Gollum's Bite MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 536
2023-06-23 - Number 85
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. , Exile Gollum's Bite from your graveyard: The Ring tempts you. Activate only as a sorcery.
"It was Pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment; Gollum has some part to play yet, before the end." —Gandalf, to Frodo
Cards like Gollum's Bite
Gollum’s Bite stands out in the field of combat tricks within Magic: The Gathering. It’s often pitted against other instant spells like Giant Growth, which grants a smaller but more consistent power and toughness boost. What makes Gollum’s Bite particularly interesting is its potential to offer an unexpected upper hand by possibly doubling the boost if certain conditions on the battlefield are met. This unpredictability can turn the tide in a player’s favor at critical moments.
Comparatively, we have cards like Blossoming Defense that, while providing a lesser boost in power and toughness, also confer hexproof, making it a dual-purpose card for both enhancement and protection. Then there’s Invigorated Rampage, which offers flexibility with its two modes and can potentially buff up two creatures at once, albeit without the conditional enhancement Gollum’s Bite could give.
Overall, when considering cards for strategic creature boosts, Gollum’s Bite’s unique conditional perk could very well justify its inclusion in decks that can fulfill its requirements, introducing an element of surprise against opponents in MTG matches.
Cards similar to Gollum's Bite by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Gollum's Bite. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Black Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gollum’s Bite is designed to grant notable card advantage by allowing players to essentially trade one card for two, disrupting an opponent’s hand while replenishing their own.
Resource Acceleration: This card directs the flow of resources in the player’s favor by forcing the opponent to dispose of a card, potentially leading to resource acceleration as your opponent’s options diminish.
Instant Speed: Gollum’s Bite’s instant speed is a tactical advantage, providing flexibility to disrupt the opponent’s strategy at the last moment, during either the player’s turn or in response during the opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Gollum’s Bite necessitates discarding another card to harness its ability, which can leave players at a disadvantage by depleting their hand—especially critical during the late-game phases when each card’s value is paramount.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both generic and black mana, this card requires a deck specifically tailored to accommodate its mana needs, potentially restricting it to mono-black or black-inclusive multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Gollum’s Bite’s efficiency is contested by other cards in the MTG universe when considering its mana-to-effect ratio. Its requirement of three mana may seem steep for the effect it provides, particularly when alternatives may offer similar or greater impact at a lower cost.
Reasons to Include Gollum’s Bite in Your Collection
Versatility: Gollum’s Bite offers diverse applications as it can serve as both a disruption tool and a way to push through damage, making it an asset in a range of strategies, from aggressive to control decks.
Combo Potential: When combined with cards that capitalize on instant spells or benefit from opponents losing life, Gollum’s Bite can become a key component in powerful and unexpected combo finishes.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to target creatures or players, this card remains relevant, particularly in a meta with creature-dense decks or when direct life reduction can turn the tide of a match.
How to beat
Gollum’s Bite is a unique card within the intricate world of Magic: The Gathering, presenting a considerable challenge for players to counter. Its power lies in its ability to hinder your creature’s strength, thus altering the dynamics of the battlefield. This card, reminiscent of spells like Dead Weight or Stab Wound, is specifically handy against formidable creatures by diminishing their combat effectiveness.
To effectively neutralize the impact of Gollum’s Bite, players may want to consider diversification in their deck-building strategy. Incorporating enchantment removal options such as Disenchant or Naturalize could serve as a straightforward solution to reclaim your creature’s might. Moreover, leveraging instant-speed spells that boost a creature’s power could counteract the initial debuff applied by Gollum’s Bite during combat scenarios.
Leveraging resilience through creatures with hexproof abilities or protective equipment like Swiftfoot Boots can also provide a preventive measure against targeted debuffs. This shield creates an environment where Gollum’s Bite becomes ineffectual, thereby allowing your creatures to sustain their prowess on the battlefield unimpeded.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gollum's Bite MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Gollum's Bite and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Gollum's Bite Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Anton Solovianchyk.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 536 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anton Solovianchyk | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 85 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anton Solovianchyk |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gollum's Bite has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gollum's Bite card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | As the Ring tempts you, you get an emblem named The Ring if you don't have one. Then your emblem gains its next ability and you choose a creature you control to become (or remain) your Ring-bearer. |
| 2023-06-16 | Each player can have only one emblem named The Ring and only one Ring-bearer at a time. |
| 2023-06-16 | Each time the Ring tempts you, you must choose a creature if you control one. |
| 2023-06-16 | If the creature you choose as your Ring-bearer was already your Ring-bearer, that still counts as choosing that creature as your Ring-bearer for the purpose of abilities that trigger "whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer" or abilities that care about which creature was chosen as your Ring-bearer. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some spells and abilities that cause the Ring to tempt you may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. The Ring won't tempt you. |
| 2023-06-16 | The Ring can tempt you even if you don't control a creature. In this case, abilities that trigger "whenever the Ring tempts you" will still trigger. |
| 2023-06-16 | The Ring gains its abilities in order from top to bottom. Once it gains an ability, it has that ability for the rest of the game. |