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Presumed Dead

Instant

Until end of turn, target creature gets +2/+0 and gains "When this creature dies, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control and suspect it." (A suspected creature has menace and can't block.)

CMC
2
Mana cost
{1}{B}
Color identity
B
Rarity
uncommon
Set
Murders at Karlov Manor
Price
$0.19
EDHREC rank
#13256
Buy on TCGplayer
Presumed Dead card art
Presumed Dead reanimates any creature for two mana at instant speed — that's the whole pitch, and it's a strong one. The catch is the cumulative upkeep: pay one mana each turn or the creature dies, which pairs beautifully with sacrifice outlets like Ashnod's Altar but turns into a liability if you're just trying to keep something alive.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern legal
pioneer legal
standard legal
vintage legal
pauper not legal
oathbreaker legal

Commander is where Presumed Dead earns its slot — instant-speed reanimation at two mana fills a niche that most black decks want, and the cumulative upkeep becomes irrelevant when you're sacrificing the creature immediately for value. In competitive non-rotating formats like Legacy and Vintage it's too slow and conditional compared to Animate Dead or Reanimate, which don't ask you to keep paying. Modern and Pioneer have enough graveyard hate and faster clocks that the upkeep clause is genuinely punishing. Standard is the one format where Presumed Dead could see real play if the graveyard tools support it, since the competition at two mana is softer.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

$0.19 bulk tier

At $0.19, Presumed Dead is pure bulk — grab a playset without thinking about it. The price reflects its current niche status rather than its ceiling; if a Commander staple or combo deck puts it on the map, that number moves fast.

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Sources

Mentioned

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Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.