Gleancrawler MTG Card


Ensures returned creatures from the graveyard enhance resource management and battlefield presence. Demands precise mana and strategic gameplay, making it a unique deck-building challenge. Provides ongoing value in creature-focused strategies, crucial for long-term play advantage.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Insect Horror
Abilities Trample
Power 6
Toughness 6

Text of card

({B/G} can be paid with either or .) Trample At the beginning of your end step, return to your hand all creature cards in your graveyard that were put there from the battlefield this turn.


Cards like Gleancrawler

Gleancrawler is a unique creature within Magic: The Gathering that offers a distinctive ability to return creature cards put into your graveyard from the battlefield to your hand at the end of each turn. It shares this graveyard interaction theme with other cards like Gravecrawler, which can be cast from the graveyard provided you control a Zombie. However, Gravecrawler focuses solely on itself, whereas Gleancrawler has a broader impact by targeting all your creatures.

Another creature that operates within the realm of graveyard recursion is Eternal Witness. While Eternal Witness allows you to return any card from your graveyard to your hand upon entering the battlefield, Gleancrawler provides sustained advantage over time but is limited to creature cards. Eternal Witness offers instant utility, whereas Gleancrawler sets up a recurring value engine that may dictate the state of the game in longer matchups.

Ultimately, Gleancrawler distinguishes itself for its ability to provide enduring value in creature-centric decks, particularly in Commander format where its effect can potentially recover a multitude of potent threats each turn cycle, shaping it as a formidable piece in Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of graveyard-themed cards.

Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Eternal Witness - MTG Card versions
Gravecrawler - MTG Card versions
Eternal Witness - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gleancrawler by color, type and mana cost

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Drooling Groodion - MTG Card versions
Woodwraith Corrupter - MTG Card versions
Loathsome Catoblepas - MTG Card versions
Baloth Null - MTG Card versions
Izoni, Thousand-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Skanos, Black Dragon Vassal - MTG Card versions
Bortuk Bonerattle - MTG Card versions
Yargle and Multani - MTG Card versions
Invasion of Lorwyn // Winnowing Forces - MTG Card versions
Shelob, Child of Ungoliant - MTG Card versions
Izoni, Center of the Web - MTG Card versions
Sludge Titan - MTG Card versions
Alpha Deathclaw - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gleancrawler stands out as a powerhouse for card advantage. Its unique ability to return all of your creatures that went to your graveyard from the battlefield at the end of each turn to your hand ensures a continuous flow of resources. This means more creatures to play each turn and an enduring presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or treasure tokens, the value Gleancrawler adds lies in its resource acceleration through recurring your creatures. This ends up saving the mana you would otherwise spend on drawing or retrieving creatures from the graveyard, thus indirectly accelerating your in-game resources.

Instant Speed: One of the overlooked aspects of Gleancrawler is its synergy with instant speed spells and abilities. In decks where creatures can be sacrificed or die during your turn, Gleancrawler ensures they return to your hand right in time to be utilized again, combining excellently with the flexibility of instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gleancrawler demands a carefully curated graveyard setup to fully utilize its potential. Without the deliberate discard or death of valuable creatures, the card’s ability is significantly underutilized, causing a setback in maximizing your available plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a specific blend of black and green mana, Gleancrawler can be restrictive for decks that are not steadily based within those colors. Those running a multicolor deck may sometimes find it challenging to muster the necessary mana combination, thus delaying the casting of this creature.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of six mana, including three color-specific, Gleancrawler can be considered quite the investment in terms of resources. Given that its effect only triggers during the end step, faster-paced games may see this card as too slow, overshadowed by lower-cost cards with more immediate impacts.


Reasons to Include Gleancrawler in Your Collection

Versatility: Gleancrawler displays a broad utility within various deck strategies, specifically for decks that focus on graveyard mechanics or creature reclamation. Its ability to return creatures to your hand from your graveyard at the end of the turn offers a strong defensive resource.

Combo Potential: This card holds immense synergies in decks that rely on entering or leaving the battlefield effects. Combining Gleancrawler with sacrificing mechanics can lead to powerful loops, efficiently reusing your creatures for maximum impact.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where attrition and card advantage are key, Gleancrawler thrives. As it keeps your creatures from being permanently lost to graveyard removals, it offers a persistent threat that can outlast many control strategies currently prevalent in the meta.


How to beat

Gleancrawler presents an intriguing challenge on the battlefield, redefining the end phase for creature control in Magic: The Gathering. This heavyweight combines regenerative capabilities with a continuous resurrection of creatures for its controller. To overcome this daunting opponent, savvy play and strategic card choice are essential. Direct removal spells like Path to Exile or Murder offer a straightforward solution but may fall short against a recursion-focused deck.

Exile effects become pivotal in ensuring Gleancrawler’s permanence is cut short. Cards like Swords to Plowshares not only remove the threat but prevent creatures from returning to the owner’s hand. Graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze disrupt the creature retrieval synergy that Gleancrawler capitalizes on. In quick-paced matchups, a Forced Adaptation approach can be effective in denying Gleancrawler the opportunity to influence the game state significantly.

Ultimately, strategy against Gleancrawler hinges on timing and denying its death-triggered ability. By ensuring this powerhouse doesn’t linger on the field or by crippling its inherent synergy with other graveyard mechanics, players can maintain an upper hand against opponents relying on this card’s enduring presence in MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Gleancrawler demands a tactical approach to maximize its intriguing abilities in MTG. Understanding its strengths and potential drawbacks is key to leveraging its power on the battlefield. For those who relish sustained board presence and possess a penchant for grave-based strategies, Gleancrawler is a compelling choice. If you’re eager to harness this card’s ability to safeguard your creatures and maintain card advantage, delve deeper into our insights. We encourage MTG enthusiasts to explore strategies that make the most of Gleancrawler’s unique mechanics. Ready to turn the tide of battle in your favor? Join us for in-depth guides and discussions that will sharpen your skills and broaden your understanding of the game’s strategic intricacies.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gleancrawler MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ravnica: City of Guilds Promos, 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 Gleancrawler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gleancrawler Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2012-09-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 320172003NormalBlackJeremy Jarvis
22005-10-07Ravnica: City of Guilds PromosPRAV 247★2003NormalBlackJeremy Jarvis
32005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 2472003NormalBlackDave Allsop
42012-09-07Duel Decks: Izzet vs. GolgariDDJ 642003NormalBlackJeremy Jarvis

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gleancrawler has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2005-10-01 When this ability resolves, it returns all creature cards currently in your graveyard that were put there directly from the battlefield sometime during the turn. This includes cards that were put into your graveyard before Gleancrawler entered the battlefield.