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2005)

[Editor's note: Here's the forum link, it got lost again somehow.
http://ccncomics.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=1080 ]

It's October again folks, and I've decided to get into the Hallow

Hallow
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Text: Prevent all damage target spell would deal this turn. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way.

een spirit by writing an article (or perhaps a series of them) about some of the most frightening Black creatures in Magic. This season, I've decided to write one about my favorite creature-type of all: Zombies.

I admit that what really had inspired this article was an abundance of people with sub-par Zombie decks, each of them asking for help or some kind of advice. As I had taken my own Zombie decks to tournaments and many casual games successfully in the past, many people turned to me for advice. Indeed, I realize that this article is over two years too late for Onslaught

Onslaught
	Set: Exodus Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Enchantment Rarity: C Number: 92 Artist: Paolo Parente Text: Whenever you successfully cast a creature spell, tap target creature.

Block PTQs, but that doesn't mean Zombies are necessarily unplayable due to that fact, and this article is hardly about competitive play. One common misconception though is that a casual deck (while not competitive) doesn't have to be good. Therefore, before I continue any further, I'm writing this article for the casual player who likes to win, and really, who doesn't?

Take note that his article will also refer to some other popular cards that go well with Zombies and are often found in other Zombie decks.

When looking for good Zombies, look for cheap costs, unless your deck has a reanimation (Patriarch's Bidding

Patriarch's Bidding
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 161 Artist: Ben Thompson Text: Each player chooses a creature type. Each player returns all creature cards of a type chosen this way from his or her graveyard to play.

) theme. If your deck is more like Suicide Black (just quick beats and disruption) there are definitely builds out there for you. Look for the total cost to match or beat the power/toughness. Some Zombies are good for one kind and others are better for another, and of course some aren't good at all.

Tip: When looking for a Zombie that costs 1, look for a creature that can take down a 2/2 on its own. When looking for a Zombie that costs 2, look for a creature that can take down a 3/3 on its own or that has a good ability. When looking for a Zombie that costs 3, look for a creature with an ability that generates some sort of cheap card advantage. If you're lost, I will explain what I mean when I approach such a card.

Tip: If you have a Zombie deck of your own, keep an eye out for the cards you play in this article, as well as for cards you might be interested in. If there is a card that you do not know, I wouldn't recommend taking the time looking it up if it is rated a 4 or less.

~~ A ~~
Accursed Centaur

Accursed Centaur
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Centaur Rarity: C Number: 123 Artist: Jerry Tiritilli Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Accursed Centaur comes into play, sacrifice a creature.

- 1/10
This is one of those Zombies that are just bad. A 2/2 for B is good, but it forces you to sacrifice a creature, so you'll have to wait until turn 2 to play this card effectively, and then it is no better than any 2/2 for 2 that doesn't make you sacrifice a creature.

Anurid Murkdiver

Anurid Murkdiver
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Beast Rarity: C Number: 124 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: Swampwalk

- 2/10
This costs six mana to play, which makes it lose some points already. That's not the only problem though; it is only a 4/3 and Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

walk is not often an effective ability. Definitely not worth the mana, in comparison to other Zombies.

Aphetto Vulture

Aphetto Vulture
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Bird Rarity: U Number: 126 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Flying. When Aphetto Vulture is put into a graveyard from play, you may put target Zombie card from your graveyard on top of your library.

- 2/10
6 mana for a 3/2 flying creature. Given its evasion, you won't be using the ability, which isn't good either, because it forces you to skip a draw rather than returning it directly to your hand. Flying is better than Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

walk, but at least the Anurid Murkdiver

Anurid Murkdiver
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Beast Rarity: C Number: 124 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: Swampwalk

can take a Shock

Shock
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 206 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

.

~~ B ~~
Balduvian Dead

Balduvian Dead
	Set: Alliances Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: U Artist: Mike Kimble Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: 2R: Remove target summon card in your graveyard from the game to put a Graveborn token into play. Treat this token as a 3/1 black and red creature that can attack the turn it comes into play. Bury Graveborn token at end of turn.

- 4/10
4 mana for a 2/3 isn't great but isn't terrible. However, this card requires a red splash to use the ability, which makes you pay 3 mana and a card in your graveyard for something worse than a Spark Elemental

Spark Elemental
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 1 Color: Red Sub Type: Elemental Rarity: C Number: 79 Artist: John Avon Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Trample. At the end of turn, sacrifice Spark Elemental.

. Even more unfortunate is that it requires you to remove creature cards in your graveyard from the game, which is bad if you want to ever bring them back, or if you use cards like Soulless One

Soulless One
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Avatar Rarity: U Number: 171 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: * Toughness: * Text: Soulless One's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Zombies in play plus the number of Zombie cards in all graveyards.

. I don't think this card is worth looking into when compared to other Zombies.

