AI DraftFeb 26, 2026
Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar
Overview
You can cast Gravecrawler from your graveyard only if you control a Zombie when you begin casting it, and you may activate Phyrexian Altar to sacrifice a creature to produce mana to pay Gravecrawler’s 
cost during the casting process (you may sacrifice the Zombie that satisfied Gravecrawler’s condition) [2011-01-22]. You cannot sacrifice Gravecrawler while it is in the graveyard to pay for its own casting, because the card is not on the battlefield to be sacrificed and is moved to the stack when casting begins .
cost during the casting process (you may sacrifice the Zombie that satisfied Gravecrawler’s condition) [2011-01-22]. You cannot sacrifice Gravecrawler while it is in the graveyard to pay for its own casting, because the card is not on the battlefield to be sacrificed and is moved to the stack when casting begins .Step 1
Ensure you control at least one Zombie before you begin casting Gravecrawler from your graveyard (Gravecrawler’s ability allows casting from graveyard only while you control a Zombie).
Step 2
Announce casting Gravecrawler from your graveyard; move Gravecrawler from the graveyard to the stack . The game checks that you were allowed to cast it (you controlled a Zombie at this point).
Step 3
Determine the total cost of casting Gravecrawler (its mana cost is ) and lock in that total cost .
) and lock in that total cost .Step 4
If you need mana, activate mana abilities before paying costs; you may activate Phyrexian Altar’s ability, which requires sacrificing a creature you control and produces one mana of any color .
Step 5
Pay the locked-in total cost using the mana produced (or other mana) and complete casting; the spell remains on the stack until it resolves .
Step 6
When Gravecrawler resolves, it becomes a creature on the battlefield. You may then sacrifice that Gravecrawler to Phyrexian Altar to produce more mana (sacrificing sends it to the graveyard) .
Step 7
To cast Gravecrawler again from the graveyard you must satisfy its casting condition again (you must control a Zombie at the moment you begin that cast) .
Resolution
If you control at least one Zombie you may begin casting Gravecrawler from your graveyard. During the payment step you may activate Phyrexian Altar’s ability (sacrificing a creature you control) to produce the mana needed to pay Gravecrawler’s cost; it’s legal to sacrifice the Zombie that was used to meet Gravecrawler’s casting requirement because that requirement is only checked when casting begins and the spell remains on the stack even if you then lose that Zombie [2011-01-22]. You may not sacrifice Gravecrawler while it’s in the graveyard to pay for its own casting because it is not a creature on the battlefield to be sacrificed .
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