Necromancer's Stockpile Analysis Guide

TL;DR Summary Necromancer's Stockpile is an enchantment that offers a versatile and dynamic draw mechanism, with a unique twist on creating zombie tokens. For one mana, it allows players to discard a creature card, drawing a new card and potentially generating a 2/2 zombie token if the discarded card was a zombie.

Detailed Card Mechanics and Interactions

At its core, Necromancer's Stockpile is an enchantment that leverages the power of discarding to drive its effects. The card costs one black mana to play, making it an affordable option for most mid-to-late game strategies. When played, it simply sits on the battlefield, waiting for a creature card to be discarded.

When a creature card is discarded, Necromancer's Stockpile triggers and allows the player to draw a new card. This can be used to refill the hand, find specific cards, or react to changing circumstances on the board. The draw effect is particularly potent when combined with other draw engines or cards that generate additional creature cards for discarding.

However, the real meat of Necromancer's Stockpile lies in its zombie token generation ability. If the discarded card was a Zombie, the enchantment creates a tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature token. This can be a game-changing effect, as it allows players to ramp up their board presence and generate additional threats.

One key interaction to note is that Necromancer's Stockpile does not specify whether the zombie token is created when the player discards a Zombie card from their hand or the graveyard. According to the official Magic: The Gathering rules, tokens are generated based on the state of the game at the time of the trigger. Therefore, if a player has a Zombie in their graveyard and discards it using Necromancer's Stockpile, the token will indeed be created.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Necromancer's Stockpile is an incredibly versatile card that can slot into a variety of different decks and strategies. Some potential uses include:

• Aggro Decks: In aggressive decks focused on swarming the board with small creatures, Necromancer's Stockpile can serve as a secondary draw engine to help accelerate development.
• Midrange Decks: Midrange decks often rely on a combination of removal spells and creature tokens. Necromancer's Stockpile can be used to generate additional zombies, providing a powerful late-game presence.

Some potential combos and synergies include:

• Graveyard-based Zombies: By combining Necromancer's Stockpile with Zombie cards in the graveyard, players can create an exponential token generation engine.
• Card Advantage Engines: When paired with cards like Sylvan Library or Mox Opal, Necromancer's Stockpile becomes a formidable draw engine that can accelerate development and generate additional advantage.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Necromancer's Stockpile is best suited for mid-to-late game strategies, particularly those focused on generating card advantage or token ramp. In terms of specific deckbuilding roles, it can fill the following positions:

• Token Generation: As a token-generating effect, Necromancer's Stockpile excels in decks that focus on creating small creatures to swarm the board.
• Card Advantage Engine: By providing an additional layer of card draw, Necromancer's Stockpile can amplify the effects of other card advantage engines.

Some potential deck archetypes that incorporate Necromancer's Stockpile include:

• Mono-Black Aggro: A fast-paced aggressive deck focused on swarming the board with small creatures and leveraging Necromancer's Stockpile for additional draw.
• Midrange Zombie Legion: A midrange deck centered around generating zombie tokens using Necromancer's Stockpile, while also incorporating removal spells to manage opponents' threats.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

In terms of format viability, Necromancer's Stockpile has seen significant play in various Magic: The Gathering formats over the years. It has been a staple in some competitive decks and has been banned or restricted in others due to its power level.

In Modern, Necromancer's Stockpile was once considered one of the most powerful cards in the format, thanks to its ability to generate zombie tokens and provide card draw. However, its popularity waned as other cards gained prominence, and it eventually fell out of favor.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

When it comes to rules interactions, Necromancer's Stockpile interacts with various cards in unique ways:

• Sacrifice Effects: Cards like Grafdigger's Cage or Necrotic Ooze can interact with Necromancer's Stockpile by sacrificing the enchantment and generating additional tokens.
• Token Interactions: Tokens generated by Necromancer's Stockpile can be affected by other cards, such as Doom Blade or Liliana of the Veil. Players must carefully consider these interactions when building a deck around Necromancer's Stockpile.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Necromancer's Stockpile was illustrated by Chase Stone for its initial release in 2011. The card's artwork depicts a hunched figure surrounded by undead creatures, with a subtle hint of dark magic emanating from the background.

In terms of flavor, Necromancer's Stockpile is firmly rooted in the undead aesthetic that permeates much of Magic: The Gathering's dark and Gothic-inspired sets. Its ability to generate zombie tokens speaks to the idea of necromancy as a powerful force that can reshape reality.

Summary of Key Points

• Draw Mechanism: Necromancer's Stockpile provides a unique draw mechanism, allowing players to discard creature cards and draw new ones.
• Token Generation: The enchantment generates a 2/2 zombie token when a Zombie card is discarded, providing a powerful late-game presence.

Conclusion

Necromancer's Stockpile is an incredibly versatile and dynamic card that has captivated players for years. Its unique draw mechanism, combined with its ability to generate zombie tokens, makes it a staple in various Magic: The Gathering formats. Whether used in aggressive decks or midrange strategies, Necromancer's Stockpile remains a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

When building around Necromancer's Stockpile, players must carefully consider the card's interactions and synergies with other cards. By leveraging its power and potential, however, players can create some of the most formidable decks in Magic: The Gathering history.

Advanced Strategies and Interactions

One advanced strategy that incorporates Necromancer's Stockpile is the use of graveyard-based Zombies. This involves combining Necromancer's Stockpile with Zombie cards in the graveyard to create an exponential token generation engine. For example:

• A player discards a Zombie card from their hand using Necromancer's Stockpile.
• The discarded Zombie is then added to the graveyard, where it can be used as fuel for future draws.

By leveraging this interaction, players can generate an astonishing number of zombie tokens in a single turn, providing a powerful advantage over opponents.

Another advanced strategy involves pairing Necromancer's Stockpile with card advantage engines like Sylvan Library or Mox Opal. This allows players to accelerate development and generate additional advantage through the combination of draw effects:

• A player plays Necromancer's Stockpile on turn 1.
• On turn 2, they discard a Zombie card using Necromancer's Stockpile.
• The discarded Zombie is then used as fuel for Sylvan Library or Mox Opal.

By leveraging these advanced strategies and interactions, players can unlock the full potential of Necromancer's Stockpile and create some of the most formidable decks in Magic: The Gathering history.