Grisly Survivor MTG Card


Grisly Survivor’s cycling ability provides card advantage and can trigger beneficial synergies. Rapid power increase through discarding makes it a formidable presence in specific deck builds. Its instant-speed cycling offers strategic flexibility during gameplay.
Grisly Survivor - Hour of Devastation
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Minotaur Warrior
Released2017-07-14
Set symbol
Set nameHour of Devastation
Set codeHOU
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number64
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySeb McKinnon

Text of card

Whenever you cycle or discard a card, Grisly Survivor gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

No cartouches to earn. No afterlife to enter. Only the glory of a well-struck blow and the growing pile of felled enemies at her feet.


Cards like Grisly Survivor

Grisly Survivor is an intriguing creature card in MTG, inviting comparisons with other cards that thrive on the discard mechanic. Its ability to get stronger whenever you discard a card makes it somewhat akin to Bloodrage Brawler. Although the Brawler is heftier from the get-go, Grisly Survivor can potentially become more powerful with the right interactions and a steady stream of discards.

Another similar card worth mentioning is Shadow of the Grave, which provides a unique twist on the discard strategy. It allows you to return to your hand all cards discarded in a turn, complementing Grisly Survivor’s appetite for cards leaving your hand. Though not a creature, Shadow of the Grave can significantly amplify the Survivor’s threat level on the board.

Then there’s Flameblade Adept, which benefits from each individual discard, potentially leading to massive single-turn damage spikes. Grisly Survivor, in contrast, only receives a single boost per turn, regardless of the number of cards discarded. This makes Flameblade Adept more aggressive in decks designed to discard multiple cards quickly.

Ultimately, Grisly Survivor offers MTG players a unique and persistent growing threat, most effective in decks crafted around the discard mechanic and synergizes well with cycling and madness strategies.

Bloodrage Brawler - MTG Card versions
Shadow of the Grave - MTG Card versions
Flameblade Adept - MTG Card versions
Bloodrage Brawler - MTG Card versions
Shadow of the Grave - MTG Card versions
Flameblade Adept - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Grisly Survivor by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
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Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When deploying Grisly Survivor in your deck, the ability to discard a card for its cycling ability can trigger a draw, thereby replacing itself in your hand. This cycling effect not only can give you fresh options but also synergizes with other cards that benefit from cycling or discarding, subtly bolstering your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Grisly Survivor excels in decks that focus on cycling and discarding cards, often powering up the creature exponentially with each cycle. This can turn it into a significant threat at a rapid pace, effectively accelerating your resources in terms of board presence and pressuring your opponents.

Instant Speed: While Grisly Survivor itself isn’t an instant, its cycling ability can be activated at instant speed. This gives you the flexibility to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide whether to cycle for a new card, potentially drawing into an answer or a more useful card while also escaping sorcery-speed removal and bolstering Survivor’s power spontaneously.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grisly Survivor hinges on the ability to discard cards to gain strength, which may not synergize with all strategies. Decks that don’t naturally discard may find this a taxing requirement, particularly in the late game when maintaining a full grip of cards can be crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Locked into the black mana color spectrum, Grisly Survivor can constrain deck building to black-inclusive combinations. This can limit flexibility, requiring a mana base that supports black to ensure it’s playable when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a three-mana cost and the added need to discard for its ability, Grisly Survivor may not be as cost-effective compared to other creatures of the same mana value. Its initial power and toughness do not offer immediate board presence, which is something that players look for in a three-drop.


Reasons to Include Grisly Survivor in Your Collection

Versatility: Grisly Survivor offers a flexible role in decks that are designed to cycle or discard cards often, easily fitting into strategies looking to utilize the graveyard or draw mechanics.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to gain strength each time you cycle or discard a card means it has significant synergy with numerous deck archetypes that thrive on these actions, paving the way for powerful combos and game-finishing moves.

Meta-Relevance: With an evolving game environment that often showcases graveyard manipulation or reanimation tactics, Grisly Survivor can become a key player in decks that aim to capitalize on these prevalent themes.


How to Beat Grisly Survivor

Grisly Survivor, intriguingly, thrives on your ability to manage and leverage your hand. When facing this creature, it is important to mitigate its strength by disrupting your opponent’s ability to discard cards. If possible, play cards that force them to draw or keep their hands full to limit the potency of discards that power up Grisly Survivor. A strategic play is to remove the card from play using targeted removal before it becomes a threat on the battlefield. Cards that negate abilities can also be extremely useful, as they neutralize the Survivor’s power increases when a card is discarded.

Avoid letting Grisly Survivor slip through the cracks during your opponent’s turn, as your adversary may stack their hand precisely to empower it. Spells that exile it from the graveyard ensure it won’t make a comeback either. Understanding how Grisly Survivor fits within your opponent’s overall strategy will also give you an edge. By anticipating their discards, you can stay one step ahead. Always remember, preventing its growth and reducing its synergy with other cards in the deck can turn the tide of the game in your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grisly Survivor MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation, 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 Grisly Survivor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grisly Survivor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you discard a card doesn’t give you permission to discard cards. You’ll need another effect that instructs or allows you to discard them.
2017-04-18 An ability that triggers whenever you “cycle or discard” a card triggers only once if you cycle a card. The ability “Whenever you discard a card” is functionally identical to this ability; cycling is mentioned for clarity.
2017-04-18 If a player discards a card during their cleanup step due to having too many cards in hand, any appropriate abilities that trigger on discarding that card trigger. If this happens, those triggered abilities are put onto the stack and players receive priority in that cleanup step to cast spells or activate abilities (normally, no players may take actions during a cleanup step). Another cleanup step is created following that one.
2017-04-18 Some cards have an ability that triggers whenever you cycle any card. These triggered abilities resolve before you draw from the cycling ability.