Desecrator Hag MTG Card


Desecrator Hag excels in graveyard recovery, offering versatility in creature-based MTG decks. Its casting cost and mandatory discard can hinder its playability in non-specialized decks. Feels at home in Golgari decks, amplifying potential combos and metagame relevance.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Hag
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

When Desecrator Hag comes into play, return to your hand the creature card in your graveyard with the highest power. If two or more cards are tied for highest power, you choose one of them.

Loose earth is not a burial but an appetizer.


Cards like Desecrator Hag

The Desecrator Hag card in Magic: The Gathering carves a niche in graveyard interaction tactics. It shares some similarities with Golgari Thug, particularly in its ability to return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. However, Desecrator Hag differs with its option to return two creature cards at once if you control a swamp and a forest as you cast it. This potential for card advantage can be a significant boost.

Moving to another kindred spirit, Cadaver Imp acts as a small-scale resurrection tool just like Desecrator Hag. Cadaver Imp’s entrance to the battlefield allows for the retrieval of a creature from graveyard to hand, yet it doesn’t offer the potential double-duty of the Hag. The Desecrator Hag’s higher cost is justified by its more robust versatility and the possibility of reclaiming an extra card under the right conditions.

In reflecting on these comparisons, Desecrator Hag stands out among MTG creatures that favor graveyard manipulation. With the right deck conditions, it harnesses both forest and swamp synergies to optimize the value returned from the graveyard, potentially setting the stage for powerful plays.

Golgari Thug - MTG Card versions
Cadaver Imp - MTG Card versions
Golgari Thug - MTG Card versions
Cadaver Imp - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Desecrator Hag by color, type and mana cost

Gyome, Master Chef - MTG Card versions
Woodwraith Strangler - MTG Card versions
Savra, Queen of the Golgari - MTG Card versions
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Storrev, Devkarin Lich - MTG Card versions
Rotwidow Pack - MTG Card versions
Polukranos, Unchained - MTG Card versions
Boneyard Lurker - MTG Card versions
Gyome, Master Chef - MTG Card versions
Woodwraith Strangler - MTG Card versions
Savra, Queen of the Golgari - MTG Card versions
Mortipede - MTG Card versions
Creakwood Liege - MTG Card versions
Noxious Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Corpsejack Menace - MTG Card versions
Rot Farm Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Reaper of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Graverobber Spider - MTG Card versions
Vhati il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord - MTG Card versions
Meren of Clan Nel Toth - MTG Card versions
Poison-Tip Archer - MTG Card versions
Golgari Findbroker - MTG Card versions
Canker Abomination - MTG Card versions
Storrev, Devkarin Lich - MTG Card versions
Rotwidow Pack - MTG Card versions
Polukranos, Unchained - MTG Card versions
Boneyard Lurker - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Desecrator Hag provides a unique benefit by allowing you to return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand upon entering the battlefield. This can be a crucial move for rebuilding your presence on the field and maintaining hand superiority.

Resource Acceleration: Upon entering the battlefield, Desecrator Hag lets you discard a card to potentially streamline your deck’s performance. This serves a dual purpose of filter through your deck for more valuable cards and filling your graveyard, effectively setting up for other synergistic plays that capitalize on graveyard mechanics.

Instant Speed: Though Desecrator Hag itself is not an instant, its creature returning effect can be immediately utilized if reanimated or flashed into play during an opponent’s turn. This timing flexibility can offer surprise advantages and disrupt opponents’ strategies by recovering key creatures at critical moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Desecrator Hag comes with a mandatory discard condition to activate its ability. For players whose hands are nearly empty, this can turn into a setback, forcing them to lose potentially valuable assets from their limited hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Commanding a precise blend of black and green mana, Desecrator Hag’s casting cost can be a stumbling block in decks that aren’t finely-tuned to accommodate such requirements. This factor narrows the range of decks where the card can perform optimally.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that leans on the higher side, this Hag confronts players with a decision of whether the benefit outweighs the cost when there are alternatives that might provide similar or better outcomes for less. Seasoned players often weigh such options carefully to maximize efficiency during gameplay.


Reasons to Include Desecrator Hag in Your Collection

Versatility: Desecrator Hag opens up opportunities for creative deck building, fitting seamlessly into graveyard-themed strategies or any deck aiming to capitalize on its ability to retrieve important cards from the graveyard to the hand.

Combo Potential: Able to bring back creatures or lands from your graveyard when it enters the battlefield or dies, Desecrator Hag acts as a key piece in setting up potent combos and synergies, particularly in Golgari decks.

Meta-Relevance: With shifting metas that sometimes favor recursion and resource recovery, Desecrator Hag can be quite impactful. Its inherent flexibility and the constant threat of graveyard retrieval make it a card worth considering as the competitive environment evolves.


How to beat Desecrator Hag

Desecrator Hag, belonging to a distinct lineage of Magic: The Gathering graveyard interaction creatures, poses a unique challenge on the battlefield. Notable for its ability to return creature cards from the graveyard to its owner’s hand, it operates as a valued piece in strategies centered on recurring valuable creatures. The key to neutralizing Desecrator Hag’s impact lies in suppressing graveyard interactions. Utilize cards capable of exiling creatures from the graveyard such as Tormod’s Crypt or rest in peace before Desecrator Hag can trigger its effect, or make use of removal spells to keep it off the board altogether. Employ strategic graveyard management to ensure that the options for the Hag’s effect are minimal. In a match where tempo dictates the pace, cards like Scavenging Ooze can systematically dismantle the components the Hag seeks to exploit while also developing your board state and life total simultaneously.

Remember that disrupting your opponent’s strategy by targeting their graveyard mechanics can be a decisive move. Strive to maintain control over the game’s flow and keep pressure on your opponent, reducing their chances to leverage the Hag’s full potential. As such, remaining vigilant and utilizing graveyard hate effectively can seal your victory against Desecrator Hag decks.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Desecrator Hag MTG card by a specific set like Eventide and Commander 2011, 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 Desecrator Hag and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Desecrator Hag Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-07-25 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Fred Harper.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-07-25EventideEVE 1192003NormalBlackFred Harper
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1932003NormalBlackFred Harper
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1532015NormalBlackFred Harper

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Desecrator Hag has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-08-01 If the creature card has “*” in its power or toughness, the ability that defines “*” works in all zones.
2008-08-01 This ability doesn’t target a card. It will determine which card is returned to your hand as it resolves. If there’s a tie, you choose which of the tied cards to return to your hand at that time.