Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager
Legendary Creature — Hydra Horror
Grakmaw enters with three +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever another creature you control dies, if it had a +1/+1 counter on it, put a +1/+1 counter on Grakmaw.
When Grakmaw dies, create an X/X black and green Hydra creature token, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on Grakmaw.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- BG
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Zendikar Rising
- Price
- $0.36
- EDHREC rank
- #9399
Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager enters as a 3/3 and leaves behind a Hydra token that can dwarf it — the floor is a 3/3 for three mana, the ceiling is a free 6/6 or larger when it dies loaded with counters. Cleopatra, Exiled Pharaoh decks in particular weaponize that death trigger repeatedly, making Grakmaw one of the most efficient value creatures in Sultai counter strategies.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Cleopatra, Exiled Pharaoh
Cleopatra, Exiled Pharaoh recurs creatures from the graveyard, which means Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager dies, spawns a massive Hydra token, and then comes back to do it again — that loop generates board presence at a rate few three-drops can match.
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan // Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan // Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful moves counters off a dying creature to another permanent, so when Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager dies with five or six counters, Reyhan redirects them before the Hydra token even hits the battlefield — the deck effectively gets paid twice for every removal spell the opponent fires.
Zaxara, the Exemplary
Zaxara, the Exemplary creates Hydra tokens for every X-spell cast, and Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager slots in as a payoff that scales alongside those tokens — when the board is already trading in oversized countered creatures, Grakmaw's death trigger consistently produces the largest token in the room.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager actually lives — the multiplayer death-trigger economy means opponents will eventually kill it, and every removal spell they spend becomes a free Hydra token for you. In competitive 60-card formats like Modern and Pioneer, it's legal but sees virtually no play; three mana for a 3/3 with a conditional death trigger doesn't clear the bar when creatures need to win games on their own. Legacy and Vintage have the card pool to run it but zero reason to — there are simply better threats at the same cost. Oathbreaker could support a counter-centric build, but the singleton nature and 20 life total make it a casual format answer at best.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.36 bulk tier
At $0.36, Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager is deep bulk — easy to pick up as a four-of or throw into any counter deck without a second thought. Bulk rares with narrow appeal rarely climb without a reprint pushing renewed attention, so treat this as a cheap pickup that earns its slot on raw power, not price trajectory.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Cleopatra, Exiled Pharaoh
- Reyhan, Last of the Abzan // Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful
- Zaxara, the Exemplary
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.