Gorbag of Minas Morgul MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Orc Soldier
Abilities Treasure
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Gorbag provides card advantage and mana ramping, crucial for outpacing opponents during gameplay.
  2. Its requirement to discard and specifically colored mana cost may limit its versatility in various deck archetypes.
  3. Despite its cons, Gorbag’s unique traits offer strategic depth for those adept in managing resources and timing.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gorbag of Minas Morgul 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.

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Text of card

Whenever a Goblin or Orc you control deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. When you do, choose one — • Draw a card. • Create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gorbag of Minas Morgul offers an efficient way to filter through your deck by potentially drawing cards, optimizing your hand and giving you the upper hand during matches.

Resource Acceleration: This card may provide an avenue for ramping up your mana resources, allowing for quicker deployment of your strategy and bringing high-cost creatures or spells into play ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed means you can respond to game events on the fly, disrupting your opponent’s plans and making strategic plays without having to wait for your own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gorbag of Minas Morgul stipulates that you must discard another card to activate certain abilities. This can put you at a disadvantage, especially in the late game when your hand size is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirement for Gorbag includes specific colors that may not easily fit into all deck archetypes, potentially making it less versatile in a diverse metagame.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Allocating a significant amount of mana can be a steep price for what the card provides. This can be particularly taxing when faster, more cost-efficient alternatives may contribute to your strategy more effectively.


Reasons to Include Gorbag of Minas Morgul in Your Collection

Versatility: Gorbag of Minas Morgul provides flexibility in deck-building, operating efficiently in strategies that capitalize on creature control and sacrifice mechanics. Its unique abilities allow it to adapt to various in-game situations, making it a useful card in different deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: With its ability to manipulate the battlefield, Gorbag of Minas Morgul can become a lynchpin in combinations that dismantle your opponent’s board while strengthening your own. It supports synergies with cards that benefit from the destruction or dying of creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the competitive scene, Gorbag of Minas Morgul holds its ground by being situationally powerful. Its potential to disrupt opponent strategies and provide advantage through creature interaction keeps it relevant in an ever-changing meta.


How to Beat Gorbag of Minas Morgul

Gorbag of Minas Morgul may seem intimidating as a sinister force from the darker corners of the MTG universe. His abilities can disrupt your strategies by skewing the balance of power. However, conquering him is not out of reach. First, consider using removal spells that can target Gorbag before his influence takes root. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile are efficient ways to address threats like him immediately. Moreover, countering him upon casting can prevent his ability from activating, so keeping mana open for spells like Cancel or Mana Leak can prove invaluable.

Another strategy is to go beyond single-target solutions and incorporate board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation, effectively clearing the field of Gorbag and any accompanying threats. Remember, it’s vital to prevent Gorbag from cementing his presence, as his strength increases with the more allies he has around him. If you find yourself facing him in the long game, ensure you have a robust sideboard plan. Including cards that can exile or shuffle him back into the library might be just the edge you need to outlast and eventually overcome the threat posed by Gorbag of Minas Morgul.


Cards like Gorbag of Minas Morgul

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Gorbag of Minas Morgul introduces distinctive qualities that place him in a noteworthy bracket of creatures. Among the similar cards, one might consider the Orcish Lumberjack for its ability to sacrifice a forest to add mana to your mana pool, much like how Gorbag can leverage creatures on the battlefield. While Orcish Lumberjack focuses on land usage, Gorbag of Minas Morgul emphasizes creature management, which can be pivotal in later game stages.

Examining another parallel, Skirk Prospector lets you sacrifice a goblin for that critical red mana, which mirrors Gorbag’s comparable sacrifice mechanism for an advantage. Gorbag, however, is flexible in the creature type and the added draw benefit elevates its potential for card advantage. Siege-Gang Commander could also come to mind given its built-in mechanism to sacrifice creatures for direct damage, but Gorbag’s ability to impact the card draw sets him apart, altering the course of play through added hand options rather than immediate board impact.

Ultimately, Gorbag of Minas Morgul holds his own with a balance of creature sacrifice, mana generation, and card draw, making him a multifaceted tool in a player’s arsenal. His uniqueness lies in the synergy of these combined effects, tailored for those who master the art of timely sacrifices and resource management in MTG.

Orcish Lumberjack - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Siege-Gang Commander - MTG Card versions
Orcish Lumberjack - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Siege-Gang Commander - MTG Card versions

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Printings

The Gorbag of Minas Morgul Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Alex Brock.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 862015NormalBlackAlex Brock
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 5372015NormalBlackAlex Brock

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gorbag of Minas Morgul has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gorbag of Minas Morgul 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 You don't choose a mode for Gorbag of Minas Morgul's ability at the time it triggers. Rather, a second "reflexive" ability triggers when you sacrifice a Goblin or Orc this way. You choose a mode for that ability as it goes on the stack. Each player may respond to this triggered ability as normal.