HubCommandersCardsDecksThemesKeywordsSetsArticles
Sign inSign up
Sign inSign up

Mythicwyrm is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. © Wizards of the Coast LLC.

AboutArticlesContactTermsPrivacyAffiliate Disclosurev0.1.0

© 2026 Mythicwyrm. All rights reserved.

Deathrite Shaman
Price$4.79 – $15.69
Buy on TCGplayer

Deathrite Shaman

{B/G}

Creature — Elf Shaman

LegalRampRemovalRank #590

{T}: Exile target land card from a graveyard. Add one mana of any color.

{B}, {T}: Exile target instant or sorcery card from a graveyard. Each opponent loses 2 life.

{G}, {T}: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life.

1/2

Why is this card good?

Deathrite Shaman is famously a "three-mana dork in one body" — but its value in Commander is more nuanced than in 60-card formats. The first ability is the real draw: a one-drop that taps for any color by exiling lands from any graveyard. In a four-player pod, fetchlands, cracked duals, and natural land drops mean you'll almost always have fuel. That makes it excellent ramp and fixing in BG-based decks, and a quiet graveyard-hate engine that drains life or gains it on the side. Who wants it: any BG/Jund/Sultai/Abzan deck that values cheap mana — landfall is anti-synergistic, but ramp-hungry midrange, reanimator-hate builds, and decks leaning on incremental drain love it. It's a stellar turn-one play that snowballs. When to skip it: if your graveyards stay empty (some pods just don't fill yards early), the mana ability stalls. It's also weaker in go-wide token or pure ramp decks that have better one-drops, and it's a magnet for spot removal.

Related cards

Birds of ParadiseG

One-drop creature that taps for any color, similar mana fixing role.

Bloom TenderG

Cheap creature ramp producing multiple colored mana.

Elves of Deep ShadowBG

One-drop elf that taps for mana, BG synergy.

Scavenging OozeG

Graveyard hate creature that gains life, similar GY interaction.

Llanowar ElvesG

Classic one-mana creature ramp.

Dryad ArborG

Cheap creature mana source playable on turn one.

Ramunap ExcavatorG

Graveyard-recursion creature in green for value engine.

Bone ShredderB

Comparison piece is weak; better: Grist? Actually consider Tireless Tracker.

Printings (9)

sldSecret Lair Drop · #170R$7.47Buy
mb2Mystery Booster 2 · #81R$4.79Buy
rvrRavnica Remastered · #175R$8.87Buy
rvrRavnica Remastered · #363zR$1000.00Buy
rvrRavnica Remastered · #363R$7.73Buy
slcSecret Lair Countdown · #2012R$15.69Buy
gk1GRN Guild Kit · #59R$8.42Buy
emaEternal Masters · #215R$8.65Buy
Show all 9 printingsShow fewer
rtrReturn to Ravnica · #213R$8.65Buy

Rulings (2)

  • 2016-06-08

    Because the first ability requires a target, it is not a mana ability. It uses the stack and can be responded to.

  • 2016-06-08

    If the target of any of Deathrite Shaman's three abilities is an illegal target when that ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't add mana, no opponent will lose life, or you won't gain life, as appropriate.

Discussion (0)