Hell's Caretaker MTG Card


Hell’s Caretaker grants recurring creature resurrection, essentially overwhelming opponents with strategic board presence. It can hinder pace with high costs and upkeep dependency, potentially costing tempo advantages in speedy games. Understanding Caretaker’s strengths and counters ensures command over the battlefield, tipping scales in your favor.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Horror
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

oc T: During your upkeep sacrifice a creature and take a creature from your graveyard and put it directly into play. Treat this creature as though it were just summoned.

You might leave here, Chenndra, should another take your place . . . .


Cards like Hell's Caretaker

Hell’s Caretaker stands out as a unique cornerstone of reanimation strategies within MTG. This card serves as a bridge between the living and the dead, resurrecting creatures during each of your upkeep phases at the cost of another creature on the battlefield. It draws comparison to other graveyard-utilizing cards like Phyrexian Delver, which allows you to return a creature to the battlefield at the cost of life equal to that creature’s mana cost.

Another notable parallel is found in Whisper, Blood Liturgist, which also demands a sacrificial cost — two creatures to bring back another from your graveyard to the battlefield. While Whisper is less restricted in timing, being an activated ability rather than tied to upkeep, Hell’s Caretaker offers a recurring effect that can be utilized every turn. Lastly, the infamous Sheoldred, Whispering One echoes the theme of reanimation. Despite higher mana costs, Sheoldred’s reanimation is automatic and also forces opponents to sacrifice creatures, making her a powerful, albeit pricier, alternative.

Analyzing these alternatives shows how Hell’s Caretaker provides continuous utility in a dedicated deck, especially when combined with creatures that have beneficial enter-the-battlefield or death effects, fortifying its role in the MTG reanimation archetype.

Phyrexian Delver - MTG Card versions
Whisper, Blood Liturgist - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Delver - MTG Card versions
Whisper, Blood Liturgist - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Hell's Caretaker by color, type and mana cost

Rag Man - MTG Card versions
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Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
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Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hell’s Caretaker offers a repeatable way to bring back creatures from your graveyard, ensuring a steady flow of resources and maintaining a board presence. By sacrificing a creature each of your upkeep, you have the potential to resurrect a more powerful creature lost earlier in the match, continuously swaying the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: This card can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by returning high-impact creatures that may generate additional mana, such as mana dorks or creatures with abilities providing extra lands. Reanimating creatures that distribute resources can quickly escalate the pace at which you play out your hand and leverage your position.

Instant Speed: While Hell’s Caretaker itself does not operate at instant speed, it allows for strategic planning during your upkeep. By carefully timing your sacrifices, you can respond to an opponent’s end-of-turn actions effectively, setting up powerful plays for your turn that can catch opponents unprepared and disrupt their strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Hell’s Caretaker requires a creature to be sacrificed as part of its activation cost. This can technically put you at a card disadvantage or force you to part with a valuable creature on the board, which may be a significant drawback in some situations.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one black mana and three colorless mana to cast, necessitating a commitment to black mana in your deck. Players not running a primarily black deck might find it difficult to accommodate Hell’s Caretaker in their mana base, limiting its utility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana and an activation cost that can only be used during your upkeep, Hell’s Caretaker can be seen as slow compared to other reanimation strategies available in the format. This higher setup cost can sometimes put players at a tempo disadvantage.


Reasons to Include Hell’s Caretaker in Your Collection

Versatility: Hell’s Caretaker offers a unique role in reanimator or sacrifice-themed decks, providing ongoing recursion for powerful creatures every turn. Its ability to swap a creature on the battlefield with one from the graveyard ensures a lasting presence throughout the game.

Combo Potential: This card allows for intricate combinations by resurrecting key creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects or high impact abilities, creating opportunities to turn the tide of a match by carefully choosing which creatures to sacrifice and bring back.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where control decks prevail, Hell’s Caretaker can help maintain board presence against removal-heavy decks, constantly threatening opponents with the revival of strong creatures that can alter the game’s dynamics.


How to beat

Hell’s Caretaker offers a unique combination of graveyard manipulation and creature recursion in MTG. To effectively counter this card, prioritize removal spells that can exile it from the game, such as Path to Exile or Vindicate, which circumvents its ability to return to the battlefield. Another effective strategy involves using graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void to prevent the Caretaker from utilizing its ability at all by removing creatures from the graveyard altogether.

Moreover, countering the Caretaker’s activation is crucial. Hold up instant-speed interaction like Stifle or Trickbind to neutralize the ability when the opponent attempts to use it on their upkeep. Also, consider using cards that restrict creature abilities such as Cursed Totem or Linvala, Keeper of Silence, which can shut down the Caretaker while still in play. By implementing these tactics, you’ll be able to dismantle the recursive threats posed by Hell’s Caretaker and maintain control over the game state.

Ultimately, an adept player must be prepared for the challenges that cards like Hell’s Caretaker present. By utilizing proactive and reactive measures, you can preserve your strategy’s integrity and lead yourself to victory against this formidable MTG card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of deck-building and strategy in MTG is a continuous journey, with cards like Hell’s Caretaker fueling the potential for thrilling gameplay. Such a card can reshape the battlefield, making every turn a nexus of possibilities. With a proper understanding of its pros and cons, strategic implications, and the ways to counter it, players can significantly enhance their competitive edge. For those enchanted by the dark allure of graveyard strategies, incorporating this card into your arsenal could lead to dominating performances. Embrace the continuous evolution of your MTG prowess and discover more ways to achieve victory with our insights.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hell's Caretaker MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Hell's Caretaker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hell's Caretaker Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 1041993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
21995-07-01ChroniclesCHR 351993NormalWhiteSandra Everingham
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1372003NormalWhiteGreg Staples
42005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 137★2003NormalBlackGreg Staples
52018-03-16Masters 25A25 922015NormalBlackGreg Staples

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hell's Caretaker has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-03-16 Hell’s Caretaker can be the creature sacrificed to activate its ability, but it can’t be the target of its own ability.
2018-03-16 The upkeep step is before the draw step, after the untap step. Because the turn has already begun, creatures put onto the battlefield during your upkeep won’t be able to attack or pay a cost this turn.