Mortivore

Mortivore was first introduced in the Odyssey expansion set in 2001 and was later reprinted as a rare creature in the Ninth Edition core set, released in July 2005. As a core set, Ninth Edition served as an accessible entry point for new players while providing reprints of iconic cards from the game's decade-long history. The card embodies the mechanics of the black mana color identity, where power is often derived from the graveyard, reinforcing the theme of life and death that defines the color's gameplay philosophy.

The Ninth Edition illustration was provided by Anthony S. Waters, a prolific artist who contributed extensively to the game during the early 2000s. Waters utilized a visceral, dark aesthetic to capture the creature's essence as a relentless, scavenging entity. By tying the creature's power and toughness directly to the number of creature cards in all graveyards, the design team intended for Mortivore to act as a punishing late-game threat that rewards players for attrition-based strategies.