Wrexial, the Risen Deep MTG Card


Wrexial enables significant card advantage by casting opponent’s spells from their graveyard. Islandwalk and Swampwalk abilities allow Wrexial to attack unopposed, speeding up gameplay. Instant-speed spell casting from graveyards offers tactical plays and surprises opponents.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Kraken
Abilities Islandwalk,Landwalk,Swampwalk
Power 5
Toughness 8

Text of card

Islandwalk, swampwalk Whenever Wrexial, the Risen Deep deals combat damage to a player, you may cast target instant or sorcery card from that player's graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that card would be put into a graveyard this turn, exile it instead.


Cards like Wrexial, the Risen Deep

Wrexial the Risen Deep is a unique powerhouse in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. When paralleled with other creatures, Wrexial stands out with its intimidating capacity to cast spells from opponents’ graveyards. In this circle, we encounter Geth, Lord of the Vault, who similarly capitalizes on opponents’ discarded strategies. Geth, however, leans more on reanimating creatures or artifacts directly to the battlefield, rather than casting the spells.

Another comparison can be drawn with The Scarab God, which also delves into the graveyard tactics, providing consistent reanimation while whittling down opponents’ life totals. Yet, The Scarab God lacks Wrexial’s inherent unblockable nature against islands or swamps. Additionally, we have Diluvian Primordial, granting a one-time benefit of casting multiple spells from any graveyards upon its entry to the battlefield, unlike Wrexial’s repeatable ability each time it attacks.

Thus, while other cards may interact with graveyards or cast spells in different capacities, Wrexial the Risen Deep’s blend of combat proficiency and skillful utilisation of opponents’ spells renders it a formidable choice for players seeking to leverage their enemies’ past plays in their strategy.

Geth, Lord of the Vault - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Diluvian Primordial - MTG Card versions
Geth, Lord of the Vault - MTG Card versions
The Scarab God - MTG Card versions
Diluvian Primordial - MTG Card versions

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Vela the Night-Clad - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wrexial the Risen Deep is a powerful enabler for card advantage. By fulfilling its attack condition, you gain access to spells from your opponent’s graveyard, effectively turning their resources into your own. This intrinsic ability not only diminishes your opponent’s options but also offers you a selection of additional strategies during each of your turns.

Resource Acceleration: Wrexial’s Islandwalk and Swampwalk abilities serve as a form of resource acceleration. They allow this formidable Kraken to bypass potential blockers when attacking opponents who control islands or swamps. This means that you’re able to apply pressure and potentially utilize your opponent’s spells faster, effectively accelerating your resource usage without having to commit additional cards or mana to clear a path for damage.

Instant Speed: While Wrexial the Risen Deep itself is not an instant, its ability to cast instants (and sorceries) from opponent’s graveyards at the speed they were intended allows for tactical flexibility. This interaction at instant speed can be leveraged to disrupt opponents during their turn or to provide surprise value in the midst of complex board states, thereby enhancing your reactive capabilities.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging Wrexial the Risen Deep in your arsenal demands specific strategizing as it has no inherent discard effects, which could synergize with its ability. This requires additional card support to fully utilize its potential, potentially limiting the deck-building options and necessitating a more complex game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Summoning this leviathan from the depths of your deck necessitates a particular blend of mana—two blue, two black, and two others. Such a specific requirement can make it challenging to cast in multi-color decks that may not always have the necessary mana at the right time. This might hinder the card’s flexibility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana value of six, Wrexial the Risen Deep sits on the higher end of the mana curve. In the fast-paced environment of modern MTG games, this cost may seem burdensome when compared with other creatures that hit the board quicker or have immediate impact upon casting. This can make Wrexial less appealing in situations where tempo and early board presence are crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Wrexial the Risen Deep offers a wide array of strategies for deck builders, lending itself to control or mill decks while able to serve as a conqueror in commander formats. Its ability to play spells from opponents’ graveyards provides a dynamic approach to every match.

Combo Potential: This sea monster excels in decks that focus on filling the opponents’ graveyards with spells. When paired with cards that force discards or mill, Wrexial becomes a formidable source of card advantage, allowing you to cast your opponents’ spells against them.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where graveyard interaction remains a persistent theme, Wrexial retains relevance by turning enemy strategies into opportunities. As more players include graveyard-based tactics in their decks, Wrexial becomes an increasingly essential counter and asset, making it a savvy addition to your collection.


How to beat Wrexial the Risen Deep

Wrexial the Risen Deep is a daunting creature card with unique capabilities. Its ability to be unblockable by players without islands or swamps puts a twist on usual combat strategies. However, players can utilize various tactics to counteract Wrexial’s strengths. One approach is to manipulate the battlefield; land destruction or transformation cards can alter the types of lands you control, thereby allowing you to block Wrexial’s attacks. Removal spells that bypass the combat phase, such as Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization, can also dispatch Wrexial before it can exploit its abilities.

Additionally, graveyard interaction is a key factor. Since Wrexial capitalizes on casting spells from opponents’ graveyards, controlling your own graveyard or exiling key spells before Wrexial has the opportunity to cast them can cripple its utility. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can prevent Wrexial from ever gaining traction. Lastly, countering Wrexial upon casting using counter spells negates the need to deal with its abilities altogether. In brief, while Wrexial poses a unique challenge, strategic use of removal, land modification, graveyard control, and counter spells can overcome this powerful Leviathan.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into MTG is a constant journey of discovery, and Wrexial the Risen Deep offers a treasure trove of gameplay enhancement. This card is a strategic gem for those poised to harness the vast spells in opponents’ graveyards. As you craft your decks, consider the synergies that Wrexial brings, especially within the control or mill archetypes, and the competitive edge it provides in commander-focused games. Embrace the challenge of timing and mana allocation to unleash the Kraken’s full potential. Ready to cast your net wider in the MTG sea? Dive in to learn more and strategically bolster your collection with Wrexial’s unique abilities.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wrexial, the Risen Deep MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake 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 Wrexial, the Risen Deep and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wrexial, the Risen Deep Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 1202003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2392003NormalBlackEric Deschamps
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1712015NormalBlackEric Deschamps
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5842015NormalBlackAlexandre Chaudret
52022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3592015NormalBlackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wrexial, the Risen Deep has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2010-03-01 If you are unable to cast the targeted card (there are no legal targets for the spell, for example), nothing happens when the ability resolves, and the card remains in its owner's graveyard.
2010-03-01 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't pay any alternative costs. On the other hand, if the card has additional costs (such as kicker or multikicker), you may pay those.
2010-03-01 If you cast the targeted card and it would be put into its owner's graveyard from the stack for any reason (either because it resolves or because it's countered), that card is exiled instead.
2010-03-01 If you want to cast the targeted card, you cast it as part of the resolution of Wrexial's triggered ability. Timing restrictions based on the card's type are ignored. Other restrictions are not (such as “Cast
-his card] only during your end step”).