Tezzeret's Gambit MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Proliferate

Key Takeaways

  1. Draw two cards for more choices each turn, optimizing play strategy and maintaining hand advantage.
  2. Ability to proliferate enhances multiple counter-dependent strategies, from accelerating planeswalkers to bolstering artifacts.
  3. Flexibility to cast at instant speed with certain cards, surprising opponents and adapting to dynamic in-game conditions.

Text of card

({PU} can be paid with either or 2 life.) Draw two cards, then proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tezzeret’s Gambit allows players to draw two new cards, keeping their hands full and increasing their options for subsequent turns.

Resource Acceleration: This card enables players to proliferate, which can add additional counters to their permanents, effectively speeding up their strategy whether it’s increasing the loyalty on planeswalkers, adding to creatures with +1/+1 counters, or even ratcheting up charge counters on artifacts.

Instant Speed: Although Tezzeret’s Gambit is a sorcery, its potential combination with cards that allow casting sorceries as though they had flash can transform it into an instant-like play, providing the element of surprise and the flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tezzeret’s Gambit doesn’t ask you to discard directly, it necessitates some planning; using its Phyrexian mana option means paying life. If life totals are low, this becomes a risky proposition against aggressive decks.

Specific Mana Cost: The requirement of at least two blue or Phyrexian mana can be restrictive. Decks that run multiple colors might struggle to optimally cast Tezzeret’s Gambit without the life trade-off or the right mana fixing in place.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at four mana, even when accounting for the flexibility of Phyrexian mana, it competes with other draw spells that can offer more immediate value or less of a life sacrifice, which can be a considerable downside in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tezzeret’s Gambit is a versatile inclusion, offering card draw and increases in loyalty counters, allowing it to synergize with a wide variety of decks focused on proliferate strategies or those that hinge on planeswalkers.

Combo Potential: The proliferate mechanic enriches combo potential immensely, pairing well with any deck that accumulates counters, whether they be +1/+1, charge, or poison counters, creating numerous opportunities for tactical plays.

Meta-Relevance: In an evolving metagame where card advantage and strategic counter manipulation are key, Tezzeret’s Gambit holds its ground as a powerful tool, especially in formats like Commander where the impact of proliferating can decisively swing the game.


How to beat

Tezzeret’s Gambit stands as an intriguing card that allows players to proliferate, which can be highly advantageous in building up counters of all kinds. It’s a unique spell that not only offers insight through card drawing but also fuels strategies that revolve around counters, potentially tipping the scales in one’s favor if left unchecked.

Defeating a strategy that includes Tezzeret’s Gambit demands a proactive game plan. Minding one’s life total is crucial as this card typically comes into play alongside a strategy rich in counters, emphasizing the importance of removing key creatures before they become too powerful to handle. Effective removal spells, counter magic, or applying pressure through an aggressive board state can disrupt the value generated by Tezzeret’s Gambit. It’s also beneficial to limit the number of counters available for proliferation by targeting key cards or utilizing graveyard disruption to hamper recurring strategies.

Staying one step ahead of the proliferation game is essential. The balance of disrupting your opponent’s counter accumulation while developing your own board will contribute to mastering encounters against decks featuring Tezzeret’s Gambit. Success lies in anticipation and disruption, ensuring that the gambit doesn’t tip the odds too far in your opponent’s favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the nuances of Tezzeret’s Gambit requires a thoughtful approach to MTG deck building and in-game strategy. Its ability to give you card draw paired with the potency of the proliferate mechanic makes it more than just a simple card—it’s a key component in a well-rounded collection. Whether enhancing planeswalker abilities or accelerating your +1/+1 counter strategies, this card can pivot the course of a game. Navigate its intricacies and leverage its power. We encourage you to dive deeper into its strategic uses and adopt tactics that can strengthen your gameplay. Curious about seamlessly integrating this gem into your arsenal? Discover more and elevate your MTG repertoire with us.


Cards like Tezzeret's Gambit

The strategic landscape of proliferate spells in Magic: The Gathering is diverse, with Tezzeret’s Gambit being a standout option. This card offers players the unique advantage of not just drawing cards but also the opportunity to proliferate. This allows for the modification of counters on the board, an option not available with simple draw spells like Concentrate or Harmonize, which solely focus on card advantage.

Tezzeret’s Gambit shares synergies with the likes of Steady Progress, another spell that lets players proliferate while drawing a card, yet it lacks the multi-card draw flexibility. Contagion Clasp is also in this family, offering repeatable proliferate but without the immediate card draw. This slightly alters the tempo and immediate impact compared to the Gambit.

What sets Tezzeret’s Gambit apart is its ability to fit into various strategies, supporting both counter-heavy decks and those seeking just to bolster their hand. While other cards may provide a portion of Tezzeret’s Gambit’s utility, few match its dual-purpose nature, establishing it as a valued component in decks leveraging counters and desiring depth in hand.

Tezzeret's Gambit - MTG Card versions
Steady Progress - MTG Card versions
Contagion Clasp - MTG Card versions
Tezzeret's Gambit - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Steady Progress - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Contagion Clasp - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)

Cards similar to Tezzeret's Gambit by color, type and mana cost

Juxtapose - MTG Card versions
Baki's Curse - MTG Card versions
Touch of Brilliance - MTG Card versions
Polymorph - MTG Card versions
Diminishing Returns - MTG Card versions
Counterintelligence - MTG Card versions
Ransack - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Scrying - MTG Card versions
Wash Out - MTG Card versions
Dematerialize - MTG Card versions
Deep Analysis - MTG Card versions
Tempted by the Oriq - MTG Card versions
Inscription of Insight - MTG Card versions
Consuming Tide - MTG Card versions
Airborne Aid - MTG Card versions
Peer Pressure - MTG Card versions
Concentrate - MTG Card versions
Mouth to Mouth - MTG Card versions
Sift - MTG Card versions
Distant Melody - MTG Card versions
Juxtapose - Masters Edition (ME1)
Baki's Curse - Homelands (HML)
Touch of Brilliance - Portal Second Age (P02)
Polymorph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Diminishing Returns - Masters Edition (ME1)
Counterintelligence - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Ransack - Starter 1999 (S99)
Rhystic Scrying - Prophecy (PCY)
Wash Out - IDW Comics 2014 (PI14)
Dematerialize - Odyssey (ODY)
Deep Analysis - Commander Masters (CMM)
Tempted by the Oriq - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Inscription of Insight - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
Consuming Tide - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Airborne Aid - Onslaught (ONS)
Peer Pressure - Onslaught (ONS)
Concentrate - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Mouth to Mouth - Unhinged (UNH)
Sift - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Distant Melody - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tezzeret's Gambit MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Tezzeret's Gambit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tezzeret's Gambit Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 472003normalblackKarl Kopinski
22015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 632015normalblackKarl Kopinski
32016-11-11Commander 2016C16 992015normalblackKarl Kopinski
42018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 512015normalblackKarl Kopinski
52019-08-23Commander 2019C19 982015normalblackKarl Kopinski
62021-04-23Strixhaven Mystical ArchiveSTA 842015normalborderlessTomohito
72021-04-23Strixhaven Mystical ArchiveSTA 212015normalborderlessJason Felix
82022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 2352015normalblackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tezzeret's Gambit has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tezzeret's Gambit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2011-06-01 A card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in that mana cost, regardless of how that cost may have been paid.
2011-06-01 As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with one or more Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, you choose how to pay for each Phyrexian mana symbol at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for X.
2011-06-01 If you're at 1 life or less, you can't pay 2 life.
2011-06-01 Phyrexian mana is not a new color. Players can't add Phyrexian mana to their mana pools.
2011-06-01 To calculate the mana value of a card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, count each Phyrexian mana symbol as 1.
2021-03-19 If a permanent has +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.
2021-03-19 Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.
2021-03-19 To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
2021-03-19 You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since “any number” includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.

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