Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Artifact
Abilities Transform

Key Takeaways

  1. Matzalantli provides card advantage and versatility, boosting strategic depth and combo potential in gameplay.
  2. Requires careful mana management and potentially high mana investment, influencing deck archetype compatibility.
  3. Comparing to similar cards, it holds unique meta-relevance, enriching collection value for adaptive play styles.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

: Draw a card, then discard a card. , : Transform Matzalantli, the Great Door. Activate only if there are four or more permanent types among cards in your graveyard. (Artifact, battle, creature, enchantment, land, and planeswalker are permanent types.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Matzalantli the Great Door offers a unique edge by potentially unveiling multiple nonland cards from the top of your library, setting you up with options to outpace your opponent’s hand.

Resource Acceleration: This powerful legendary artifact smoothly opens the gates for substantial resource acceleration, allowing you to cheat on mana costs under the right conditions and deploy threats earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: While Matzalantli itself does not operate at instant speed, it interacts favorably with instant speed cards, enabling you to exploit its ability to the fullest and surprise your adversaries at critical moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Matzalantli the Great Door necessitates parting with another card from your hand, creating potential setbacks during moments when your in-game resources are dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting demand includes a precise blend of mana colors which could prove restrictive, making it incompatible with a variety of deck archetypes that don’t support such a mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its substantial mana investment to summon, players might find themselves weighing its benefits against other alternatives that could potentially deliver a bigger impact or more immediate board presence for the same or lower mana expenditure.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Matzalantli the Great Door offers a unique flexibility, easily finding a home in decks that thrive on manipulating resources or managing multiple strategies at once. Its ability to alter game mechanics can be a game-changer in various situations.

Combo Potential: This card opens up possibilities for powerful combos, acting as a linchpin for setups that can transform the tide of a match. With the right mix of cards, Matzalantli the Great Door can unlock potential victory conditions that are hard for opponents to counteract.

Meta-Relevance: With shifting metagames, a card like Matzalantli the Great Door keeps strategies fresh and adaptable. For players aiming to stay ahead of trends and leverage new tactics, this card is a must-have for maintaining competitiveness in diverse play environments.


How to beat

Matzalantli the Great Door presents a unique challenge for players in the world of Magic the Gathering. As a formidable card, it creates an interesting dynamic on the battlefield. Not only does it bolster the defenses by potentially bringing out a massive creature, but it also changes tactical approaches significantly. The key to overcoming this obstacle is to adapt your strategies around it.

Disruptive plays are your ally against Matzalantli. Consider running efficient removal spells that can handle both enchantments and creatures, or employ counterspells to prevent its activation altogether. Artifact destruction can also dismantle the door before it swings wide open for your opponent’s advantage. Alternatively, applying pressure with a fast-paced aggro deck can close the game before Matzalantli’s effects can turn the tides. Staying proactive and keeping the board clear of key pieces that interact with the door are essential tactics to secure your victory.

Overall, defeating Matzalantli requires a mix of strategic foresight and timely intervention. By keeping your opponent’s resources in check and anticipating their plays, you can ensure that the Great Door isn’t the endgame it’s designed to be for your Magic the Gathering matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Matzalantli the Great Door stands as a beacon of strategic depth in MTG. Its capacity to alter the tide of gameplay by providing a wealth of options can’t be ignored. Recognizing the balance of card advantages and watching out for potential drawbacks are hallmarks of a well-rounded player. Eager to enhance your deck with Matzalantli’s unique abilities or looking for tactics to defend against it? Whether it’s building around the card’s strengths or countering opponents’ strategies, we provide the insights and guidance you need. Embrace the full potential of Matzalantli by joining us to delve deeper into advanced deck-building techniques and MTG dynamics.


Cards like Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core

Matzalantli the Great Door is an intriguing option for players looking to enhance their deck strategies in Magic: The Gathering. This unique card brings to mind the remarkable powers of other prominent cards that function as game-changing dimensional gates. The likes of Door to Nothingness stand tall as a classic, offering the ultimate win condition by demanding a wide spectrum of mana but hands you a game-ending ability in return. Matzalantli, although not delivering a direct victory, enables a dynamic alteration in board state and deck interaction.

When considering utility and mechanics, another card that resonates with Matzalantli’s concept is Planar Bridge. Both offer a way to cheat heavy-costing permanents into play, bypassing the heft of their mana costs. Planar Bridge, divergently, focuses on fetching any permanent card straight onto the battlefield but at a steep, repeatable activation cost. Matzalantli carves its path differently, allowing for a sneak peek into the future with its foresight ability, setting up for powerful plays as the game unfolds.

In essence, for those who delight in contorting the traditional flow of the game, Matzalantli the Great Door presents itself as a notable alternative among MTG’s array of pivotal doorways to dominance, blending elements of tactical setup and surprise factor that can propel you towards victory.

Door to Nothingness - MTG Card versions
Planar Bridge - MTG Card versions
Door to Nothingness - MTG Card versions
Planar Bridge - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core by color, type and mana cost

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Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Arena of the Ancients - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-11-17 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Piotr Dura.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-11-17The Lost Caverns of IxalanLCI 3872015TransformBlackPiotr Dura
22023-11-17The Lost Caverns of IxalanLCI 2562015TransformBlackPiotr Dura

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Matzalantli, the Great Door // The Core has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-11-10 Cards with the ability word "fathomless descent" have abilities that care how many permanent cards are in your graveyard.
2023-11-10 Some descend triggered abilities include intervening "if" clauses (i.e. "if you have
-our or eight] permanent cards in your graveyard" in the middle of the ability). Each of these abilities checks your graveyard at the moment it would trigger to see if it does. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability doesn't trigger at all. If it does trigger, it will check again as it tries to resolve. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen.
2023-11-10 The Core's activated ability is a mana ability. It doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
2023-11-10 Transforming Matzalantli doesn't cause it to leave the battlefield. It also doesn't cause it to become untapped.