Foundations isn’t just the most important Standard set of 2024; it’s very likely the most important Standard set of all time. This thing is properly huge, with hundreds of new cards coming in between the main set and the Starter Collection. Tons of new archetypes will have a chance to shine, and for five years no less. One such archetype is Reanimator, which is getting some very exciting pieces indeed from this set. Abyssal Harvester, for example, is one of the best MTG cards for the deck we’ve seen in a while. Start planting your huge bombs now; the harvest begins soon.
Abyssal Harvester MTG
- Mana Value: 2B
- Rarity: Rare
- Stats: 3/2
- Card Text: Tap: Exile target creature card from a graveyard that was put there this turn. Create a token that’s a copy of it, except it’s a Nightmare in addition to its other types. Then exile all other Nightmare tokens you control.
Reanimation spells in MTG typically come as instants or sorceries. Cards like Unburial Rites, Zombify, etc. Getting one on a body is a relative luxury, and getting one on a body you can repeat is even rarer. That’s exactly what Abyssal Harvester offers, however.
For three mana, you get a 3/2 that can, essentially, tap to reanimate a creature from the graveyard. Naturally for an effect this powerful, there are some caveats. You can pick from either graveyard, but only from among the warm bodies. In other words, you have to reanimate a creature that entered the graveyard this turn.
This sounds like a major issue, but there are multiple ways to achieve this. The ability itself costs no mana, so you can spend your turn on a removal spell and then tap the Harvester to grab the creature you removed. It also doesn’t care where the creature entered the graveyard from, so mill and discard effects are very much on the table.
The other interesting thing about Harvester is the fact that it doesn’t actually reanimate its target. Instead, it exiles it and creates a Nightmare token copy. It then exiles any other Nightmare tokens you have out, so you can only have one thing reanimated with it at a time. This is a bit of a double-edged sword. Exiling your opponent’s creatures when reanimating them is great, but exiling yours stings a little. Especially in a dedicated Reanimator deck where you could ordinarily dig them up again later.
With all of that in mind, Abyssal Harvester is a very interesting MTG card indeed. The potential for value here is huge, even just using it reactively against an opponent’s graveyard. In a dedicated deck, the ceiling is even higher.
It’s Harvest Time
There are plenty of cards that support a Standard Reanimator deck right now, with many of them coming from Foundations. For example, you may not have noticed that Vile Entomber will now be legal in the format. This card was sneakily added via the Starter Collection, and it’s a very powerful tool for the archetype. It also forms an absolute dream curve with Harvester.
Drop Harvester on three, then follow up with Entomber on four to put your scariest creature in the graveyard. A Valgavoth, Terror Eater, for example. Then tap Harvester, which has had time to shrug off its summoning sickness, and put a token copy of Valgavoth into play. Even the speediest Aggro decks will struggle to push through that, and Midrange won’t stand a chance.
The fact that Foundations is also reprinting Zombify and Rune-Scarred Demon supports this strategy further. You could probably build the whole thing in Mono-Black if you were so inclined. You’ll probably want to at least splash green, however, if only for the stellar self-mill options. Cache Grab and Say Its Name are excellent at loading your ‘yard up with juicy reanimation targets. The latter also lets you throw in Altanak, the Thrice-Called for free, which is a fantastic ramp piece and reanimation target in its own right.
I’ve mostly been focusing on the Reanimator angle for Abyssal Harvester so far, but there’s a good chance it’s a solid addition to Mono-Black Midrange too. Grabbing a fallen Sheoldred or Bloodletter of Aclazotz is phenomenal grindy value, and Mono-Black plays plenty of discard between Duress and Hopeless Nightmare. Modern Magic isn’t generally kind to three mana 3/2s, but I reckon this one could be the real deal in the Standard to come.