Hound of Griselbrand
Creature — Elemental Dog
Double strike
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it.)
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Avacyn Restored
- Price
- $0.27
- EDHREC rank
- #18921
Hound of Griselbrand hits the board as a 2/2 double striker with undying, meaning it comes back as a 4/4 after the first death — that's six effective power across two bodies for four mana. The cost is the color requirement and the four-mana slot being competitive, but Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight and similar +1/+1 counter synergy commanders turn the undying trigger into a repeatable resource rather than a one-time insurance policy.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Hound of Griselbrand is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but it realistically only shows up in Commander. In Modern and Legacy the four-mana slot demands immediate, format-warping impact, and a 2/2 double striker with a one-time death trigger doesn't clear that bar against the threats those formats generate by turns two and three. Commander is where the card earns its keep: multiplayer games go long enough that undying's second life pays off, and the double strike makes it a legitimate threat when power-pumping commanders or equipment enter the picture. Oathbreaker is theoretically viable if the signature spell generates counters or pump, but the card pool in that format rarely pushes Hound of Griselbrand ahead of more specialized options.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightAshnod's AltarHound of Griselbrand
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite colorless mana; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightGoblin BombardmentHound of Griselbrand
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite damage; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightPhyrexian AltarHound of Griselbrand
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite colored mana; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightAltar of DementiaHound of Griselbrand
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite death triggers; Infinite mill; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite self-mill
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of TwilightViscera SeerHound of Griselbrand
Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite death triggers; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite scry 1
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.27 bulk tier
At $0.27, Hound of Griselbrand is bulk — easy to pick up without a second thought. Bulk double-strikers with upside tend to stay flat unless a breakout Commander deck pushes demand, so treat it as a cheap include rather than a card to acquire in volume.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight
- Ashnod's Altar
- Goblin Bombardment
- Phyrexian Altar
- Altar of Dementia
- Viscera Seer
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.