Balthor the Defiled

Balthor the Defiled
	Set: Judgment Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Dwarf Legend Rarity: R Number: 61 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Minions get +1/+1. BBB, Remove Balthor the Defiled from the game: Each player returns all black and all red creature cards from his or her graveyard to play.

- 6/10
4 mana for a 2/2 with an off-type bonus. However, the ability allows all players to return black and red creatures from their graveyards to play for only 3 mana. Not too shabby if you were to remove that threat with something like Withered Wretch

Withered Wretch
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cleric Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: 1: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.

. Worth looking into, but not a top choice for sure. I would avoid it.

Barrow Ghoul

Barrow Ghoul
	Set: Weatherlight Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Artist: Bryan Talbot Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: During your upkeep, remove the top creature card in your graveyard from the game or bury Barrow Ghoul.

- 5/10
2 mana for a 4/4! Wow! Chances are you'd want to play this second-turn or as early as possible, right? Well, the drawback is that you have to remove the top creature card of your graveyard from the game every upkeep to keep it. Again, this is not good for reanimation decks. Chances are that if you play this early, you won't get the chance to use it for long or use at all unless you played and sacrificed an Accursed Centaur

Accursed Centaur
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Centaur Rarity: C Number: 123 Artist: Jerry Tiritilli Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Accursed Centaur comes into play, sacrifice a creature.

or Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

on the first-turn and then continued to do so afterward.

Bladwing's Thrall - 2.5/10
4 mana for a 3/3, which is good, but not great. However, this card is more about Dragons than Zombies. If Bladewing the Risen

Bladewing the Risen
	Set: Scourge Cost: 7 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Dragon Legend Rarity: R Number: 136 Artist: Kev Walker Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Flying When Bladewing the Risen comes into play, return target dragon card from your graveyard to play. BR : All Dragons get +1/+1 until end of turn.

was a Zombie (and by all means, it should be, but it isn't), I would gladly say this is worth looking into.

Blind Creeper

Blind Creeper
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Beast Rarity: C Number: 42 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Whenever a player plays a spell, Blind Creeper gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

- 6.5/10
2 mana for a 3/3. The problem is that enemies often have a very fun (and easy) time taking this creature down because of the drawback. Still, it is definitely worth playing if your opponent has a slow deck, and not a bad card to look into at all. There are better picks though.

Bog Raiders

Bog Raiders
	Set: Starter 1999 Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Swampwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player has a swamp in play.)

- 2/10
3 mana for a 2/2 with Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

walk. Unblockable when you're going against Black decks, but I personally think Severed Legion

Severed Legion
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 166 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Fear (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

is a better choice for a Zombie deck if you're looking for evasion. This isn't worth looking into.

Bone Dancer

Bone Dancer
	Set: Weatherlight Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: R Artist: Scott Kirschner Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: 0: Put the top creature card of defending player's graveyard into play under your control. Bone Dancer deals no combat damage this turn. Use this ability only if Bone Dancer is attacking and unblocked and only once each turn.

- 6/10
3 mana for a very interesting and fun 2/2. It comes down quickly, and can steal opponent's creatures if it gets through (which is not a problem for Black). The problem is that you must get those creatures into the graveyard first (also not a problem for Black). And then what if they do not have worthwhile creatures? Play it if you know your playgroup well enough. It could prove interesting and is worth looking into.

Boneknitter

Boneknitter
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cleric Rarity: U Number: 128 Artist: Pete Venters Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: 1B: Regenerate target Zombie. Morph 2B (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)

- 5/10
2 mana for a 1/1. I do not like this card at all, because Zombie Master

Zombie Master
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Artist: Jeff A. Menges Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: All zombies in play gain swampwalk and B: Regenerates for as long as this card remains in play.

does the same thing even better, but I do not like that either because it is still a Lord and won't regenerate itself. I really don't think Regeneration

Regeneration
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Text: G: Target creature regenerates.

is a necessary ability, because it is defensive. Granted, all decks find themselves on the defense at some point or another, so look at it, but I really do not recommend putting this into your deck when you can just as easily put in reanimation.

~~ C ~~
Cabal Interrogator

Cabal Interrogator
	Set: Scourge Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 57 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: XB , T : Target player reveals X cards from his or her hand and you choose one of them. That player discards that card. Play this ability only when you could play a sorcery.

- 5/10
2 mana for a 1/1. A good card, no doubt, but it is a control card more than an aggressive card and it sucks up a large amount of mana. Chances are you will be using it often, as well. Look at it, but it is far from a top pick. It may even be considered a sideboard card against control decks.

Cackling Fiend

Cackling Fiend
	Set: Urza's Saga Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 121 Artist: Brian Despain Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: When Cackling Fiend comes into play, each of your opponents chooses and discards a card.

- 2/10
4 mana for a 2/1 without evasion, which is bad. When it comes into play, each opponent discards a card, which is only decent in multiplayer. In single player, you're better off playing Ravenous Rats

Ravenous Rats
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Rat Rarity: C Number: 68 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Ravenous Rats comes into play, target opponent chooses and discards a card from his or her hand.

.

Call to the Grave

Call to the Grave
	Set: Scourge Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 58 Text: At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player sacrifices a non-Zombie creature. At end of turn, if there are no creatures in play, sacrifice Call to the Grave.

- 7/10
5 mana for an enchantment that forces non-zombies to be sacrificed one-by-one each turn. Effective, but painfully slow against certain decks. It can easily turn the game around and help in a standstill between aggressive decks though. I really believe that this is a sideboard card, but again, it is a bit too slow.

Carnophage

Carnophage
	Set: Exodus Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 53 Artist: Pete Venters Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: During your upkeep, pay 1 life or tap Carnophage.

- 8/10
1 mana for a 2/2. At the beginning of your upkeep, you can pay 1 life or tap it. This is an awesome card, as 2/2s for 1 mana are never to be underestimated in terms of sheer speed and power. There is one card that easily outdoes it in a Zombie deck, however. Still, it is entirely worth playing.

Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

- 8/10
1 mana for a 1/1 that can't block, but gets bigger and bigger. It's a sacrifice-effect for things you do not want around or things that will die and is a great turn 1 play. It can also force ´´graveyard from play´´ effects, making cards like Festering Goblin

Festering Goblin
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Goblin Rarity: C Number: 148 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Festering Goblin is put into a graveyard from play, target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

even better.

Carrion Howler

Carrion Howler
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wolf Rarity: U Number: 79 Artist: John Zeleznik Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Pay 1 life: Carrion Howler gets +2/-1 until end of turn.

- 5/10
4 mana for a 2/2 with the ability ´´Pay 1 life: This gets +2/-1 until end of turn.´´ Dross Crocodile

Dross Crocodile
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Crocodlie Rarity: C Number: 47 Power: 5 Toughness: 1

is a debatably better choice than this, and Dross Croc isn't a good choice at all. It's not very effective in Zombie decks, except for the fact that a +2/+1 bonus from Undead Warchief

Undead Warchief
	Set: Scourge Cost: 4 Color: Black Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 78 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Zombie spells you play cost 1 less to play. Zombies you control get +2/+1.

can change this into a 4/3, and then a 8/1 if you pay 2 life. Interesting. The only thing that makes me rate this as high as I have is that if you use Might of Oaks

Might of Oaks
	Set: Urza's Legacy Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: R Number: 106 Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Target creature gets +7/+7 until end of turn.

on it and pay 6 life, it will change into a 21/3 to kill your opponent in one hit. That's not Zombie related though.

Carrion Wurm

Carrion Wurm
	Set: Torment Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: U Number: 55 Artist: Glen Angus Power: 6 Toughness: 5 Text: Whenever Carrion Wurm attacks or blocks, any player may remove three cards in his or her graveyard from the game. If a player does, Carrion Wurm deals no combat damage this turn.

- 6/10
5 mana for a 6/5, which is very good. The drawback is that when it attacks or blocks, any player may remove 3 cards from their graveyard from the game to prevent the damage. Unfortunate, but with the amount of recursion and ´´graveyard matters´´ stuff around it isn't bad at all. In fact, if the opponent has less than that (and they soon will with this in play), then they're forced to feed more cards into their graveyard, probably wasting them. One big drawback to this creature though is that it lacks evasion.

Clutch of Undeath

Clutch of Undeath
	Set: Scourge Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 61 Artist: Greg Hildebrandt Text: If enchanted creature is a Zombie, it gets +3/+3. Otherwise, it gets -3/-3.

- 3/10
5 mana for a creature Aura that either kills or pumps. The only real drawback is that it costs 5 mana, and for 2 it would be easier simply to play Terror

Terror
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Buries target creature. Cannot target black creatures or artifact creatures.

or Sinister Strength

Sinister Strength
	Set: Planeshift Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 54 Artist: Terese Nielsen Text: Enchanted creature gets +3/+1 and is black.

. I don't believe slots should be used on this, because it is too slow and not always effective enough.

Coffin Puppets

Coffin Puppets
	Set: Prophecy Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: R Number: 60 Artist: Arnie Swekel Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Sacrifice two lands: Return Coffin Puppets to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep, only if Coffin Puppets is in your graveyard, and only if you control a swamp.

- 5/10
5 mana for a 3/3, which isn't great. If it dies, however, you can sacrifice two lands during your upkeep to return it to play, and that's good, but probably not good enough. Still somewhat worth looking into, but not a top pick.

Corpse Harvester

Corpse Harvester
	Set: Legions Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wizard Rarity: U Number: 62 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: 1B, T, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a Zombie card and a swamp card, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

- 5/10
5 mana for a 3/3, which isn't great, but the ability is okay. Pay 1B, tap, and sacrifice a creature to find not only a Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

, but also a Zombie. If you have 5 mana though, you should not need more. Since you have to sacrifice a creature as well, it doesn't generate the kind of card advantage you want. I would not run this creature if you're playing a fast deck, because Corpse Harvester

Corpse Harvester
	Set: Legions Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wizard Rarity: U Number: 62 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: 1B, T, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a Zombie card and a swamp card, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

is simply not fast enough.

