<p>I split your question into three, because I thought it was less ambiguous that way.</p>
<p><strong>Is there a way to put a creature <em>with improved power</em> into the graveyard?</strong></p>
<p>Only one that we know of. Someone mentioned <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Skullbriar%2C%20the%20Walking%20Grave">Skullbriar, the Walking Grave</a> in the comments. Skullbriar takes his counters with him to the graveyard, where they continue to modify his power and toughness.</p>
<p><strong>Is there a way to <em>improve the power</em> of a creature in the graveyard?</strong></p>
<p>This is the question you actually asked.</p>
<p>The only way I can think of to actually <em>change</em> the power of a creature that is in the graveyard is to play with creatures like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spellheart%20Chimera">Spellheart Chimera</a>, whose power and toughness are calculated. These are static abilities that function in any zone, including the graveyard.</p>
<p>If you had Spellheart in your graveyard and then you played <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grisly%20Salvage">Grisly Salvage</a> and flipped over 5 instants, Spellheart would suddenly have 5 (plus one from the Grisly Salvage itself) more power than he had before, thereby <em>improving</em> his power.</p>
<p><strong>Is there a way to put <em>high power</em> creatures in the graveyard?</strong></p>
<p>Yes. You can discard a creature card like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bearer%20of%20the%20Heavens">Bearer of the Heavens</a> by having too many cards, or by being forced to discard it with something like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thoughtseize">Thoughtseize</a> (which can target yourself). You can also mill with a card like Grisly Salvage, mentioned earlier.</p>
<hr />
<p>The answer I think you were hoping for was a card like <em>&quot;Target creature in your graveyard gets +3/+3 until end of turn&quot;</em> (a buff) or <em>&quot;becomes a 10/10 until end of turn&quot;</em> (a static ability) or even something that affects the power of <em>all</em> creatures in your graveyard. No card like that exists. I doubt one ever will, because the &quot;status&quot; of cards in your graveyard would become unmanageable. Cards like Spellheart Chimera are exceptional in that their status is printed directly on the card, making it impossible to forget.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T21:49:05.577Z
For the 'high-power creatures' section, while it's rolled out of Standard now I feel obliged to mention Death's Shadow ( http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=death%27s+shadow ), which has actually seen some fringe competitive play in Modern for just this purpose.
Steven Stadnicki
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T22:05:24.910Z
How is putting Worldspine Wurm in your graveyard going to help if it immediately gets shuffled back into your deck?
bwarner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T22:14:22.497Z
Nice; most likely (based on the comments and consensus that there’s nothing else out there), I’ll be accepting this, though I’m going to give it some time just in case. By the way, the sort of effect I sort of hoped to see was some *really expansive* form of bonus, like “all creature cards gain +1/+1,” or something that would include the cards in the graveyard.
KRyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T22:23:09.917Z
@bwarner Wow I have probably made that mistake five times with Emrakul, and I'm sure that I will forget it again in 5 more minutes. I found another card to use as an example. Thanks for the catch.
Rainbolt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T22:56:15.147Z
And as a general suggestion, for the third question (getting big guys in the graveyard), look to reanimator decks for inspiration - they're trying to reanimate, not scavenge, but they still need the graveyard fodder just like you.
Cascabel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T23:30:59.467Z
@Jefromi Unfortunately, there’s only one card (so far as I can tell) that lets me Scavenge a creature that doesn’t just have that ability printed on it, and since Varolz, the Scar-Striped is a Legendary I’m leery about putting in a lot of him or relying on him.
KRyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-23T12:57:50.580Z
I welcome any of you to edit any of the three sections of this answer. I picked up two of the comments already. This is more of a brainstorming exercise than anything else.
Rainbolt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-23T19:39:10.327Z
Grisly Salvage revealing 5 instants should bump the power by 6 right? (since the Salvage itself will also hit the GY)
Hao Ye
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-23T19:44:53.783Z
@HaoYe Good catch
Rainbolt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T21:44:31.857Z
2014-05-23T19:44:43.177Z
2014-05-23T19:44:43.177Z
Rainbolt
<p>So I have a deck that relies a lot on the Scavenge<sup>1</sup> mechanic, and I was wondering if there was a good, effective way to improve the Power of creatures in the graveyard, so that I get more +1/+1 counters when I Scavenge it.</p>
<p>I already have <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Corpsejack%20Menace">Corpsejack Menace</a> for +1/+1 multiplication, but it struck me as a neat idea to be able to pump up the Power of, e.g., <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Slitherhead">Slitherhead</a> to get more “free” +1/+1 counters. I’m playing Standard (as of writing, <em>Return to Ravnica,</em> M14, and <em>Theros</em>), but I’d be happy to hear about cards in other formats that work. I’d appreciate markings of the legal formats for any card suggestions, since I’m kind of new to Magic and am not familiar with older blocks.</p>
<p><sup>1</sup> Creature ability: pay a cost and exile the creature from the graveyard, add a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the creature’s Power to another creature.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T19:21:14.857Z
I only know of [Skullbriar, the Walking Grave](http://magiccards.info/cmd/en/227.html), and it's not in Standard.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T19:24:21.830Z
@ikegami That'd make a fine answer; I'd upvote it, and if no one came forward proving you wrong with more examples, I'd accept it in a couple days.
KRyan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T20:25:49.243Z
I'm 99% sure that no card other than Skullbriar can cause a creature card's power to differ from its printed value while in the graveyard. There are, however, +1/+1 counter multipliers other than Corpsejack Menace, such as Doubling Season and Primal Vigor.
Kevin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-22T20:54:38.173Z
@Kevin OK, so... are *you* going to put that as an answer that can actually be voted on and possibly accepted?
KRyan
<magic-the-gathering>
Improve the Power of creatures in the graveyard?
KRyan
# Improve the Power of creatures in the graveyard?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-22)

So I have a deck that relies a lot on the Scavenge1 mechanic, and I was wondering if there was a good, effective way to improve the Power of creatures in the graveyard, so that I get more +1/+1 counters when I Scavenge it.

