Gelatinous Cube MTG Card
2021-07-23 - Number 105a
2021-07-23 - Number 105s
2021-07-23 - Number 105p
2021-07-23 - Number 105
2021-07-23 - Number 313
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Ooze |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Gelatinous Cube excels in creature control, exiling threats and skewing battlefield tempo in your favor.
- Instant-speed activation enhances its strategic value, allowing for flexible and unpredictable plays.
- Despite its higher mana cost, the Cube’s utility in control decks makes it a collection-worthy card.
Text of card
Engulf — When Gelatinous Cube enters the battlefield, exile target non-Ooze creature an opponent controls until Gelatinous Cube leaves the battlefield. Dissolve — : Put target creature card with mana value X exiled with Gelatinous Cube into its owner's graveyard.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gelatinous Cube excels at removing creatures from the board, effectively diminishing your opponent’s resources. As it exiles the creature until Gelatinous Cube leaves the battlefield, this can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and potentially provide you with a long-term advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Although this creature doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, by controlling the battlefield and eliminating key threats, it allows you to utilize your resources more effectively. This management is crucial for maintaining a tempo that can lead to a victory.
Instant Speed: Another significant aspect of Gelatinous Cube is its ability to act at instant speed thanks to its activated ability. This strategic flexibility lets you adapt to the game and makes it harder for your opponents to predict and prepare for your moves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside of the Gelatinous Cube card is that it requires you to discard a card whenever you use its abilities. This could set you back if you’re already struggling with maintaining a good hand size, making every card in your hand a valuable asset to be managed with care.
Specific Mana Cost: Gelatinous Cube comes with a specific mana cost that necessitates black mana. This requirement can restrict its inclusion to decks that run black mana, potentially excluding a variety of other deck types not designed around this color. Players need to factor this in when considering the overall deck composition and synergy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing the utility and power balance of this card, its relatively high casting cost can be a considerable drawback. With a casting cost that may put it in competition with other high-impact cards, this can lead to tough decisions during deck building and gameplay, as you may encounter alternative cards that provide more immediate benefits or have lower mana requirements.
Reasons to Include Gelatinous Cube in Your Collection
Versatility: Gelatinous Cube brings utility to any deck focused on control or creature management. As a removal spell on a stick, it can adapt to various game situations.
Combo Potential: With its ability to exile creatures until it leaves the battlefield, the Cube pairs well with strategies centered on blink or sacrifice triggers, offering repeatable control options.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment rich with creature-based decks, Gelatinous Cube can serve as a key response, providing a durable and recurring solution to opposing threats.
How to beat
The Gelatinous Cube brings a unique set of abilities to the table in Magic: The Gathering, acting as both a disruptor and a control tool. To effectively counter this card, one must be strategic. Utilizing instant speed removal spells can nullify the Cube before its abilities become active. Cards like Disenchant or Naturalize allow for direct removal at opportune times, bypassing the Cube’s Engulf ability that requires it to be untapped.
Alternately, sacrificing your less critical creatures can mitigate the impact of its Engulf ability. Exploiting the Cube’s inability to target creatures with hexproof or protection from black is another viable tactic. Cards that grant these protections, such as Blossoming Defense or Karametra’s Blessing, can render your creatures virtually untouchable by the Cube. Lastly, manage the battlefield proactively; minimizing the number of creatures can reduce the Cube’s potential targets, lessening its presence on the game.
When it comes down to managing threats like the Gelatinous Cube, understanding its mechanics and maintaining a flexible response in your strategy will ensure that this sticky adversary doesn’t disrupt your path to victory.
Cards like Gelatinous Cube
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Gelatinous Cube stands out with its unique capabilities. When juxtaposing it with creatures of similar ilk, such as Ravenous Chupacabra, there’s a noticeable difference. The Chupacabra destroys a creature upon entering the battlefield, much like the Cube’s ability to engulf a creature. Yet, Gelatinous Cube adds to its predatory nature with its potential to exile the affected creature permanently if it meets its demise while under the Cube’s effect. Another creature, the Noxious Gearhulk, also carries a creature destruction ability and adds a life gain component, which the Cube lacks.
Analogous in some functions to Gelatinous Cube is the classic example of Faceless Butcher, which temporarily exiles creatures while it’s on the battlefield. However, unlike the Butcher, the Cube can keep its captive away for good, offering more strategic depth to beat your opponents. The cube can be particularly potent as it adds the aspect of board control with long-term exile potential compared to the immediate but reversible effects of the Butcher.
Each card holds merit depending on the scenario, but Gelatinous Cube offers a dual threat in MTG – simultaneously a deterrent and a potential eliminator of key threats on the battlefield. It’s a card that invites strategic gameplay and thoughtful timing, making it a valuable addition to any deck that focuses on control and creature removal.
Cards similar to Gelatinous Cube by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gelatinous Cube MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos and Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Gelatinous Cube and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Gelatinous Cube Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 105a | 2015 | Normal | Black | Olivier Bernard | |
| 2 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 105s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Olivier Bernard | |
| 3 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 105p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Olivier Bernard | |
| 4 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 105 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Olivier Bernard | |
| 5 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 313 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Phil Stone |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gelatinous Cube has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gelatinous Cube card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-07-23 | Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners' graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist. When the card returns to the battlefield, it will be a new object with no connection to the card that was exiled. |
| 2021-07-23 | If Gelatinous Cube leaves the battlefield before its Engulf ability resolves, the target non-Ooze creature won't be exiled. |
| 2021-07-23 | If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won't return to the battlefield. |
| 2021-07-23 | If the engulfed creature card leaves exile, perhaps because of the Dissolve ability, it won't return to the battlefield after Gelatinous Cube leaves the battlefield. |
