Most card games have a discard pile of some sort. In Magic: The Gathering, it’s known as the Graveyard. In the early days of Magic, the graveyard was a place of finality; a discard pile, a consequence. But as the game evolved, so did its philosophy. Today, the graveyard is a toolbox, a fuel source, and a battlefield all its own. Whether you’re dredging, reanimating, or escaping, the graveyard has become one of the most powerful and versatile resources in the game.
The graveyard offers something no other zone can: asymmetrical access. You can fill it with cards on your terms – through looting, milling, or sacrificing – and then reclaim value from it when your opponents least expect it. Let’s look at that asymmetry and the gameplay mechanics that unlock the potential of your graveyard:
- Reanimation (Reanimate, Animate Dead, Unburial Rites): Bring back your biggest threats for a fraction of their cost.
- Dredge (Stinkweed Imp, Life from the Loam): Replace draws with self-mill to fuel your graveyard faster.
- Flashback & Escape (Faithless Looting, Underworld Breach): Cast spells again, often with added benefits.
- Delve (Dig Through Time, Tasigur, the Golden Fang): Turn graveyard cards into mana discounts.
- Unearth & Encore (Sedraxis Specter, Briarblade Adept): Temporary returns that swing tempo in your favour.
Okay, so that’s all cool. The graveyard rocks! But we love ourselves some Commander in these here parts. Here are a handful of Commanders that take advantage of the graveyard.
- Meren of Clan Nel Toth: Turns creature deaths into a steady stream of recursion.
- Karador, Ghost Chieftain: Discounts itself and replays creatures from the grave.
- Winter, Cynical Opportunist: A self-mill engine that leads into recursion.
- The Gitrog Monster: Turns land sacrifice into a card-drawing engine. Get some fetch lands into your deck to really get going.
- Muldrotha, the Gravetide: Essentially turns your graveyard into a second hand, opening up lots of options.
- Teval, the Balanced Scale: Self-mill, leading into ramp, leading into token generation. Sublime!
Of course, with so many different legendary creatures that interact with the graveyard, that list is far from exhaustive. I just wanted to grab a few different archetypes to use as examples.
To round up, the key strategic advantages of a graveyard-focused strategy are:
- Card Advantage – Every card in your graveyard is a potential resource waiting to be reused.
- Surprise Factor – Opponents often underestimate the graveyard until it’s too late.
- Synergy with Self-Mill – Cards like Satyr Wayfinder or Stitcher’s Supplier fill your graveyard while advancing your board.
Of course, with great power comes great vulnerability. Cards like Rest in Peace, Bojuka Bog, and Grafdigger’s Cage can shut down graveyard strategies entirely. Smart graveyard players always pack answers, or play around them.
The graveyard is no longer a grave; it’s a garden of opportunity. Whether you’re looping spells, resurrecting threats, or fueling combos, it’s a zone that rewards creativity, synergy, and timing. Mastering it means mastering one of Magic’s most nuanced and rewarding playstyles.
What’s your favourite way to use the graveyard?
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