I already have [Corpsejack Menace](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Corpsejack%20Menace) for +1/+1 multiplication, but it struck me as a neat idea to be able to pump up the Power of, e.g., [Slitherhead](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Slitherhead) to get more “free” +1/+1 counters. I’m playing Standard (as of writing, *Return to Ravnica,* M14, and *Theros*), but I’d be happy to hear about cards in other formats that work. I’d appreciate markings of the legal formats for any card suggestions, since I’m kind of new to Magic and am not familiar with older blocks.

1 Creature ability: pay a cost and exile the creature from the graveyard, add a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the creature’s Power to another creature.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I only know of [Skullbriar, the Walking Grave](http://magiccards.info/cmd/en/227.html), and it's not in Standard.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 That'd make a fine answer; I'd upvote it, and if no one came forward proving you wrong with more examples, I'd accept it in a couple days.  
> **username_2**: I'm 99% sure that no card other than Skullbriar can cause a creature card's power to differ from its printed value while in the graveyard. There are, however, +1/+1 counter multipliers other than Corpsejack Menace, such as Doubling Season and Primal Vigor.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 OK, so... are *you* going to put that as an answer that can actually be voted on and possibly accepted?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-05-22. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I split your question into three, because I thought it was less ambiguous that way.

**Is there a way to put a creature *with improved power* into the graveyard?**

Only one that we know of. Someone mentioned [Skullbriar, the Walking Grave](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Skullbriar%2C%20the%20Walking%20Grave) in the comments. Skullbriar takes his counters with him to the graveyard, where they continue to modify his power and toughness.

**Is there a way to *improve the power* of a creature in the graveyard?**

This is the question you actually asked.

The only way I can think of to actually *change* the power of a creature that is in the graveyard is to play with creatures like [Spellheart Chimera](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spellheart%20Chimera), whose power and toughness are calculated. These are static abilities that function in any zone, including the graveyard.

If you had Spellheart in your graveyard and then you played [Grisly Salvage](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grisly%20Salvage) and flipped over 5 instants, Spellheart would suddenly have 5 (plus one from the Grisly Salvage itself) more power than he had before, thereby *improving* his power.

**Is there a way to put *high power* creatures in the graveyard?**

Yes. You can discard a creature card like [Bearer of the Heavens](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bearer%20of%20the%20Heavens) by having too many cards, or by being forced to discard it with something like [Thoughtseize](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thoughtseize) (which can target yourself). You can also mill with a card like Grisly Salvage, mentioned earlier.

---

The answer I think you were hoping for was a card like *"Target creature in your graveyard gets +3/+3 until end of turn"* (a buff) or *"becomes a 10/10 until end of turn"* (a static ability) or even something that affects the power of *all* creatures in your graveyard. No card like that exists. I doubt one ever will, because the "status" of cards in your graveyard would become unmanageable. Cards like Spellheart Chimera are exceptional in that their status is printed directly on the card, making it impossible to forget.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: For the 'high-power creatures' section, while it's rolled out of Standard now I feel obliged to mention Death's Shadow ( http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=death%27s+shadow ), which has actually seen some fringe competitive play in Modern for just this purpose.  
> **username_5**: How is putting Worldspine Wurm in your graveyard going to help if it immediately gets shuffled back into your deck?  
> **username_0**: Nice; most likely (based on the comments and consensus that there’s nothing else out there), I’ll be accepting this, though I’m going to give it some time just in case. By the way, the sort of effect I sort of hoped to see was some *really expansive* form of bonus, like “all creature cards gain +1/+1,” or something that would include the cards in the graveyard.  
> **username_3**: @username_5 Wow I have probably made that mistake five times with Emrakul, and I'm sure that I will forget it again in 5 more minutes. I found another card to use as an example. Thanks for the catch.  
> **username_6**: And as a general suggestion, for the third question (getting big guys in the graveyard), look to reanimator decks for inspiration - they're trying to reanimate, not scavenge, but they still need the graveyard fodder just like you.  
> **username_0**: @Jefromi Unfortunately, there’s only one card (so far as I can tell) that lets me Scavenge a creature that doesn’t just have that ability printed on it, and since Varolz, the Scar-Striped is a Legendary I’m leery about putting in a lot of him or relying on him.  
> **username_3**: I welcome any of you to edit any of the three sections of this answer. I picked up two of the comments already. This is more of a brainstorming exercise than anything else.  
> **username_7**: Grisly Salvage revealing 5 instants should bump the power by 6 right? (since the Salvage itself will also hit the GY)  
> **username_3**: @username_7 Good catch  

---