Cover of Darkness

Cover of Darkness
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 133 Artist: Kev Walker Text: As Cover of Darkness comes into play, choose a creature type. Creatures of the chosen type have fear. (They can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

- 6/10 (8/10 if you're playing a Nim deck)
2 mana for an enchantment that makes your creatures almost always unblockable. It never saw much play due to Mirrodin's release, but it was most effective with the Nim. This card is great for casual play, but in serious play you're going to want disruption instead. It is great for beatdown decks and is definitely worth looking into.
Tip: Don't play more than 3 of things like Cover of Darkness

Cover of Darkness
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 133 Artist: Kev Walker Text: As Cover of Darkness comes into play, choose a creature type. Creatures of the chosen type have fear. (They can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

in your deck unless you know your opponent has enchantment destruction. Having to draw more than 1 or having more than 1 in play won't help.

Cruel Revival

Cruel Revival
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 135 Artist: Greg Staples Text: Destroy target non-Zombie creature. It can't be regenerated. Return up to one target Zombie card from your graveyard to your hand.

- 4/10
5 mana for to kill a creature and get a creature back to your hand. Too slow for serious play, though effective when used. However, it would be better to run mass-reanimation or cheaper removal rather than having this taking up slots in your deck.

Crypt Keeper - 4/10
2 mana for a 2/1. You can sacrifice it to remove a card in a graveyard from the game. This is just not good enough in my opinion, because Withered Wretch

Withered Wretch
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cleric Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: 1: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.

outdoes it in every way. However, if you want to run things like Barrow Ghoul

Barrow Ghoul
	Set: Weatherlight Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Artist: Bryan Talbot Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: During your upkeep, remove the top creature card in your graveyard from the game or bury Barrow Ghoul.

and Carrion Wurm

Carrion Wurm
	Set: Torment Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: U Number: 55 Artist: Glen Angus Power: 6 Toughness: 5 Text: Whenever Carrion Wurm attacks or blocks, any player may remove three cards in his or her graveyard from the game. If a player does, Carrion Wurm deals no combat damage this turn.

, it could be good.

~~ D ~~
Dakmor Ghoul

Dakmor Ghoul
	Set: Starter 1999 Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Artist: Dana Knutson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Dakmor Ghoul comes into play, target opponent loses 2 life. You gain 2 life.

- 4/10
4 mana for a 2/2 that drains 2 life from an opponent when it comes into play. Not too splashy, and not particularly effective enough for 4 mana, if you ask me. There are better Zombies out there for 4 mana.

Dauthi Ghoul

Dauthi Ghoul
	Set: Tempest Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Artist: Tom Kyffin Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.) Whenever any creature with shadow is put into any graveyard from play, put a +1/+1 counter on Dauthi Ghoul.

- 6/10
2 mana for a 1/1, but it has shadow, making it almost always unblockable. The effect is hardly relevant unless you have another one in play. It's worth looking into because creatures like Lord of the Undead

Lord of the Undead
	Set: Planeshift Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Number: 44 Artist: Brom Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Zombies get +1/+1. 1B, T: Return target Zombie card from your graveyard to your hand.

and Undead Warchief

Undead Warchief
	Set: Scourge Cost: 4 Color: Black Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 78 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Zombie spells you play cost 1 less to play. Zombies you control get +2/+1.

can pump it.

Deadapult

Deadapult
	Set: Planeshift Cost: 3 Color: Red Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 59 Artist: Mark Brill Text: R, Sacrifice a Zombie: Deadapult deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

- 4/10
2R for an enchantment that allows you to pay R and sacrifice a Zombie to Shock

Shock
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: Red Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 206 Artist: Randy Gallegos Text: Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

something. Not at all bad, as it allows you to do plenty of tricky things, as well as score a few extra points of damage. However, you must pay R to use the ability, and thus you won't be able to use it effectively unless you're playing B/R Zombies, in which case you can't use the best Zombies easily anyway.

Deathmark Prelate

Deathmark Prelate
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: U Number: 65 Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: 2B, T, Sacrifice a Zombie: Destroy target non-Zombie creature. It can’t be regenerated. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.

- 3/10
4 mana for a 2/3 Cleric, which, as I said, is not good enough. The ability forces you to lose a creature to kill another creature, but you can only play it at sorcery speed, which doesn't allow you to do many tricks with it. I would avoid this creature at all costs. It's way too slow to be effective. If this is in your deck (and I've seen it in a good number of Zombie decks), remove it now for more Zombies or Dark Banishing

Dark Banishing
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Drew Tucker Text: Bury target non-black creature.

.

Deepwood Ghoul

Deepwood Ghoul
	Set: Mercadian Masques Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 131 Artist: Alan Pollack Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Pay 2 life: Regenerate Deepwood Ghoul.

- 3/10
3 mana for a 2/1 that regenerates for 2 life, which is basically free. Not too bad, but there are better zombies, and they won't make as much of a cut into your life total. At 1 toughness, you're going to have to be regenerating this thing a lot, and you can count on the fact that your opponent will be throwing creatures into it just to get you to do so. Chances are that you'll pay at least 6 life doing this, as well. 6 life for a 2/1? No thanks.

Dripping Dead

Dripping Dead
	Set: Legions Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 67 Power: 4 Toughness: 1 Text: Dripping Dead can’t block. Whenever Dripping Dead deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can’t be regenerated.

- 2/10
6 mana for a 4/1 that can't block, but kills whatever it hits. I hate this card, partly because I had to pull 2 of them foil, which hurts as much as pulling a foil Healing Salve

Healing Salve
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Dan Frazier Text: Gain 3 life, or prevent up to 3 damage from being dealt to a single target.

(who would want it?). Granted, as a friend of mine pointed out, when it attacks it's like ´´take 4 or lose a creature´´ but it can so easily be chump-blocked by a 1/1, and even if not, it comes down on turn 6. There are much, much, much better things to do on turn 6 than play this.

Dross Crocodile

Dross Crocodile
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Crocodlie Rarity: C Number: 47 Power: 5 Toughness: 1

- 2.3/10
4 mana for a 5/1. This is almost as bad as Dripping Dead

Dripping Dead
	Set: Legions Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 67 Power: 4 Toughness: 1 Text: Dripping Dead can’t block. Whenever Dripping Dead deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can’t be regenerated.

, but the fortunate part is that it can actually block, and it is considerably cheaper. Still, that doesn't make it any harder to remove, and in the case that it is blocked by something with 6 or more toughness, it won't take it down. That's quite unfortunate, because then it almost makes you wish it were a Dripping Dead

Dripping Dead
	Set: Legions Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 67 Power: 4 Toughness: 1 Text: Dripping Dead can’t block. Whenever Dripping Dead deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can’t be regenerated.

instead, which, frankly, just makes you want to die.

Dross Prowler

Dross Prowler
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 64 Artist: Michael Sutfin Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Fear

- 3/10
3 mana for a 2/1 with fear. Unfortunately, unless you're not playing with much Black (and you should be if you're playing Zombies), this is almost strictly worse than Severed Legion

Severed Legion
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 166 Artist: Dany Orizio Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Fear (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

.

Drowned

Drowned
	Set: The Dark Cost: 2 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Quinton Hoover Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: B: Regenerates

- 2.5/10
1U for a 1/1 that regenerates for B. I really wish they'd stop trying to remake Will-O'-the-Wisp, and I'm thankful that they finally just reprinted it. Hopefully now they won't need redundant copies, such as this and many skeletons. The only thing I like about this is the art and the flavor of zombies pulling you underwater and drowning you.

~~ E ~~
Embalmed Brawler

Embalmed Brawler
	Set: Legions Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 69 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Amplify 1 (As this card comes into play, put a +1/+1 counter on it for each Zombie card you reveal in your hand.) Whenever Embalmed Brawler attacks or blocks, you lose 1 life for each +1/+1 counter on it.

- 3/10
3 mana for a 2/2 with Amplify 1. Whenever it attacks or blocks, you lose life for each one of those +1/+1 counters. Some people think this is a good card, but it's really not, even if you are staying 2 damage ahead of your opponent. Still, it races a little, which can be important, but that really depends on how many Zombies you have in your hand when you play it, right? I think the only way to effectively use it is with a Dark Ritual

Dark Ritual
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Sandra Everingham Text: Add BBB to your mana pool.

on turn 1, and then constant removal of your opponent’s blockers. Still, I would avoid this card- there are MUCH better ones for a turn 3 play.

Entrails Feaster

Entrails Feaster
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cat Rarity: R Number: 143 Artist: John Matson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, you may remove a creature card in a graveyard from the game. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Entrails Feaster. If you don't, tap Entrails Feaster.

- 1/10
1 for a 1/1. At the beginning of your upkeep, you have to remove a creature card in your graveyard from the game. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on it, or else tap it. This is just a horrible, horrible card. There's no wonder why it's worth a quarter- it forces you to remove usually valuable creature cards from your graveyard, or else you can't use it. You have to keep this supply up, too. It's a horrible first-turn play, and too slow to be a good mid-game play. Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

, a common, is a much better choice. [Editor's note: This actually says remove a creature from any graveyard from the game, not your own. So it's much more useful than he gives it credit for.]

~~ F ~~
Fallen Cleric

Fallen Cleric
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cleric Rarity: C Number: 145 Artist: Dave Dorman Power: 4 Toughness: 2 Text: Protection from Clerics. Morph 4B (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)

- 2/10
5 mana for a 4/2 with Protection from Clerics. Probably a limited card, but nothing more. Unless you have a serious problem with/hatred for Clerics. Still, there are much better choices.

