Gift of Doom MTG Card


Enhances creatures with indestructible and deathtouch, making them formidable in combat situations. Surprise morph ability allows for strategic play and unexpected combat tricks. Effective in sacrificial decks, increasing creature value and synergy with death triggers.
Gift of Doom - Commander 2019
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant,Morph
Released2019-08-23
Set symbol
Set nameCommander 2019
Set codeC19
Number17
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJames Zapata

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature has deathtouch and indestructible. Morph— Sacrifice another creature. (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) As Gift of Doom is turned face up, you may attach it to a creature.


Cards like Gift of Doom

Gift of Doom is an intriguing protective spell in Magic: The Gathering. One card it naturally parallels with is the popular Darksteel Plate, which also grants indestructibility to a targeted creature. Both share the theme of fortification, but Gift of Doom offers a noteworthy twist with its morph ability, allowing for a surprise reveal and potential tactical advantage during combat.

Comparatively, we see Alpha Authority, which endows a creature not only with hexproof but also disallows it to be blocked by more than one creature, emphasizing a different defensive strategy. Meanwhile, Blessing of Belzenlok, though significantly cheaper in terms of mana cost, purely boosts a creature’s power and toughness, lacking the indestructible safeguard that Gift of Doom ensures.

To sum up, Gift of Doom stands out among protective spells. Its dual functionality of both secreting itself in play and later unveiling to shield a precious creature distinguishes it from the straightforward nature and applications of alternatives such as Darksteel Plate and Alpha Authority. Its strategic adaptability positions it as a card of choice for players looking to spring a surprise on their opponents and shield key creatures in critical moments.

Darksteel Plate - MTG Card versions
Alpha Authority - MTG Card versions
Blessing of Belzenlok - MTG Card versions
Darksteel Plate - MTG Card versions
Alpha Authority - MTG Card versions
Blessing of Belzenlok - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gift of Doom by color, type and mana cost

Horror of Horrors - MTG Card versions
Worms of the Earth - MTG Card versions
Forbidden Crypt - MTG Card versions
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Putrefaction - MTG Card versions
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Traveling Plague - MTG Card versions
Screams of the Damned - MTG Card versions
Dawn of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Gravebreaker Lamia - MTG Card versions
Doomwake Giant - MTG Card versions
Clutch of Undeath - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions
Call to the Grave - MTG Card versions
Horror of Horrors - MTG Card versions
Worms of the Earth - MTG Card versions
Forbidden Crypt - MTG Card versions
Death Pits of Rath - MTG Card versions
Handcuffs - MTG Card versions
Discordant Dirge - MTG Card versions
Subversion - MTG Card versions
Larceny - MTG Card versions
Conspiracy - MTG Card versions
Putrefaction - MTG Card versions
Unnatural Hunger - MTG Card versions
Spreading Plague - MTG Card versions
Traveling Plague - MTG Card versions
Screams of the Damned - MTG Card versions
Dawn of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Gravebreaker Lamia - MTG Card versions
Doomwake Giant - MTG Card versions
Clutch of Undeath - MTG Card versions
Sanguine Bond - MTG Card versions
Call to the Grave - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gift of Doom provides excellent card economy by potentially transforming a lesser creature into a more substantial threat without losing a card from your hand. This can give you an edge as you’re effectively upgrading a creature while maintaining your card resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Gift of Doom itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it’s a great enabler for sacrificial strategies that could lead to indirect forms of acceleration. By turning a disposable creature into a formidable one, you’re potentially freeing other cards or mana that would have been used to protect or enhance that creature.

Instant Speed: The ability to attach Gift of Doom at instant speed as a response to an enemy spell or at the end of your opponent’s turn allows for flexible and strategic play. This can catch opponents off-guard, protecting a key creature or creating a powerful blocker when most needed.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One drawback of Gift of Doom is the necessity to discard another card to utilize its morph ability. This can be particularly detrimental when your hand is sparse, forcing you to make tough decisions on resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Despite its versatility, Gift of Doom demands black mana, which may not align with the mana base of every deck. Players not running black may find it challenging to incorporate this card into their strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of five mana, some players find Gift of Doom to be a costly investment. Given the pace of many games, cheaper alternatives may provide similar protection without the steep mana requirement, potentially accelerating your gameplay.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gift of Doom adds resilience to your creatures, making it a solid addition across various deck archetypes. Its surprise factor through morph ability can protect your critical creatures at crucial moments.

Combo Potential: In a deck that revolves around sacrificing creatures or death triggers, Gift of Doom can serve as a reliable enabler, synergizing with cards that want creatures to be equipped or to die for greater benefits.

Meta-Relevance: Equipped with indestructible and deathtouch, Gift of Doom can turn any creature into a formidable blocker or attacker, allowing it to alter the course of a game in metas where combat dominants.


How to beat

Gift of Doom is an intriguing Magic: The Gathering card designed for surprise and resilience. Its morph ability allows it to be cast face down as a 2/2 creature for three mana and then turned face up any time for its morph cost. This can attach it to a creature as an Aura with Deathtouch and Indestructible, leading to a sudden shift in board dynamics.

To counter this menacing card, one needs to adopt a strategy that circumvents its indestructible nature. Using exile effects can cleanly remove an enchanted creature from play, ignoring indestructibility. Cards with abilities that reduce toughness to zero are also effective since they don’t technically ‘destroy’ creatures. Utilizing counterspells when Gift of Doom is initially cast, even as a morph, can altogether prevent this tactical play. Finally, maintaining board control with sweepers that bounce or return all creatures to hand can reset the presence of Gift of Doom, giving players a chance to breathe and prepare a new line of defense.

Understanding the conditions under which Gift of Doom thrives is key to beating it. By managing your resources and keeping up the necessary interaction, you can make this formidable card far less daunting in your games of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the complexities of MTG can often lead to discovering the hidden potential in cards like Gift of Doom. Its ability to morph and offer creature upgrades at crucial moments makes it a gem in any strategic arsenal. If the pros and cons discussed have piqued your curiosity, or you’re already contemplating the various synergies and metagame impacts, there’s much more to unearth. For players dedicated to refining their gameplay and seeking innovative strategies, Gift of Doom could be just the edge you need. Dive deeper into its applications and learn how it could become pivotal in your next victory. Join the ranks of informed players and make your deck notoriously hard to beat.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gift of Doom MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2019, 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 Gift of Doom and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gift of Doom has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-08-23 If there’s no creature you can legally attach Gift of Doom to as you turn it face up, or if you choose not to attach it to a creature, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard.
2019-08-23 No player may take any actions between the time you announce that you’re turning Gift of Doom face up and the time it’s attached to the chosen creature.
2019-08-23 This doesn’t target the creature Gift of Doom will enchant, so an opponent’s creature with hexproof or a creature with shroud may be chosen this way. The chosen recipient must be able to legally be enchanted by the Aura, so a creature with protection from black can’t be chosen this way.
2019-08-23 You can’t pay Gift of Doom’s morph cost more than once.