Gore Vassal MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Dog |
| Released | 2011-02-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mirrodin Besieged |
| Set code | MBS |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 7 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Matt Cavotta |
Key Takeaways
- Gore Vassal allows manipulation of draw and library control at crucial moments.
- Its sacrifice ability offers flexible, strategic plays during any phase.
- Despite cons, it remains a versatile choice in certain MTG decks.
Text of card
Sacrifice Gore Vassal: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. Then if that creature's toughness is 1 or greater, regenerate it.
"Rid them of their unfaithful organs. Bring new hearts to the unbelievers." —*Tome of Machines*, verse 1703
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gore Vassal stands out by offering a unique form of card advantage. Once on the battlefield, sacrificing Gore Vassal lets you manipulate the top card of any player’s library, potentially disrupting your opponent’s plans or setting up your next draw.
Resource Acceleration: While Gore Vassal doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of providing mana, by choosing the right moment to sacrifice it, you pave the way for smoother draws that can indirectly accelerate your game plan. It’s a subtle but valuable boon.
Instant Speed: Gore Vassal’s sacrifice ability can be activated at instant speed. This flexibility allows you to wait for an opportune moment during the game, such as in response to an opponent’s spell or action, to make a strategic play that could impact the board state.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Gore Vassal necessitates sacrificing a creature, which is a cost that can’t always be readily met, especially in decks that don’t focus on creature presence.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires white mana in its casting cost, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-color decks that don’t emphasize white.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a modest 2/1 creature, there may be better value creatures available for players, especially considering its additional sacrifice requirement for its ability.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Gore Vassal offers a unique role in decks that thrive on creature sacrifice mechanics or require fodder for various abilities. Its ability to manipulate +1/+1 counters makes it adaptable for different board situations.
Combo Potential: This creature can be an integral part of combos involving +1/+1 counter synergies. It has the potential to disrupt opponents’ strategies by diminishing their key creatures’ power or salvaging counters from your creatures on the verge of death.
Meta-Relevance: Within a meta that values modular creatures or counter-centric decks, Gore Vassal can be a valuable asset. Its sacrifice ability could be highly relevant, especially when facing decks that are resilient to single-target removal.
How to beat
Gore Vassal is a unique creature card offering an intriguing sacrifice mechanic, valuable in MTG gameplay. However, like every card, there are strategies for countering its effects. Creatures with indestructible attributes or those that can regenerate, like Darksteel Myr or Strangleroot Geist, easily bypass Gore Vassal’s -1/-1 counter distribution upon sacrifice. This is because they can either withstand the counters or return to the battlefield anew, making the Vassal’s ability less impactful.
Another approach is using instant-speed removal spells to eliminate Gore Vassal before its sacrifice ability can be activated. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can swiftly take Gore Vassal off the board, sidestepping its potential to alter the battlefield. Similarly, countering Gore Vassal when it’s cast by using spells such as Counterspell ensures that this creature doesn’t cause any mischief for you in the first place.
Ultimately, familiarity with the dynamics of creature removal, regeneration, and counterspells in your MTG arsenal is key to nullify the effects of cards like Gore Vassal, maintaining control of the game and leading you towards victory.
Cards like Gore Vassal
Gore Vassal presents an interesting angle to creature sacrifice mechanics in Magic: The Gathering. In comparison, Kitchen Finks stands out with its persist ability, similarly offering resilience on the battlefield, though it lacks Gore Vassal’s surgical precision control over -1/-1 counters. Alternatively, the Vassal enhances the utility through its ‘Sacifice Gore Vassal: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature’ ability, blending creature control with strategic sacrifice benefits.
Transitioning to Spincrusher, another card that shares an affinity for counter manipulation, users are granted a different form of adaptation to battlefield shifts. While Spincrusher rewards you for evasion, Gore Vassal provides a proactive approach to creature management, underscoring the versality of counter mechanics within the game.
In evaluating Gore Vassal against its counterparts, its niche lies in its multifaceted role – mitigating opposing threats while shaping the battlefield to your advantage. The card performs admirably as a defensive strategy pivot, showcasing the depth of tactical gameplay inherent in Magic: The Gathering’s creature cards.
Cards similar to Gore Vassal by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gore Vassal MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged, 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 Gore Vassal and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gore Vassal has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gore Vassal card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | Let’s say you activate Gore Vassal’s ability targeting a creature with 3 toughness and 2 damage marked on it. The regeneration shield will be created just before the creature is destroyed for having damage marked on it equal to or greater than its toughness. The creature will then regenerate. That is, all damage will be removed from it and it will become tapped; any counters on the creature, including the -1/-1 counter put on by this ability, remain. |
| 2011-06-01 | The regeneration shield will last until the turn ends or until it’s used. |
| 2011-06-01 | You can activate Gore Vassal’s ability targeting itself, but it won’t get a -1/-1 counter or regenerate because it’ll be an illegal target when the ability resolves. |
