MTG Grafted Butcher MOM spoiler paves way for Phyrexian tribal

Between the last two Magic: The Gathering sets, Wizards of the Coast has included a large number of Phyrexian creatures. Now, there’s a lord in March of the Machine through Grafted Butcher. 

The Phyrexian creature type went from having a small number of cards throughout Magic’s history to an abundance of cards through Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE) and the upcoming March of the Machine (MOM) set. Synergies between the Phyrexian creature types have become prevalent in formats like Standard, along with other MTG formats like Pioneer and Commander. And Phyrexian tribal decks received a boost with today’s March of the Machine spoiler, Grafted Butcher, a two-drop Phyrexian lord in Black. 

Grafted Butcher 

Two-drops are getting pushed in Magic, as seen through Grafted Butcher. The Phyrexian Samurai has an enters-the-battlefield effect, is a lord, and has an activated ability that reanimates itself. 

• Mana cost: 1B
• Type: Creature—Phyrexian Samurai
• Rarity: Rare
• Stats: 2/2
• ETB effect: When Grafted Butcher enters the battlefield, Phyrexians you control gain Menace until the end of the turn.
• Ability: Other Phyrexians you control get +1/+1.
• Activated ability: Pay 3B and sacrifice an Artifact or creature—Return Grafted Butcher from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a Sorcery. 

Grafted Butcher slots right into Constructed Phyrexian tribal decks as a two-drop, able to apply early pressure by increasing the power and toughness of other Phyrexian creatures. And the samurai can get played later in a match, giving all Phyrexians Menace upon ETB. 

Should the Phyrexian samurai get removed from the battlefield, as an opponent will likely prioritize it as a card to remove, players can simply sacrifice a Phyrexian token creature and return Grafted Butcher right back to the battlefield. 

Players can test out Grafted Burcher and craft him in a Phyrexian tribal deck when the March of the Machine set releases digitally on April 14.