Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant MTG Card


Gothmog excels in card advantage, offering the revival of creatures each turn to maintain pressure. Unlocking extra mana and synergy with instant speed plays grants players a significant tempo advantage. Dual-color requirement and high mana cost can pose deck-building challenges, potentially limiting its use.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Soldier
Abilities Amass
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

When Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant enters the battlefield, amass Orcs 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.) Creature tokens you control have deathtouch.


Cards like Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant

Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant brings a unique strategy to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of notorious leaders from MTG’s vast pool of lord-type creatures. Resembling the approach of Goblin Chieftain, Gothmog also provides a buff to its kin by boosting fellow Orcs. While Goblin Chieftain grants haste in addition to the power increase, Gothmog distinguishes itself by allowing for an onslaught of additional tokens whenever your Orcs become blocked.

Analogous in effect, Ogre Battledriver also empowers creatures the moment they hit the field, albeit offering haste and a stronger initial bonus to newly summoned creatures. What Gothmog lacks in immediacy, it compensates with the potential for exponential growth on the battlefield through token generation. Another card worth mentioning is Adaptive Automaton. While it doesn’t inherently boost itself, the Automaton provides a customizable boost, becoming whatever creature type you need most and enhancing those creatures—a versatile tool, but lacking the offensive amplifying effect of Gothmog.

In weighing the strengths across related cards, Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant emerges as a potent force for MTG players who favor an aggressive Orc-centric strategy, accelerating their army’s size and strength in ways few others can.

Goblin Chieftain - MTG Card versions
Ogre Battledriver - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chieftain - MTG Card versions
Ogre Battledriver - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions

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Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant provides reliable card advantage by allowing you to resurrect a creature card from your graveyard each turn. This persistent ability can overwhelm opponents and consistently refill your battlefield with threats.

Resource Acceleration: This formidable card gives you access to additional mana resources by potentially untapping a land each time an attacking creature you control dies. This effect can lead to significant tempo gains, powering out more threats or leaving up mana for key instant-speed interactions.

Instant Speed: While Gothmog itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with cards that operate at instant speed. Being able to respond to an opponent’s turn by sacrificing a creature and possibly untapping a land enhances your reactive plays and keeps up the pressure during each phase of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gothmog Morgul Lieutenant demands a card to be discarded when its ability is activated. This might deplete your hand, restricting your ability to respond to opponents’ moves or affecting your late-game potential.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires not just black mana but also red, necessitating a dual-color deck. This can be limiting for players who prefer mono-color builds or whose mana base is not optimized for multicolor decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although powerful, the card comes with a higher mana cost. There are other aggressive creatures and cards with potentially more impactful abilities or lower mana requirements available to players.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gothmog Morgul Lieutenant plays well in various deck archetypes, particularly in those aiming to utilize aggressive strategies. Its ability to rally other Orcs and grant menace to all your creatures amplifies its adaptability, enhancing the potency of your assault on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card has significant synergy opportunities, pairing seamlessly with other Orc-themed cards to unlock powerful combinations. Its potential to scale its power with each attack phase can turn the tide of a game, especially in decks built to capitalize on relentless assault.

Meta-Relevance: Within a meta that appreciates a stout and persistent board presence, Gothmog Morgul Lieutenant becomes a formidable threat. It aligns well with strategies designed to overwhelm opponents with a multitude of menacing attackers, making it a timely addition to any collection with an interest in the current competitive landscape.


How to beat

Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant brings a unique challenge to Magic: The Gathering players with his ability to amp up aggression in Orc-based decks. This formidable card can quickly escalate a board state if left unchecked, especially considering its synergetic prowess with other Orc creatures, making them more lethal. The key to countering Gothmog lies in strategic removal and disruption of the game’s tempo.

To effectively combat this lieutenant of Mordor, instant speed removal spells are your best ally. These allow you to deal with Gothmog before it can amass an overwhelming horde of Orc warriors or benefit from combat buffs. Board wipes also prove invaluable, restraining both Gothmog and the minions it empowers from spiraling out of control. Furthermore, countering key spells that could summon Gothmog or utilizing hand disruption to remove him before he even hits the battlefield can halt an opponent’s plan in its tracks.

Lastly, vigilant deck building that includes versatile answers to threats ensures you’re prepared for what Gothmog represents. It’s essential to anticipate and adapt to the strategic enhancements Gothmog provides to the Orc archetype, keeping the momentum in your favor and securing your victory against the darkness of Mordor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant unveils a powerful ally for MTG enthusiasts who thrive on enhancing their gameplay with persistent card advantages and tempo gains. If tactile pressure and strategic sacrifice are key components of your battle plan, Gothmog could be the cornerstone of a formidable multi-color deck. Enhance your MTG journey by incorporating this lieutenant’s synergistic power, ensuring your card collection is both adaptable and competitive in the current meta. Join our community of avid players to gain deeper insights and strategies, and fortify your arsenal for the next epic showdown.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant 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 Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 5382015NormalBlackIlker Yildiz
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 872015NormalBlackIlker Yildiz
32023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 4292015NormalBorderlessTyler Jacobson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant 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 Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant 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 Amass Zombies works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army.
2023-06-16 Amass abilities are now written as "amass
-ubtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N."
2023-06-16 If you don't control an Army, the Orc Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.
2023-06-16 In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Orcs, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.
2023-06-16 Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason.
2023-06-16 Some spells and abilities that amass Orcs may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Orcs.
2023-06-16 To amass Orcs N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types.