Catacomb Sifter MTG Card


Catacomb Sifter offers card advantage through scion token generation and strategic deck scrying. Its mana acceleration benefits enable quicker play of higher-cost cards, making it a valuable asset. Flexibility in mana cost and utility across metas makes Catacomb Sifter a diverse addition to collections.
Catacomb Sifter - Battle for Zendikar
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Eldrazi Drone
Abilities Devoid,Scry
Released2015-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameBattle for Zendikar
Set codeBFZ
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number201
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byCraig J Spearing

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) When Catacomb Sifter enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 colorless Eldrazi Scion creature token onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool."Whenever another creature you control dies, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)


Cards like Catacomb Sifter

Catacomb Sifter is an intriguing entry to Magic: The Gathering’s roster of card scrying and creatures spawning. Its closest competitors are the likes of Elsewhere Flask and Vizier of the Scorpion. The former lets you scry one card but lacks the creature producing unique to Catacomb Sifter. However, Elsewhere Flask compensates this shortcoming with the potential to replace your entire hand, depending on your mana resources.

Vizier of the Scorpion, conversely, mirrors the creature spawning attribute of Catacomb Sifter. The main difference? It doesn’t have the scrying mechanic. Rather, it brings more board control to the table by giving each of its tokens deathtouch, complicating the decisions for your opponent. Yet, its creature generation is limited to entry, which can feel slow when compared to the enduring presence of sifting through your deck offered by Catacomb Sifter.

To sum up, while assessing the values and skills of given substitutes, Catacomb Sifter holds a distinct position among Magic: The Gathering’s creature gene-rating and card scrying spells due to its combination of synergies and resource management potential.

Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Vizier of the Scorpion - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Vizier of the Scorpion - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Catacomb Sifter by color, type and mana cost

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Harald, King of Skemfar - MTG Card versions
Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager - MTG Card versions
Chatterfang, Squirrel General - MTG Card versions
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan - MTG Card versions
Willowdusk, Essence Seer - MTG Card versions
Shambling Shell - MTG Card versions
Wormwood Dryad - MTG Card versions
Stalker Hag - MTG Card versions
Hag Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Quillspike - MTG Card versions
Rendclaw Trow - MTG Card versions
Glissa, the Traitor - MTG Card versions
Stonefare Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Dreg Mangler - MTG Card versions
Varolz, the Scar-Striped - MTG Card versions
Quagmire Druid - MTG Card versions
Autumnal Gloom // Ancient of the Equinox - MTG Card versions
Shaman of the Pack - MTG Card versions
Mournwillow - MTG Card versions
Slimefoot, the Stowaway - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Catacomb Sifter. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari CitadelGolgari Citadel PioneerGolgari CitadelPioneer Challenge 64 2024-04-28
Jund CitadelJund Citadel PioneerJund CitadelPioneer Challenge 96 2023-12-10 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Catacomb Sifter brings one Scion token into play, potentially offering an additional card draw if this token is sacrificed, making this a solid addition to decks looking for advantage in the late game.

Resource Acceleration: Catacomb Sifter gives a boost to your mana resources. Its ability to create a Scion token – essentially a small creature that can be sacrificed for one colorless mana – is valuable in the resource race, permitting you to bring out higher cost cards sooner.

Instant Speed: While Catacomb Sifter doesn’t have instant speed, it makes up for it with its ability. Whenever another creature you control dies, you get to scry 1. This means you can reorder your deck during any phase, even on your opponent’s turn, giving you flexibility of when to use this ability, similar to instant speed play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Catacomb Sifter doesn’t come with a discard demand. But in a course of harsh gaming scenarios where one has to keep their hand stacked, the absence of this requirement can sometimes create a loophole where players exhaust all available options and still don’t have enough firepower.

Specific Mana Cost: Catacomb Sifter employs a distinct mana cost. It mandates both, a colorless and a green or black mana, which may limit its use to only Golgari or colorless decks. Thus, reducing the flexibility of the card and impacting the options one can have with deck building.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though Catacomb Sifter provides strong value against its cost, it still claims a three-mana spot in your curve. It can slow down your game, especially when you’re up against aggro decks or when you might have more efficient cards for lesser mana in your deck.


Reasons to Include Catacomb Sifter in Your Collection

Versatility: Catacomb Sifter adds value to a wide range of decks. Particularly in decks that utilize creatures, it allows for deck scrying and board presence. Its concept fits GW (Green & White) Convoke, Golgari (Green & Black) Aggro, and Aristocrats deck types, among others.

Combo Potential: The scion tokens generated by Catacomb Sifter can instigate further actions. These tokens can be tapped for mana or sacrificed for several uses, like activating abilities or strengthening strategies. For instance, sifting through your deck and controlling your draws becomes beneficial.

Meta-Relevance: Catacomb Sifter’s broad meta utility leverages current gaming strategies. With a midrange metagame, its ability to maintain board presence while quickly sifting through the deck gives a clear advantage to the user, making it a worthy inclusion in any MTG card collection.


How to beat

The Catacomb Sifter MTG card is a powerhouse within the game of Magic: The Gathering, spotting a dual effect of creature generation and scrying, which bolsters the player’s deck manipulation capacity. The key to outmaneuver the card is to overcome its scrying ability, which gives players an edge by offering them information about their upcoming cards.

Just as with the MTG game dynamics, where you would counteract a card draw spell like Divination by forcing a discard action, similarly, to beat Catacomb Sifter, you need to hinder its feeding the temporary library manipulation by deploying disruption strategies. Proven techniques can include forced creature sacrifice, or you can apply removal spells, minimizing the scrying tactic’s effectiveness.

Furthermore, Catacomb Sifter’s creature generation – specifically the Eldrazi Scion – can be thwarted. You can use cards that have the ability to kill multiple creatures in a single sweep which would seriously hamper your opponent’s offensive and hindering their deck manipulation potency.

In summary, beating the Catacomb Sifter MTG card hovers around effectively orchestrating a disruption strategy, especially focusing on countering creature generation and scrying, hence stopping the player from shaping their game plan with better certainty.


BurnMana Recommendations

As an MTG enthusiast aiming to harness the full potential of Catacomb Sifter, you’ve seen how it enhances deck dynamics through card advantage, mana acceleration, and flexibility. Utilizing its scry ability optimizes your deck’s performance, especially when paired with sacrifice strategies. Although certain constraints exist, such as specific mana requirements, the advantages often overshadow these limitations. Whether you’re strengthening a Golgari build or looking for that combo-enhancing piece, this card has aspects worth exploring. For deck synergy ideas, in-depth strategies, and additional ways to capitalize on Catacomb Sifter’s capabilities, we encourage you to visit BurnMana and unlock even more secrets for your MTG arsenal.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Catacomb Sifter MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Catacomb Sifter and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Catacomb Sifter has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Catacomb Sifter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2015-08-25 A card with devoid is just colorless. It’s not colorless and the colors of mana in its mana cost.
2015-08-25 Cards with devoid use frames that are variations of the transparent frame traditionally used for Eldrazi. The top part of the card features some color over a background based on the texture of the hedrons that once imprisoned the Eldrazi. This coloration is intended to aid deckbuilding and game play.
2015-08-25 Devoid works in all zones, not just on the battlefield.
2015-08-25 Eldrazi Scions are similar to Eldrazi Spawn, seen in the Zendikar block. Note that Eldrazi Scions are 1/1, not 0/1.
2015-08-25 Eldrazi and Scion are each separate creature types. Anything that affects Eldrazi will affect these tokens, for example.
2015-08-25 If a card loses devoid, it will still be colorless. This is because effects that change an object’s color (like the one created by devoid) are considered before the object loses devoid.
2015-08-25 Other cards and abilities can give a card with devoid color. If that happens, it’s just the new color, not that color and colorless.
2015-08-25 Sacrificing an Eldrazi Scion creature token to add to your mana pool is a mana ability. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to.
2015-08-25 Some instants and sorceries that create Eldrazi Scions require targets. If all targets for such a spell have become illegal by the time that spell tries to resolve, the spell won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won’t get any Eldrazi Scions.