Famished Ghoul

Famished Ghoul
	Set: Odyssey Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 135 Artist: Adam Rex Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: 1B, Sacrifice Famished Ghoul: Remove up to two target cards in a single graveyard from the game.

- 3/10
4 mana for a 3/2 that you can pay 2 to sacrifice, removing two cards in a single graveyard from the game. This is way outclassed by Withered Wretch

Withered Wretch
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Cleric Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: 1: Remove target card in a graveyard from the game.

, since it has twice the speed, 1 less power, and can remove 7 or more cards in that many graveyards by the time this would finally hit play.

Feast or Famine

Feast or Famine
	Set: Alliances Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Pete Venters Text: Bury target non-black, non-artifact creature or put a Zombie token into play. Treat this token as a 2/2 black creature.

- 4/10
4 mana for a 2/2 Zombie or a Terror

Terror
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Buries target creature. Cannot target black creatures or artifact creatures.

. It's an instant, but I really wouldn't want to play either of these things for 4 mana. I get that the point is utility, but you should be running enough Zombies or reanimation to not need one of these abilities, which would make it worse than Terror

Terror
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Buries target creature. Cannot target black creatures or artifact creatures.

. So play Terror

Terror
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Text: Buries target creature. Cannot target black creatures or artifact creatures.

instead of this.

Feeding Frenzy

Feeding Frenzy
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 147 Artist: Nelson DeCastro Text: Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of Zombies in play.

- 2.5/10
3 mana for a -X/-X spell that relies on the number of Zombies in play. Zombies don't swarm well unless you've just casted Living Death

Living Death
	Set: Tempest Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Artist: Charles Gillespie Text: Set aside all creature cards in all graveyards. Then, put each creature that is in play into its owner's graveyard. Then, put each creature card set aside in this way into play under its owner's control.

or Patriarch's Bidding

Patriarch's Bidding
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 161 Artist: Ben Thompson Text: Each player chooses a creature type. Each player returns all creature cards of a type chosen this way from his or her graveyard to play.

, and at that point you won't need this because you've already swarmed.

Festering Goblin

Festering Goblin
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Goblin Rarity: C Number: 148 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Festering Goblin is put into a graveyard from play, target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

- 8/10
1 for a 1/1. Why did I rate this so high? Because it can take down 2/2s, or multiple 1/1s. Not only that, but it can be sacrificed at any time via Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

/Nantuko Husk

Nantuko Husk
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Insect Rarity: C Number: 159 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Sacrifice a creature: Nantuko Husk gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

for a -1/-1 whenever you need it, or even Skullclamp

Skullclamp
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: U Number: 140 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: Equipped creature gets +1/-1. Whenever equipped creature is put in a graveyard from play, draw two cards. Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

ed for -1/-1 to an opposing creature or a 2/2 you have that you would like to 'clamp. This card is amazing in Zombie decks and will be great again in Standard since it's reprinting in 9th edition.

Frightshroud Courier

Frightshroud Courier
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 149 Artist: Ron Spears Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: You may choose not to untap Frightshroud Courier during your untap step.. 2B, T: As long as Frightshroud Courier remains tapped, target Zombie gets +2/+2 and has fear. (It can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

- 3/10
3 mana for a 2/1 and an interesting ability that was probably meant primarily for limited. Pay 3 and tap this to give a Zombie +2/+2 and fear as long as this stays tapped (and it has the option to). This reminds me a lot of equipment, except more-or-less vulnerable because it is a creature. I don't like equipment though, because it requires a good deal of mana and is often too slow. I really don't like this creature, and you have only 60 (40, if you exclude land) spaces in your deck. I wouldn't waste even a single one on this.

~~ G ~~
Gangrenous Goliath

Gangrenous Goliath
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Giant Rarity: R Number: 150 Artist: Justin Sweet Power: 4 Toughness: 4 Text: Tap three untapped Clerics you control: Return Gangrenous Goliath from your graveyard to your hand.

- 4/10
5 for a 4/4, and if you have three untapped Clerics, you can return it from your graveyard to your hand. I was close to dismissing this as more of a Cleric-based card, when I remembered that there were a good number of Zombie Clerics, and at least 2 ones that were playable in sets. Still, this requires you have 3 and tap them (rather than attack with them), which is unfortunate, because 3 Zombie Clerics could likely do more damage than this thing. I suppose if your deck isn't entirely Zombies though (which would be inconsistent), it's worth looking into.

Gangrenous Zombies

Gangrenous Zombies
	Set: Ice Age Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: T: Sacrifice Gangrenous Zombies to have it deal 1 damage to each creature and player. If you control any snow-covered swamps, Gangrenous Zombies instead deals 2 damage to each creature and player.

