Gouged Zealot MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Cyclops Berserker
Abilities Delirium,Reach
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card advantage by potentially removing an opponent’s card upon entering the battlefield.
  2. Can indirectly accelerate resource access by thinning the deck, despite its mana cost.
  3. With flash enablers, it can disrupt strategies instantly, enhancing its tactical value.

Text of card

Reach Delirium — Whenever Gouged Zealot attacks, if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, Gouged Zealot deals 1 damage to each creature defending player controls.

He can't fear what he can't see.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gouged Zealot’s ability to potentially eliminate an opponent’s card while entering the battlefield can shift the balance in your favor, aiding in card advantage over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Gouged Zealot doesn’t directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, its potential to thin the deck by extracting specific cards can indirectly accelerate your access to vital resources.

Instant Speed: Gouged Zealot’s traits don’t inherently include instant speed abilities, but pairing it with flash enablers allows you to utilize its effect at a crucial moment, disrupting the opponent’s strategy at end of their turn or in response to an action.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Gouged Zealot card demands that you discard another card from your hand to play it. This could be a setback, especially when your hand is already running on empty or the cards you hold are pivotal for your strategy moving forward.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a casting cost that includes both colorless and black mana, Gouged Zealot’s utility is tethered to decks that can comfortably produce these mana types. This stipulation can render the card less versatile, hindering its inclusion in decks that operate outside of black mana synergies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana required to get Gouged Zealot into play might be seen as steep when you evaluate other creatures with similar effects or power levels. Savvy players may seek alternatives that bring more value or support their overarching deck strategy while demanding less of their mana reserves.


Reasons to Include Gouged Zealot in Your Collection

Versatility: Gouged Zealot offers a flexible role in numerous deck archetypes byproviding both offense and strategic defense benefits. It can fit seamlessly into aggro decks or act as a valuable piece in midrange builds.

Combo Potential: With its specific abilities, Gouged Zealot can synergize with other cards to enable powerful interactions, contributing to potentially game-winning combos in the right setup.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta shifts, cards like Gouged Zealot can gain prominence due to their capacity to adapt to diverse strategies, making it a card worth considering for staying competitive within the everchanging landscape of the game.


How to beat

Gouged Zealot has quickly become a card to watch out for in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This potent creature can take opponents by surprise, demanding a careful strategy to overcome. To effectively neutralize Gouged Zealot, consider adjusting your deck with efficient removal spells. Instant speed options like Fatal Push or Path to Exile allow you to swiftly deal with the Zealot before it can become a larger threat on the board.

Another tactic is to utilize board wipes, like Wrath of God or Damnation, to clear multiple threats at once, ensuring that Gouged Zealot doesn’t get the chance to capitalize on its combat abilities. Control decks can particularly benefit from such inclusions, as countering key spells and minimizing your opponent’s board presence is central to their game plan. Remember, timing and the element of surprise can be just as crucial as the spells you choose to include in your deck when facing formidable creatures like Gouged Zealot.


Cards like Gouged Zealot

Gouged Zealot is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, delivering specific gameplay nuances that are worth exploring. When stacking it up against similar cards, the comparisons bring out its distinct qualities. Take for instance Skirk Marauder – both serve as aggressive creatures in red that can deal direct damage. Where Gouged Zealot utilizes the provoke mechanic to force blocks and can potentially remove a blocker, Skirk Marauder achieves a similar result with its ability to morph and deal damage directly to a creature upon doing so.

Comparatively, Mudbutton Clanger also resonates with Gouged Zealot as it’s another creature that accentuates red’s quick and impactful style. But while Mudbutton Clanger offers the opportunity to boost its power temporarily, it doesn’t share the same controlled aggression and removal capability as Gouged Zealot. Gouged Zealot’s provoke ability can be strategically significant, allowing you to maneuver the combat phase to your advantage.

Ultimately, Gouged Zealot has its niche in MTG, establishing a role where tactically instigated creature combat can be the pathway to victory. It stands its ground by offering players a way to dictate the battle and remove key threats, making it a potentially valuable component for specific strategies within the game.

Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Clanger - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - Arena League 2003 (PAL03)
Mudbutton Clanger - Morningtide (MOR)

Cards similar to Gouged Zealot by color, type and mana cost

Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Goblin Goon - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Dragon Whelp - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Keldon Warlord - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Crimson Manticore - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Márton Stromgald - Ice Age (ICE)
Reckless Embermage - Mirage (MIR)
Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
Flowstone Giant - Tempest (TMP)
Rathi Dragon - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Bloodfire Kavu - Apocalypse (APC)
Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ogre Taskmaster - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gouged Zealot MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Gouged Zealot and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gouged Zealot Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Nicholas Gregory.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 1312015normalblackNicholas Gregory
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 4632015normalblackNicholas Gregory

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gouged Zealot has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-06-18 Gouged Zealot's triggered ability checks whether there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard to see if it triggers. If you don't, the ability won't trigger at all. The ability will check again as it tries to resolve. If you don't at that time, the ability won't do anything. The specific cards in your graveyard may change between the two checks.
2021-06-18 The card types that can appear in a graveyard are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. Legendary, basic, and snow are supertypes, not card types; Cyclops and Berserker are subtypes, not card types.

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