Claws of Gix MTG Card


Provides card advantage by converting obsolete or expendable permanents into life points at critical moments. Instant speed enables responsive play, offering strategic sacrifices to gain life and thwart opponent plans. Despite mana cost concerns, its versatility in sacrifice and combo potential make it a unique asset.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Text of card

o1, Sacrifice a permanent: Gain 1 life.

When the Brotherhood of Gix dug out the cave of Koilos they found their master's severed hand. They enshrined it, hoping that one day it would point the way to Phyrexia.


Cards like Claws of Gix

Claws of Gix is an intriguing card with a unique place in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering sacrifice outlets. When analyzing it alongside its peers, Phyrexian Altar and Ashnod’s Altar emerge as comparable cards that also facilitate sacrificing creatures or other permanents. Phyrexian Altar is noteworthy for providing one mana of any color in exchange for a sacrificed creature, while Ashnod’s Altar provides two colorless mana but only for creature sacrifices.

Though both altars demand a permanent to sacrifice, the key difference lies in their activation cost: Claws of Gix requires one life in addition to sacrificing a permanent, but it allows you to sacrifice any type of permanent you control, not just creatures. This flexibility can be incredibly valuable in a pinch, especially in decks that stand to benefit from sending a wider variety of cards to the graveyard. Moreover, Claws of Gix is also cheaper to get on the field with its zero-cost entry point.

Ultimately, in the landscape of MTG sacrifice engines, Claws of Gix might not produce mana, but its versatility in what it can sacrifice and its low threshold to enter the battlefield may tip the scales in certain strategies, highlighting its potential in the game.

Phyrexian Altar - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Altar - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Claws of Gix by color, type and mana cost

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Black Lotus - MTG Card versions
Ornithopter - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Crypt - MTG Card versions
Jeweled Amulet - MTG Card versions
Zuran Orb - MTG Card versions
Fountain of Youth - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Marauder - MTG Card versions
Mana Crypt - MTG Card versions
Mox Opal - MTG Card versions
Chalice of the Void - MTG Card versions
Welding Jar - MTG Card versions
Chrome Mox - MTG Card versions
Orochi Hatchery - MTG Card versions
Spellbook - MTG Card versions
Mox Diamond - MTG Card versions
Everflowing Chalice - MTG Card versions
Memnite - MTG Card versions
Engineered Explosives - MTG Card versions
Lotus Petal - MTG Card versions
Chimeric Mass - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Claws of Gix presents an opportunity to benefit from cards that are no longer advantageous in your hand or battlefield. By allowing you to sacrifice an unwanted or strategically less valuable card, it can enable you to streamline your strategy and pave the way for more dynamic plays.

Resource Acceleration: Through its sacrifice mechanism, Claws of Gix has the potential to accelerate your game by making resourceful use of excess permanents. This can be especially useful when you have an abundance of tokens or redundant permanents, converting them into life points that could make the difference in a close game.

Instant Speed: As a card that can be activated at instant speed, Claws of Gix offers the flexibility to respond to opponents’ moves or end of turn situations. This means you can maintain a reactive posture, holding on to resources until the exact moment they become necessary to sacrifice for gaining life, thereby optimizing your resilience against threats.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Claws of Gix allows the sacrifice of any permanent, doing so could diminish your board presence, potentially giving your opponents an advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Although Claws of Gix requires only one generic mana to play, each activation demands an additional mana, which might hinder your ability to utilize other spells in the same turn.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Claws of Gix’s cumulative cost can escalate quickly, particularly in a game’s crucial stages where mana efficiency is key, making it less attractive compared to lower cost alternatives for managing permanents.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Claws of Gix offers utility for any deck by providing a cost-free means to sacrifice permanents, helping players avoid opponent’s targeted removal, or to simply gain life at crucial moments.

Combo Potential: This card holds the key to numerous combo possibilities. With its ability to sacrifice any permanent, you can trigger a variety of on-death effects or loop combos essential for winning the game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where graveyard strategies or artifact synergies are prevalent, Claws of Gix gains significance, allowing players to interact with these mechanics beneficially while staying ahead in the game.


How to Beat

Claws of Gix is an intriguing Magic: The Gathering card known for its ability to translate permanent sacrifices into life points. Unlike traditional life gain spells or abilities, Claws of Gix can provide players with a flexible defense mechanism, especially when facing decks that apply tremendous pressure. The card’s utility comes from its zero casting cost and the freedom to sacrifice any non-token permanent at any time, which can be particularly potent in situations where your permanents become liabilities or have served their strategic purpose.

Defeating a strategy that revolves around Claws of Gix requires a keen sense of timing and an understanding of your opponent’s potential plays. Removing key permanents or applying pressure can limit its effectiveness, making it less beneficial for the player who would seek to gain life through their own sacrifices. Furthermore, by prioritizing the disruption of combos or interactions that the opponent may attempt to forge using Claws of Gix can minimize the impact and resilience it adds to their gameplay. It’s essential to maintain an aggressive stance and be strategic about when to play removal spells to overcome the defensive strategies bolstered by Claws of Gix.

Understanding the deeper mechanics at play when engaging with cards like Claws of Gix ensures that you can craft a robust counter-strategy, turning the tide in your favor during intense MTG showdowns.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG deck is an art, and Claws of Gix provides a palette of strategic options to refine your gameplay. This versatile card offers both advantages and challenges, allowing you to sacrifice at instant speed but at the cost of crucial mana. Is your deck in need of a sacrifice outlet to streamline your plays or to enable powerful combos? Look beyond the battlefield with Claws of Gix. Whether you’re dodging removal or triggering on-sacrifice effects, understanding its potential is key. Dive deeper into strategies and deck-building tips to harness the full power of Claws of Gix in your next MTG duel. Enhance your collection with us; every card counts towards victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Claws of Gix MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 Claws of Gix and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Claws of Gix Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Henry G. Higginbotham.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 2901997NormalBlackHenry G. Higginbotham
22006-10-06Time Spiral TimeshiftedTSB 1071997NormalBlackHenry G. Higginbotham

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Claws of Gix has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal