Gibbering Descent MTG Card


Gibbering Descent - Future Sight
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Hellbent,Madness
Released2007-05-04
Set symbol
Set nameFuture Sight
Set codeFUT
Number66
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byIttoku

Key Takeaways

  1. Gibbering Descent evens out card draw, letting you strategize with your opponent’s limited hand size.
  2. The Hellbent ability gives you faster access to your deck’s threats and answers, increasing your pace.
  3. Despite the high mana cost, Gibbering Descent’s versatility and combo potential make it a collection-worthy card.

Text of card

At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player loses 1 life and discards a card. Hellbent Skip your upkeep step if you have no cards in hand. Madness (If you discard this card, you may play it for its madness cost instead of putting it into your graveyard.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With its unique ability to make each player skip their draw step, Gibbering Descent ensures a level playing field when it comes to card draw while also allowing you to capitalize on your opponent’s potentially dwindling hand size.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana acceleration, the Hellbent ability of Gibbering Descent allows you to play the top card of your library which, in turn, can lead to accessing your threats and answers more quickly and efficiently.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, Gibbering Descent synergizes well with instant-speed spells by ensuring your opponents have fewer cards in hand to respond with, ultimately giving you an edge during complex and critical game states.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gibbering Descent requires you to begin each of your turns by discarding a card. This effect can deplete your hand quickly, leaving you at a strategic disadvantage, especially if you’re unable to replenish your hand through other means.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing two black and four generic mana, this card demands a commitment to black mana, which might not mesh well with decks that run multiple colors or those that have a more flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of six mana, Gibbering Descent can be deemed quite expensive for its effect. Considering the speed of many MTG formats, by the time you have enough mana to cast it, the game might be nearing its conclusion or you might be better off casting more impactful spells.


Reasons to Include Gibbering Descent in Your Collection

Versatility: Gibbering Descent offers interesting gameplay dynamics as it can slot into numerous deck archetypes. Its ability to force each player to skip their draw step marries well with strategies keen on disrupting the opponent’s plans. Plus, its madness cost provides an alternative way to play it, offering flexibility in handling your discard options.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combo setups, particularly in conjunction with effects that allow you to draw extra cards or force discards, both keying into the madness mechanic. The perpetual engine of discarding and its side effect of conferring an additional upkeep step can be manipulated to feed into various combo finishes.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games stretch into longer, grindier matches, Gibbering Descent can become a pivotal piece. It clamps down on the opponents’ resources while you capitalize on the incremental advantage given by the extra upkeep step.


How to beat

Gibbering Descent is a unique enchantment in MTG that can significantly alter the pace of the game. It presents an intriguing challenge with its automatic discard effect during each player’s upkeep. This feature can rapidly deplete a player’s hand, leading to an empty-handed state, which is both the condition for its madness cost and a potential boon for the enchanted player.

To counter this, strategic hand management is essential. Utilize instant-speed card draw to replenish your hand outside of your upkeep or employ cards that allow you to play from the top of your library, bypassing the need for a full grip. Artifacts that offer repeatable draw or graveyard retrieval can also mitigate the descent’s impact. Lastly, enchantment removal spells are a direct way to dispatch Gibbering Descent before its madness overtakes the match.

Whether you’re adapting your playstyle or including specific countermeasures in your deck, the key to overcoming Gibbering Descent lies in flexibility and foresight in managing your resources effectively against this relentless enchantment.


Cards like Gibbering Descent

Gibbering Descent is a card that finds its niche within the Magic: The Gathering universe as part of the discard-themed decks. It draws close parallels to other cards that manipulate hand content and the draw step. An example is Bottomless Pit, which necessitates each player to randomly discard a card each turn, akin to the forced discard effect of Gibbering Descent when a player has no cards in hand.

Another card to consider is the infamous Megrim, which synergizes well with Gibbering Descent by dealing damage to opponents whenever they discard a card. This combo magnifies the impact of each discard, increasing the pressure on your adversaries. Mind Shatter also shares the trait of hand disruption, though it’s a one-time devastating effect compared to the persistent, grinding nature of Gibbering Descent.

Ultimately, Gibbering Descent stands out due to its unique ability to skip players’ draw steps, offering a sustained advantage in games where maintaining card advantage can be crucial. Its place is assured in decks that seek to create a lock on the opponent’s resources, making it a card with a distinct role in the eco-system of Magic: The Gathering.

Bottomless Pit - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Mind Shatter - MTG Card versions
Bottomless Pit - Stronghold (STH)
Megrim - Stronghold (STH)
Mind Shatter - Morningtide (MOR)

Cards similar to Gibbering Descent by color, type and mana cost

Yawgmoth's Bargain - MTG Card versions
Infernal Genesis - MTG Card versions
Murgish Cemetery - MTG Card versions
Caustic Tar - MTG Card versions
Null Profusion - MTG Card versions
Enslave - MTG Card versions
Nettlevine Blight - MTG Card versions
Wound Reflection - MTG Card versions
Archetype of Finality - MTG Card versions
Thoughtrender Lamia - MTG Card versions
Over My Dead Bodies - MTG Card versions
Lich's Mastery - MTG Card versions
Curse of Fool's Wisdom - MTG Card versions
Enemy of Enlightenment - MTG Card versions
The War in Heaven - MTG Card versions
Demon of Fate's Design - MTG Card versions
Genesis of the Daleks - MTG Card versions
Vault 12: The Necropolis - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth's Bargain - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Infernal Genesis - Prophecy (PCY)
Murgish Cemetery - Sega Dreamcast Cards (PSDG)
Caustic Tar - The List (PLST)
Null Profusion - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Enslave - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Nettlevine Blight - Lorwyn (LRW)
Wound Reflection - Doctor Who (WHO)
Archetype of Finality - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Thoughtrender Lamia - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Over My Dead Bodies - The List (Unfinity Foil Edition) (ULST)
Lich's Mastery - Dominaria (DOM)
Curse of Fool's Wisdom - Commander 2019 (C19)
Enemy of Enlightenment - Theros Beyond Death (THB)
The War in Heaven - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Demon of Fate's Design - Commander Masters (CMM)
Genesis of the Daleks - Doctor Who (WHO)
Vault 12: The Necropolis - Fallout (PIP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gibbering Descent MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight, 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 Gibbering Descent and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gibbering Descent has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-05-01 If you have no cards in hand at the time your upkeep step would start, instead that step is skipped and your draw step starts.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks