golgari May wizards have mercy
Lazrbeams
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Goodnight sweet prince... And may hordes of goyfs sing you to sleep.
I’ve only just realised what his Green ability is. You tap a forest and then him to exile a creature card for life. In other words, he sets up a fire with some wood, and cooks the roadkill you found!
SirLibraryEater
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(1 vote)
You know a card is disgustingly good when it's banned in Modern before it rotates out of Standard.
DmitryM
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Show it to any new player, they will tell you this card is garbage. Show it to any long time player, they will cover for their lives.
I'll never understand what happened in between.
Personally, I sold my foil version for $40 the moment I got it from my store because frankly, I don't understand why it's so good and I don't know how to use ebay or anything similar.
Regrets? none.
wildbartty
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@DmitryM Have you ever seen a Grim Lavamancer in action before long you need a kill spell or it takes over the game imagine a Birds of Paradise for mono black, or a free shock a turn. It allows main deck grave hate, turn two Liliana of the Veil. In a standard match I've killed my opponent with 2 shamans, and a Lotleth troll When you think of it as a one-drop planeswalker, it warps the game around it This is just on a one mana elf In a draft it won the game, my opponent had a Palisade giant out with an arrest on deathrite, I drew a sundering growth GG
car2n
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Sweet art, fun ability!
diabolex
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
People, i get it, he's good. But the meta just provoked a ban on a piddly little guy that dies to, like, ANY spot removal. I know, i know, we hear this about every OP creature...does anything change? no, peeps in modern events still hold on to their lightning bolts for that imaginary 5 or 6 drop that is totally irrelevant by the time it hits cuz they just ramped. Why can't early creature removal be the new meta, instead of bans? I loved this guy, and i´m not just saying that. I literally kiss my play-set to sleep, before slipping them into their upright sleeves by my nightstand and have merry dreams of enemies with early mill decks. Those days are ash now, Wizards, and the light of standard play only grows dimmer by the day. When will i see my shamans again MaRo? When? It´s cold outside. I feel myself fading. I see them waving at me, from the clouds of casual-heaven. Someone is with them. Grave-troll? Is that you? They´re all smiling, everyone´s happy, the light grows brighter. I can feel it on my skin. Wait for me, guys. I'm coming home
observant1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is the best one drop ever printed, and its not even close.
Zoroaster85
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
King Tarmogoyf is so terrified of DRS that he managed to use his fame to lobby the Gamemakers at Wizards of the Coast to ban him from Modern play.
Continue
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Easily the most-played creature in Legacy, and one that proved too powerful in Modern. And it still has over three months left in Standard. It's that good.
Claytoon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why back in MY day we had Mons's Goblin Raiders and Merfolk of the Pearl Trident as 1CMC creatures. And we had to walk uphill in the snow to get to our LGS!
Comments (138)
3 relevant abilities,
Hits all graveyards,
Provides mana acceleration in black,
Gets extra use out of fetchlands after you pop them,
And is a Weapon against Snapcaster Mage, Undying (ex: Geralf's Messenger), Gravecrawler, Lingering Souls, Tarmogoyf and Knight of the Reliquary.
Great utility creature :)
useful card
4.5/5 for an overrated pricetag
Anyone have clarification on this? If there are no spells in any graveyard, can you just
P2: "Yeah..."
P1: "K, then that one" *points*
I feel that this is really gonna anger some Snapcaster players XD
Sweet card, though. Looks like a lot of fun to use.
"Remember kids, recycle everything! EVERYTHING!"
Even though exiling a card is not in the cost for the shaman's ability it still comes before the other part of the ability in the text so if that cannot be satisfied then the rest of the ability is countered. Meaning you can tap the guy for the fun of it and have nothing happen.
Sometimes.
Under unreliable circumstances that Self Mill has the best chance of pulling off.
And it has limited uses of that mana ability.
You can't use the bottom 2 abilities if there is no card to target because there is no card to target... You can't cast counterspell from your hand if there are no spells on the stack because it needs a target when you cast it, so same goes for here, you don't even have the option to tap it as long as there are no legal targets in the graveyard. The way it is formatted means that when you do use, say, G, T: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life to exile a arbor elf in your opponents graveyard, The card is exiled after it resolves as opposed to before so an opponent could still use a card like noxious revival in response to you using the ability to save it.
Then I realized (as Lotsofpoopy has suggested) that Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse turn Deathrite Shaman into an almost-Lotus Cobra, and that the creature exile is ALREADY a bonus, since it turns off an opponent's reanimator.
but somehow came to life anyways - as a result as a being with graveyard-embracing interest.
Odd stories aside, does anyone else find it rather ridiculous that a hybrid one-drop (that is half black) with
three considerable abilities was given a 1/2 body? This would have easily seen play even as a 0/1.
The second ability alone can drain your opponents' (all at once, even) life considerably -
even if you don't play those sorceries and instants and especially if you're playing against control decks,
flashback decks and/or decks with Snapcaster Mage.
The first ability will also be rather reliable in formats where fetchlands are heavily played.
The third ability has good use against reanimator decks or similar stuff like Golgari's Scavenge effect.
Of course Deathrite Shaman is a Golgari himself and can exile your creatures for some extra lifegain,
but that's just even more gravy from an already excellent card.
Every so often Wizards prints a card that attempts to redefine the Legacy metagame. Mental Misstep. Scavenging Ooze.
There are just so many things wrong with this card I don't know where to begin. Hybrid mana costed cards shouldn't be stronger than single coloured, though they often are. 1/2 for B is better than what black should get already. I have no idea why this thing needs 2 toughness and needs to block.
The second thing is that it can hit any graveyard. Not just your own. And it can hit just about anything that ever sits in a graveyard. This makes it so powerful for interacting and counter Tarmogoyf, Knight of the Reliquary, Terravore, Snapcaster Mage, Necrotic Ooze - so many staples in legacy. It may even give you a chance against dredge since you can maindeck it, though you'd still probably lose game 1. But its maindeck hate, which makes Grim Lavamancer look like trash. Before you know it RDW will be splashing black for this. It will also interact with your own or counter Fauna Shaman and Survival of the Fittest. Christ.
The abilities too are just over the top. In 99% of legacy games there will be fetchlands like Polluted Delta which will be targetable for his first ability by your 2nd turn. Why not a turn 2 Knight of the Reliquary, which simultaneously weakening theirs? The lose life ability is just utterly crazy. Instants AND sorceries. ALL opponents LOSE 2 life, which can't be prevented. Utterly insane.
The life gain ability is the only one remotely fair, but hey, it can save your life, especially cause so many decks and cards, like Ichorid are based off creatures in GY.
5/5, the only reason I'm willing to buy packs for RTR.
Also, it seems like his mana ability is getting the most attention especially in comparison to Birds of Paradise. If that's a fair comparison then I think he also needs to be compared to Grim Lavamancer.
Given that in most formats he will be a Golgari Lavamancer more than he will be a Birds of Paradise I don't understand why people are so geeked over his mana ability. He can take all of your removal spells and turn them into Shocks. Then turn around and use the creature you killed to gain life.
Grisly Salvage and this guy are going to be atrocious bedfellows.
Today, I played Azorius and learned that if my opponent has mana over (and targets in the graveyard), you can't even detain the bastard, they just activate it in response, and they usually use it end of my turn anyway.
Still a damn good card though.
You need a target for each of the 3 abilities. If there are no instants, sorceries, creatures or lands in a graveyard none of the abilities have a legal target to be activated. So no, you can't just tap and cause 2 life lose.
exquisite blood and sanguine bond say hello...not only that he feeds bloodchief ascension
Is there anything left in the game what Black can't do better than Green?
turn 1 drop forest/swamp and this guy
turn 2 drop evolving wilds sac it and fix you mana, tap him remove wilds and play your two drop anyways.
later in the game if you need a bit of life this guy helps, a pesky flashback/snapcaster-ish spell making you sweat this guy helps.
so many options with this guy.
But seriously. Don't play him in a format without fetches.
Start playtesting new sets before you release them.
This card is retarded. At first glance, you think "this would be a good sideboard card against flashback/scavenge/zombies," then you realize it's ridiculous even when not fighting those decks.
I would suggest you do NOT make Deathrite the key to winning with your deck. And there is no need to. He has so many uses that as long as you are playing Green or Black he is worth it, if only to make the game predictable....I.E. if you play him you know what your opponent will be doing next...getting rid of him asap. So if bluehe good for drawing our a counter, red a bolt-ish card, black/white some crazy exile sorc/instant.
Don't sweat over using the fetch lands, if you don't want to in your deck. So many other ways to use him it isn't even funny.
I am not sure though is if the "undying" effect goes on the stack...if it does, then you can use shaman to prevent the undying effect, making him even more super amazing nstufzz. Gravecrawler? Buh-bye-bye...and snap caster etc. so many people have comented. If he was 3 mana totally different card, but for one hybrid...amazing.
and exile card in graveyard...
a lot of ability in one creature - For me this guy is insane shaman !!
look like Planeswalker that can activate his ability like instant!?
I think hybrid B/G that produce mana of any color, in my opinion this's Mythic creature.
any way to play in casual , I will put 4x "Shaman", and hope to draw him in first hand.
Good gaming to every player :)
A friend of mine pulled this card from a pack and decided it sucked. I offered to trade him a rare I wasn't using, and he accepted.
And thats how I got a Deathrite Shaman in exchange for Deadeye Navigator.
It could have been an 0/1 and be a champion. 1/2 is ensuring the pricetag skyrockets and stays there. Best card of the set!
Limited Player: "Oh my gosh, this card does everything!" *tables the card immediately*
Standard Player: "Hey look, I found another grim lavamancer, but, in black? And look I can ramp into turn 2 Geralf's Messenger with Ghost Quarter. How neat!"
Modern Player: "Goyf hate and Snapcaster Hate that comes down before snapcaster or goyf. Wow, cool 1 drop fits right into my jund deck."
Leagacy Player: "Eh, it's something to do with the cards I pitch to force of will. I guess it's good."
Vintage Player: "But, it's not mox lotus! *flips table*" (just kidding, most vintage players aren't like that.)
5/5
This card is a home run imo. Draft with it, play it in sealed, maybe in standard if you can get it to work, definitely play it in modern, and maybe even play it in legacy if you need another grim lavamancer. This card literally does everything short of beating down . Trade for your playset now before it's overpriced. (p.s. why is this a 1/2??? are they trying to kill sanctuary cat? But, seriously, why is this a 1/2?)
This card is a ridiculous powerhouse in the right deck while still being really strong in most decks.
Card will soon be worth lots of money; indeed the Wizards' new cash cow.
This is still stupidly good though. Being a 1/2 helps too for when that annoying Devil that pings upon entry turns up.
Wait he can us an opponent graveyard ... Ok i see you coming Dimir elf spy !
If you are using only black he still can do his best , pumping and hiting !
I'm gonna mill with him !
Anyway, if I do make my anti-Jund Junk ({G}{W}{B}) deck, this card will definitely be in it. It always does something, even if it never attacks. And then when they go to Lightning Bolt this card, I could play Harm's Way or something targeting their Shaman. Yeah, I should make that deck.
This might hit a price point comparable to Noble Hierarch.
Wow. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the definition of a utility card.
And if Chromatic Lantern has taught me anything, it's than foreign mana color is just another tool at the Dmir's disposal.
There is too much things in this card. Deathrite can be played anywhere. It removes the graveyards, adds ANY mana, and additionaly gives you life or cause opponent to lose it. Gosh!
It should have been "a child of Llanowar Elves and Elves of Deep Shadow", so it would produce only G and B mana.
That's a hell of a lot of utility over a basic Terramorphic, paired with the already ridiculous utility of this card, and makes for a VERY good black splashed mana ramp, over the green mana ramp creatures in standard right now.
Also, my absolute favorite part about this card is it's toughness. It stays alive with (My personal favorite standard card) Heartless Summoning.
I won't even get started on the other 2 activated abilities.
Gets a 5/5 from me
I have a Boros deck running Rest in Peace
just to ruin this guy's party
Seriously if it had no abilities it would still be slighty undercosted
Warping ur formatz
It's not like it even NEEDS the extra abilities to be good.
Plus this really hurts one of my favorite cards of all time, Knight of the Reliquary, and that is something I just can't forgive.
You still get the effect even when you couldn't exile anything.
But even though, this card is superb.
Actually, if you look at the text after the cost, it says "target", so you at least need to be able to target a card for whichever ability you are activating and need that card to be there on resolution to get the effect.
Also
@ lungsoftheocean
It does, in a way hurt Knight of the Reliquary, although, if used together with it, can provide you with a lot of mana for that one turn. Tapping a forest for mana, then sacrificing it to the Knight, to get another land to tap for mana, followed by exiling the land in the graveyard with the Deathrite will net you 3 mana for that turn. Sure it shrinks the Knight down, but if you need that extra mana that turn, losing a bit of power to get a second knight or another card out could be worth it.
@Arachnos: Maybe if it was 1996...
This card bears all the markings of a modern-day creature: cheap, versatile, and completely one-sided. His abilities dig into all graveyards, yet he only heals you and only hurts the opponent. They don't make 'fair' cards anymore (just an example: Exile target instant or sorcery from a graveyard. The controller of that graveyard loses 2 life.).
Overpowered is underselling it; he appears in decks in ALL formats: standard, modern, legacy, vintage, commander, 100-card pickup, Yu-Gi-Oh... you name it, he's there.
> Graveyard hate on a stick.
> Ramps mana.
> Gains you life.
> Can serve as a wincon by itself.
> Very relevant creature-type.
> Is 1 CMC, and playable in two colors.
This card defines utility. It's no surprise that with the help of the simultaneously released Abrupt Decay, this guy turned Legacy upside down. This card sees heavy play in literally every format it's legal. That says something.
6/5, because I like improper fractions.
Honestly though, the most absurd thing about it in my opinion is the 2 thoughness. WHY IS IT A 1/2????
...or not. You are Golgari after all!
This is a card that I severely underestimated. In all fairness, I don't really play modern so it was a little harder for me to understand how a card like this could be that powerful. I didn't notice that the damn thing DOES EVERYTHING. In EDH though, this is killer at just one copy. Definitely a lot better than it looks, and it looks pretty good to begin with. I suspect this will now be Legacy's problem, and by golly it is a problem. 4.5/5 by itself doing whatever in standard, 5/5 if you are playing against anything that cares about the graveyard.
@MostlyLost darn you, get off of my train of thought.
Ahhhh. That's better! :D
Show it to any long time player, they will cover for their lives.
I'll never understand what happened in between.
Personally, I sold my foil version for $40 the moment I got it from my store because frankly, I don't understand why it's so good and I don't know how to use ebay or anything similar.
Regrets? none.
Have you ever seen a Grim Lavamancer in action before long you need a kill spell
or it takes over the game imagine a Birds of Paradise for mono black, or a free shock a turn. It allows main deck grave hate, turn two Liliana of the Veil.
In a standard match I've killed my opponent with 2 shamans, and a Lotleth troll
When you think of it as a one-drop planeswalker, it warps the game around it
This is just on a one mana elf
In a draft it won the game, my opponent had a Palisade giant out with an arrest on deathrite, I drew a sundering growth
GG