- 5/10
3 mana for a 2/2. You can tap it and lose it to do 1 damage to each creature and player, or 2 if you have snow-covered swamp. Granted, if you want to go out of your way to run this and play snow-covered swamps, it would be worth playing, but probably only if you had some form of reanimation as well (not to abuse this, but to keep your other Zombies alive). Look into it, I suppose.

Gempalm Polluter

Gempalm Polluter
	Set: Legions Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 70 Power: 4 Toughness: 3 Text: Cycling BB (BB, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.) When you cycle Gempalm Polluter, you may have target player lose 1 life for each Zombie in play.

- 7/10
6 mana for a 4/3, but the reason I rated this so high is that you can cycle it for BB and basically burn your opponent and get a free card. Even better is that after you've done this, later on you can reanimate it easily. It's even fair late game, when you need a creature and you draw into this. Also great is cycling this, and then, in response to the draw, using Unholy Grotto

Unholy Grotto
	Set: Onslaught Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 327 Artist: John Avon Text: T: Add 1 to your mana pool. B, T: Put target Zombie card from your graveyard on top of your library.

to return it to the top of your library so that you draw it, or doing basically the same with Lord of the Undead

Lord of the Undead
	Set: Planeshift Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Lord Rarity: R Number: 44 Artist: Brom Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: All Zombies get +1/+1. 1B, T: Return target Zombie card from your graveyard to your hand.

. Even better is that if you're in a lock and you can't win via attacking, this can help take your opponent down. This is a high pick, though not entirely mandatory.

Ghastly Remains

Ghastly Remains
	Set: Legions Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: R Number: 71 Power: 0 Toughness: 0 Text: Amplify 1 (As this card comes into play, put a +1/+1 counter on it for each Zombie card you reveal in your hand.) At the beginning of your upkeep, if Ghastly Remains is in your graveyard, you may pay BBB. If you do, return Ghastly Remains to your hand.

- 3/10
3 mana for a 0/0 with Amplify 1. I hate this because it requires you to have a Zombies in hand when you play it, so it's really only decent with a Dark Ritual

Dark Ritual
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Sandra Everingham Text: Add BBB to your mana pool.

and a have FULL of Zombies, and even on the draw, you'll only have 5 at most. That, of course is in the most optimistic of conditions. What if you draw this late game, when you need a real creature? Furthermore, it makes you want to hold back Zombies, and that is NOT a good idea, because you want to be aggressive. This could only be playable in a deck with a lot of expensive Zombies, and those aren't good to begin with.

Gluttonous Zombie

Gluttonous Zombie
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 151 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Fear (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)

- 4/10
5 mana for a 3/3 with Fear

Fear
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature cannot be blocked by any creatures except black creatures and artifact creatures.

. A fine limited card, but there are better Zombies for 5 mana, and cheaper 3/3 Zombies, even. I really wouldn't use this, but I suppose that if you absolutely must use it, it won't wreck you. It just won't serve you well.

Golgari Rotwurm

Golgari Rotwurm
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 5 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Wurm Rarity: C Number: 210 Artist: Wayne England Power: 5 Toughness: 4 Text: B, Sacrifice a creature: Target player loses 1 life.

- 4/10
5 mana for 5/4 with a sub-par ability, due to the B tacked on to the cost. This wurm requires green mana, which is a significant drawback and for that it only gives an 'decent' power and toughness, but no Trample or fear. The ability just isn't good unless you're stuck in a situation where you can't attack and there are only a few points of damage left to deal. I'm aware how often that situation may arise, but even then, this a sub-par choice because you won't have to use Green if you just run Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

and Vengeful Dead

Vengeful Dead
	Set: Scourge Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 80 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever Vengeful dead or another Zombie is put into a graveyard from play, each opponent loses 1 life.

, and it won't matter how much mana you have available then, either. There are better cards for a Zombie deck.

Grave Defiler

Grave Defiler
	Set: Apocalypse Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 40 Artist: Tony Szczudlo Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: When Grave Defiler comes into play, reveal the top four cards of your library. Put all Zombie cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library. 1B: Regenerate Grave Defiler.

- 6/10
4 mana for a 2/1 Zombie that regenerates for 1B. When it comes into play, look at the top four cards of your library and take all the Zombies you see into your hand. Now, I admit that I have not tested this card, and I am really drawn to it because it makes me instantly think of my fond memories of using Goblin Ringleader

Goblin Ringleader

Set: Apocalypse
Cost: 4
Color: Red
Type: Creature
Sub Type: Goblin
Rarity: U
Number: 62
Artist: Mark Romanoski
Power: 2
Toughness: 2
Text: Haste (This creature may attack and TAP the turn it comes under your control.) When Goblin Ringleader comes into play, reveal the top four cards of your library. Put all Goblin cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library.

, but this is not necessarily Goblin Ringleader

Goblin Ringleader

, and this will not pull of the random wins that Goblins does. I rated this one point lower than I feel it deserved because I cannot be sure of how well it works.

