Structural Collapse MTG Card


Structural Collapse - Gatecrash
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set nameGatecrash
Set codeGTC
Number107
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred bySam Burley

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides significant control by dismantling the opponent’s land, impacting their gameplay resources.
  2. Boosts your mana advantage indirectly, opening opportunities for strategic plays against your opponent.
  3. Its instant speed allows for tactical gameplay, presenting surprise elements to disrupt the adversary.

Text of card

Target player sacrifices an artifact and a land. Structural Collapse deals 2 damage to that player.

The Gruul holiday of Rauck-Chauv always ends the same way.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Structural Collapse provides a multifaceted approach to disrupting your opponent while bolstering your own position on the battlefield. It targets a key piece of your adversary’s land base, which can lead to a significant swing in control of the game’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: By setting back your opponent’s resources, Structural Collapse indirectly gives you a leg up in the race for mana development. This can be pivotal for seizing the window you need to deploy threats or respond to your opponent’s plays more efficiently.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Structural Collapse at instant speed adds an element of surprise and tactical depth to its use. You can choose the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to disrupt their strategy, whether that’s in response to a landfall trigger or after they’ve tapped out, leaving them vulnerable.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Structural Collapse imposes a discard requirement which can be particularly taxing when your hand is already running low on cards. This adds a level of resource depletion that some MTG players may find too steep, especially when alternatives that do not demand such sacrifices exist.

Specific Mana Cost: Structural Collapse’s casting cost includes a precise combination of red and other mana. This specific mana cost could restrict its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce the necessary colors, potentially excluding it from more flexible or varied mana base strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that leans on the higher side for its effects, Structural Collapse may not be the first choice for players who prioritize efficiency. In competitive play, where every mana point can be critical, the cost of this card could outweigh the potential benefits, given that there are other cards with similar or better impacts for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Structural Collapse in Your Collection

Versatility: Structural Collapse offers flexibility in sideboard strategies, as it can target land destruction and chip away at life totals. It’s a utility spell useful in dealing with problematic nonbasic lands or slowing down ramp-focused strategies.

Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that capitalize on land destruction or artifact synergies. Pairing it with cards that punish opponents for land loss or that benefit from artifacts being sacrificed can amplify its impact on the game.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where mana bases are dependent on nonbasic lands, Structural Collapse can act as a tech choice. Its ability to disrupt an opponent’s land base while also dealing damage aligns with aggressive strategies prevalent in certain metas.


How to beat

Structural Collapse is a unique sorcery card that can catch players off guard in MTG. With its ability to destroy a land and force an opponent to sacrifice an artifact, it’s a card that can disrupt your opponent’s strategy significantly. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to maintain a diversified board state, minimize dependency on artifacts, and ensure you have land recovery methods available. Cards like Life from the Loam or Crucible of Worlds can ensure a swift rebound from land destruction. Additionally, having instant-speed artifact protection like Boros Charm or counterspells such as Negate can nullify this disruptive play from your opponent. Staying one step ahead by anticipating when a Structural Collapse could be played, managing resources wisely, and protecting key assets can transform a potential setback into a stepping stone for victory.

Moreover, adapting your playstyle to be less reliant on artifacts or investing in indestructible assets can mitigate the impact of being targeted by Structural Collapse. By adopting these tactics, you can maintain control of the game and ultimately overturn the tide against opponents who utilize such disruptive strategies.


Cards like Structural Collapse

In the realm of artifact and land disruption in Magic: The Gathering, the card Structural Collapse offers a unique approach in rattling an opponent’s board state. This spell mirrors the functionality of cards such as Demolish, which also targets artifacts and lands to keep your adversary on their heels. However, Structural Collapse carves out its niche by forcing the opponent to sacrifice the permanents rather than simply destroying them, providing a subtle but significant strategic advantage.

Looking at a comparable card, we have Rain of Salt. This too is a double land destroyer, yet it lacks the targeted flexibility of Structural Collapse as it’s locked into doubling down on lands. While Structural Collapse demands a sacrifice, Rain of Salt ensures specific demolition. On the spectrum of mana costs, Structural Collapse sits comfortably at four mana, similar to Molten Rain. Molten Rain not only destroys a land but also deals damage to the land’s controller, adding a more aggressive edge to the card’s impact, while Structural Collapse leans on a more tactical plateau.

Ultimately, Structural Collapse finds its footing among MTG’s library of destructive spells through its unique sacrifice requirement and serves as a sound choice for players looking to disrupt opponents’ strategies in a more controlled and methodical manner.

Demolish - MTG Card versions
Rain of Salt - MTG Card versions
Molten Rain - MTG Card versions
Demolish - MTG Card versions
Rain of Salt - MTG Card versions
Molten Rain - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Structural Collapse by color, type and mana cost

Jokulhaups - MTG Card versions
Rain of Salt - MTG Card versions
Wildfire - MTG Card versions
Burning of Xinye - MTG Card versions
Wake of Destruction - MTG Card versions
Pulverize - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Wind - MTG Card versions
Liquid Fire - MTG Card versions
Chaotic Transformation - MTG Card versions
Slice and Dice - MTG Card versions
Surge to Victory - MTG Card versions
Reversal of Fortune - MTG Card versions
Mindblaze - MTG Card versions
Feral Lightning - MTG Card versions
Undying Flames - MTG Card versions
Rally the Horde - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Awakening - MTG Card versions
Jaws of Stone - MTG Card versions
Hellion Eruption - MTG Card versions
Death by Dragons - MTG Card versions
Jokulhaups - MTG Card versions
Rain of Salt - MTG Card versions
Wildfire - MTG Card versions
Burning of Xinye - MTG Card versions
Wake of Destruction - MTG Card versions
Pulverize - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Wind - MTG Card versions
Liquid Fire - MTG Card versions
Chaotic Transformation - MTG Card versions
Slice and Dice - MTG Card versions
Surge to Victory - MTG Card versions
Reversal of Fortune - MTG Card versions
Mindblaze - MTG Card versions
Feral Lightning - MTG Card versions
Undying Flames - MTG Card versions
Rally the Horde - MTG Card versions
Volcanic Awakening - MTG Card versions
Jaws of Stone - MTG Card versions
Hellion Eruption - MTG Card versions
Death by Dragons - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Structural Collapse MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Structural Collapse and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Structural Collapse has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-01-24 If the player controls an artifact land, they can’t choose to sacrifice that permanent for both the artifact and the land. If that’s the only artifact the player controls, they must sacrifice another land. If it’s the only land the player controls, they must sacrifice another artifact. If it’s the only artifact and the only land the player controls, they sacrifice just that permanent.
2013-01-24 Structural Collapse targets only the player. The player can sacrifice an artifact or land with hexproof, for example.
2013-01-24 The target player needn’t control an artifact or a land. Structural Collapse will still deal 2 damage to that player.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
See more decks