Why go get a card and throw it into your graveyard? Isn't that
basically like milling yourself? Well, yes, you
could use it for that, thinning your deck by one
card you know you won't need just to ensure the
increased odds of your next draw being relevant.
In practice, however, most people use it because
they've got graveyard recursion in their deck.
Usually it's reanimator spells like Zombify or
Beacon of Unrest. Sometimes it's Yawgmoth's
Will, or Spellweaver Volute, or even Nomad
Mythmaker. Sometimes the card you're Entombing
is itself the thing allowing you to use it from
the graveyard, because it has Flashback, or
Unearth, or Retrace, or is Wonder or
Thunderblade Charge or whatnot. And still more
cards don't actually care which card you Entomb
but still benefit from it being there, like most
of the blue Innistrad Zombies, or any creature
with the word "Lhurgoyf" printed on its type
line. The point is, in Magic, the graveyard is
just another resource. Some decks even manage to
treat it like a second hand, given how easy it
is for them to make use of the cards in it. And
in a deck like that, Entomb is basically a
Vampiric Tutor that doesn't cost you life. Still
think you're just throwing a card away?
Constructed- 4
Casual- 4
Limited- 2
Multiplayer - 4
David Fanany
Player since
1995
Entomb
All of the cards we've reviewed this week are
very powerful, to the point where they're
capable of seeming ridiculous in certain
settings, but only one has the distinction of
ever having been banned: Entomb. I never much
thought about why, until I saw a friend of mine
get use it to get Akroma into play on the second
turn. Animate Dead has a lot of innocent uses;
Entomb technically does too, but it's rather
overshadowed by the not-so-innocent uses, an
unfortunate effect from the fact that it was
banned. (Also, what graveyard strategy
absolutely needs a single card entombed at
instant speed, other than crazy stuff like the
stuff that got this card banned?) A little
knowledge can be a dangerous thing, it's said,
and the same is true in Magic.
Welcome back readers todays card of the day is
one of the best for reanimator decks and/or
combo decks. In standard unfortunately it is not
legal otherwise it would seem so serious play.
In extended and modern once again this card
isn’t legal but would be powerful none the less.
In eternal formats legacy and vintage especially
legacy is where this card shines being able to
Entomb and then quickly Exhume a Jin Gitaxis or
even a Iona Shield of Emeria is just so unfair
and powerful it makes reanimator deck viable in
eternal formats. In casual and multiplayer the
same concept can apply as you get a copy of
Entomb and Exhume all you need is some
threatening creatures to reanimate and this card
is just as powerful in casual and multiplayer
based reanimator decks. In limited it would
require drafting other cards around it is worth
a small amount of money so there is that to
consider. Overall one of the most powerful and
broken reanimation cards and the decks
competitively wouldn’t exist without it and it
is powerful for other formats as well.
Today's card of the day is Entomb which is a one
mana method of sending a card from your library
to the graveyard. As fuel for reanimation it
doesn't get much better than this as it can be
played early or alongside other cards in a
single turn. In Limited there is less benefit to
running a card like this as there are lower odds
of obtaining the combination of cards needed to
take advantage of a creature added to the
graveyard. Even if the format includes related
cards this is a fairly risky first pick for
Booster and simply choosing removal or a big
creature is likely better in most situations.
In Sealed if your pool supports it then it isn't
detrimental to include Entomb, but it isn't
really worth splashing or forcing unless
reanimation is present.
Welcome to
Graveborn week here at Pojo.com! To close this
week out we are looking at Entomb. Entomb is a
rare black sorcery that costs only one black
mana. Entomb allows you to search your library
for a single creature card and put it into your
graveyard.
Entomb is the best set up card for a reanimator
deck such as Graveborn. The reason is because
turn one you drop out Entomb, turn to you
Animate Dead whatever you grabbed! Turn three
you are swinging for the fences, and likely end
the game a short time thereafter!
The possibilities are endless as to what
you Entomb, but there are some nasty choices.
Imagine second turning the Blazing Archon. Now
until they kill the Archon, you won’t be
attacked. It is no wonder why Entomb is such a
powerful card. The point is that Entomb sets you
up for the win, on your first turn!
