Necrotic Ooze is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
As long as this creature is on the battlefield, it has all activated abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards.
Complete guide
Necrotic Ooze is a powerhouse in graveyard-centric decks, acting as a versatile toolkit that adapts to the fallen creatures in any player's graveyard. As long as it remains on the battlefield, it absorbs the potential of every creature card currently residing in a graveyard, turning the discard pile into a buffet of possibilities. Understanding how it differentiates between types of abilities is the key to unlocking its full potential.
What It Does
Necrotic Ooze possesses a static ability that grants it all activated abilities of all creature cards in all graveyards. An activated ability is specifically defined by the presence of a colon, usually formatted as [Cost]: [Effect]. It does not matter which player owns the graveyard; if a creature card is there and has a colon in its text box, Necrotic Ooze gains that ability.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, Necrotic Ooze must be on the battlefield for its ability to function. Second, it continuously checks all graveyards for creature cards. If a card like a Golem is put into a graveyard, Necrotic Ooze immediately gains its activated abilities. If that card leaves the graveyard, the Ooze loses those abilities instantly. Note that if an ability refers to the original card's name, you treat it as if it refers to Necrotic Ooze instead.
Common Mistakes
The most common error is trying to use triggered or static abilities. Necrotic Ooze does not gain abilities that start with 'When', 'Whenever', or 'At', nor does it gain keyword abilities like Flying or Trample unless they are part of an activated cost. Additionally, it only looks at 'creature cards'; it will not gain abilities from non-creature artifacts or enchantments, even if they have activated abilities.
When to Play It
Play Necrotic Ooze when you have established a graveyard full of utility or combo pieces. It is particularly effective in formats where you can discard high-cost creatures with powerful activated abilities, allowing the Ooze to use them for a fraction of the original creature's mana cost or without needing to meet specific tribal requirements.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf Solemn Simulacrum is in a graveyard, Necrotic Ooze gains nothing. Solemn Simulacrum has two triggered abilities (starting with 'When') but zero activated abilities (no colons). Necrotic Ooze will not let you search for a land or draw a card.
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne is in the graveyard, Necrotic Ooze does not gain Ward {2}, nor does it let you choose a creature type or double your triggered abilities. These are static and triggered abilities, respectively. Because Roaming Throne lacks a [Cost]: [Effect] ability, Necrotic Ooze remains a simple 4/3 creature.
If there are no creature cards in any graveyard, Necrotic Ooze is simply a 4/3 creature with no additional abilities. It relies entirely on the state of the graveyards to function as a utility piece.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Necrotic Ooze
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Necrotic Ooze gains only activated abilities. It doesn't gain keyword abilities (unless those keyword abilities are activated), triggered abilities, or static abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keywords are activated abilities; they have colons in their reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If an activated ability of a card in a graveyard references the card it's printed on by name, treat Necrotic Ooze's version of that ability as though it referenced Necrotic Ooze by name instead. For example, if Cudgel Troll (which says "
: Regenerate Cudgel Troll") is in a graveyard, Necrotic Ooze has the ability ": Regenerate Necrotic Ooze."No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Asmodeus the Archfiend + Necrotic Ooze + Skirge Familiar
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze using Asmodeus' first ability by paying
, causing you to draw seven cards. - 2If Skirge Familiar is in your graveyard, activate Necrotic Ooze using Skirge Familiar's ability by discarding a card, adding .
- 3Otherwise, activate Skirge Familiar by discarding a card, adding .
- 4Repeat step 2 or 3 two additional times.
- 5Repeat from step 1.
Asmodeus the Archfiend + Necrotic Ooze + K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth + Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze using Asmodeus's first ability by paying
, causing you to draw seven cards. - 2Sheoldred triggers seven times, causing you to gain 14 life.
- 3Repeat.
Necrotic Ooze + Walking Ballista + Phyrexian Devourer
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze's using Phyrexian Devourer's ability by exiling the top card of your library, putting a number of +1/+1 counters on Necrotic Ooze equal to the card's mana value.
- 2Repeat step 1 until the number of +1/+1 counters on Necrotic Ooze is at least equal to the sum of your opponents' life totals.
- 3Activate Necrotic Ooze using Walking Ballista's last ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, dealing 1 damage to any target.
- 4Repeat step 3 until all opponents have taken lethal damage.
Necrotic Ooze + Pili-Pala + Palladium Myr
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze using Palladium Myr's ability by tapping it, adding
. - 2Activate Necrotic Ooze using Pili-Pala's ability by paying
and untapping it, adding one mana of any color. - 3Repeat.
Necrotic Ooze + Triskelion + Phyrexian Devourer
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze using Phyrexian Devourer's ability by exiling the top card of your library, putting a number of +1/+1 counters on Necrotic Ooze equal to the card's mana value.
- 2Repeat step 1 until the number of +1/+1 counters on Necrotic Ooze is at least equal to the sum of your opponents' life totals.
- 3Activate Necrotic Ooze using Triskelion's ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, dealing 1 damage to any target.
- 4Repeat step 3 until all opponents have taken lethal damage.
Necrotic Ooze + Devoted Druid + Channeler Initiate
- 1Tap Necrotic Ooze using Devoted Druid's ability to add .
- 2Untap Necrotic Ooze using Devoted Druid's ability, giving it a -1/-1 counter.
- 3Tap Necrotic Ooze and remove a -1/-1 counter use Channeler Initiate's ability to add
of any color. - 4Repeat for infinite mana.
Necrotic Ooze + Mirror-Mad Phantasm
- 1Activate Necrotic Ooze using Mirror-Mad Phantasm's ability by paying
, causing you to shuffle Necrotic Ooze into your library and mill all cards from your library.
Necrotic Ooze + Devoted Druid + Morselhoarder
- 1Place a -1/-1 counter on Necrotic Ooze with Devoted Druid's ability and remove it with Morselhoarder's ability to add one mana of any color.
- 2Repeat
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