Gravebane Zombie

Gravebane Zombie
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 133 Artist: Gary Leach Power: 3 Toughness: 2 Text: When Gravebane Zombie would be put into a graveyard from play, instead put Gravebane Zombie on top of its owner's library.

- 5/10
4 mana for an annoying 3/2 that, if killed, goes on top of your library. Something wrong with this is that if this is killed every turn (example below), you can get stuck with it for a very long time, if not for the rest of the game. However, it could work to your advantage, which is a fairly easy-to-see fact. I'm going to rate this a 5 because it has an okay p/t for its cost and ability. However, something like this very well could happen:

You are at 7 life and your opponent has a 7/7 in play. You have no cards in hand and one of these in play alone. They attack, and you have no choice but to block. You block, it dies, and next turn you draw it again and play it. They attack, you have to block again, and it goes back on top of your library, denying you the ability to draw new things that might save you. You might as well quit now, because your opponent just locked you with your very own card, and it is only a matter of time before he or she draws a second creature.

Graveborn Muse

Graveborn Muse
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Spirit Rarity: R Number: 73 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: At the beginning of your upkeep, you draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of Zombies you control.

- 7/10
4 mana for a 3/3 that DRAWS CARDS. You may or may not have any idea of how powerful card drawing is, but knowledge is power, and the more cards you have in hand, the more options you have and the more things your opponent will to worry about. Anyway, the ability is ´´At the beginning of your upkeep, you draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of Zombies you control.´´ Now, many of you newer or casual players may cringe at this idea, and granted, it can take a chunk from your life-total. However, if you have a good number of sacrifice engines (such as Carrion Feeder

Carrion Feeder
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 59 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Carrion Feeder can't block. Sacrifice a creature : Put a +1/+1 counter on Carrion Feeder. 1/1

and Nantuko Husk

Nantuko Husk
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Insect Rarity: C Number: 159 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Sacrifice a creature: Nantuko Husk gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

) then you will only have to pay for this once, and then, if you don't want to or need to anymore, just sacrifice it. In fact, I certainly WOULDN'T play this card in a deck without one of those two cards. Still, it can fill your hand.

Gravedigger

Gravedigger
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 134 Artist: Dermot Power Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: When Gravedigger comes into play, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

- 2/10
4 mana for a 2/2, and when it comes into play it returns a creature from your graveyard to your hand. Scathe Zombies

Scathe Zombies
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombies Rarity: C Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 2 Toughness: 2

tied onto a Raise Dead

Raise Dead
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: C Artist: Jeff A. Menges Text: Bring one creature from your graveyard to your hand.

is not good enough for a slot, because there are things that can do much, much, much better, like returning them straight from graveyard to play. This is a limited card at best.

Gravespawn Sovereign

Gravespawn Sovereign
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Lord Rarity: R Number: 152 Artist: Adam Rex Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Tap five untapped Zombies you control: Put target creature card from a graveyard into play under your control.

- 3/10
6 mana for a 3/3. Tap five untapped Zombies you control to reanimate a dead creature from any graveyard. This is only ever useful if you get a REALLY big/useful creature, and to do that, you would have to find some way to get it into the graveyard. Another problem is that this costs 6 mana, which is far too slow, and it requires you to tap Zombies you could be attacking with.

Grotesque Hybrid

Grotesque Hybrid
	Set: Torment Cost: 5 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: U Number: 63 Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Whenever Grotesque Hybrid deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated. Discard a card from your hand: Grotesque Hybrid gains flying and protection from green and from white until end of turn.

- 6/10
5 mana for a 3/3. Whenever it deals combat damage to a creature, that creature is destroyed, and you can discard a card to give it flying AND protection from green and white until end of turn. This is amazing, but costly. If you have a deck that can easily support 5-cost creatures, I would highly recommend this card, especially because it can put Zombies into your graveyard for reanimation.

~~~

Wow, this article has taken me some serious time to write. I hope you've gotten some insight and maybe even a better idea of what cards to use and what definitely not to. I originally expected to put all the Zombies into one article, but it is turning out far too long, so I'll be a doing 7 to 8 letters at a time. I realize that I gave many of these cards low scores and that many could actually be very fun (such as Gravespawn Sovereign

Gravespawn Sovereign
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Lord Rarity: R Number: 152 Artist: Adam Rex Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: Tap five untapped Zombies you control: Put target creature card from a graveyard into play under your control.

), but realize that these ratings come from a tournament player's viewpoint. Even still, remember that this article is for the casual player who likes to win.

I hope you keep an eye out for the next article, which will deal with letters H through P. I will also look for any criticism on the message board in my e-mail box and I will certainly defend my opinions. I realize that I could be wrong about some cards, but I will gladly discuss it as long as you realize that I could be right.

Until next time, may you keep your opponents running for their lives.

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