Price$0.41 – $21.15

Victimize

Sorcery

LegalEDHREC #127

Choose two target creature cards in your graveyard. Sacrifice a creature. If you do, return the chosen cards to the battlefield tapped.

Why is this card good?

Victimize is one of the most efficient reanimation spells in the format: three mana to return two creatures while only sacrificing one. That's a massive mana-to-power conversion, and the sacrifice cost is often pure upside rather than a drawback. The card shines in reanimator and aristocrats decks. You want to fill your graveyard first (self-mill, looting, discard outlets like Faithless Looting, or Entomb effects), then blow it open. The sacrificed creature can be a fresh token, a cheap dork, or—better yet—a creature with a death trigger or one that you'll just reanimate again later. Combo lines exist too: sacrifice something with a powerful ETB/death effect and bring back even bigger threats. Commanders like Meren of Clan Nel Toth, Chatterfang, Korvold, and any Karador/Teneb-style value pile love it. Don't play it in decks lacking graveyard setup—you need bodies in the bin and a creature to sacrifice, or it's a dead card. It also whiffs against graveyard hate.

Related cards

Living Death

Mass reanimation effect that returns multiple creatures from graveyard.

Dread Return

Sacrifice creatures to reanimate from graveyard, similar value engine.

Stitch Together

Black reanimation spell that returns a creature from graveyard.

Reanimate

Cheap single-target reanimation, staple alongside Victimize.

Animate Dead

Persistent reanimation enchantment for graveyard recursion.

Persist

Two-mana reanimation that pairs well with sacrifice synergies.

Unburial Rites

Flashback reanimation returning fatties from graveyard.

Necromancy

Flexible reanimation that can return creatures at instant speed.

Printings (19)

sldSecret Lair Drop · #2486R$7.07Buy

tdcTarkir: Dragonstorm Commander · #198U$2.33Buy

mh3Modern Horizons 3 · #413U$0.65Buy

mh3Modern Horizons 3 · #278U$0.44Buy

spgSpecial Guests · #23M$21.15Buy

cmmCommander Masters · #195U$2.43Buy

mocMarch of the Machine Commander · #270U$1.28Buy

scdStarter Commander Decks · #118U$0.41Buy

Show all 19 printings

nccNew Capenna Commander · #261U$0.81Buy

afcForgotten Realms Commander · #112U$0.65Buy

cmrCommander Legends · #657U$3.51Buy

cmrCommander Legends · #157U$0.70Buy

plstThe List · #CMA-72U$0.56Buy

cmaCommander Anthology · #72U$0.82Buy

emaEternal Masters · #113U$0.63Buy

c15Commander 2015 · #139U$0.51Buy

c14Commander 2014 · #169U$1.15Buy

cnsConspiracy · #133U$0.52Buy

usgUrza's Saga · #166U$5.49Buy

Played by these commanders

Sefris of the Hidden Ways100% of 1

Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos100% of 1

Teval, the Balanced Scale100% of 1

Meren of Clan Nel Toth100% of 2

Henzie "Toolbox" Torre100% of 1

Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath100% of 1

Gisa and Geralf100% of 1

Rulings (4)

2020-11-10
You must choose two targets. You can't cast Victimize targeting only one creature card.
2020-11-10
If one of the targeted creature cards is an illegal target (for instance, because it has left your graveyard before Victimize resolves), you'll still sacrifice a creature and put the other card onto the battlefield. If both are illegal targets, Victimize won't resolve. You won't sacrifice a creature.
2020-11-10
The creature you sacrifice isn't chosen until Victimize resolves. You can't return the creature you sacrifice because it will still be on the battlefield at the time targets are chosen.
2020-11-10
As Victimize resolves, you must sacrifice a creature if able. You can't change your mind and choose not to sacrifice anything.