Generous Gift MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 18 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. An ideal removal card, Generous Gift offers balance by providing an opponent with a 3/3 token.
  2. Its requirement of white mana and three-mana cost places strategic demands on deck building.
  3. Generous Gift’s utility across different scenarios makes it a worthy addition to diverse decks.

Text of card

Destroy target permanent. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.

The best presents are impossible to regift.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Generous Gift, you’re equipped to deal with any nonland permanent, effectively minimizing opponents’ threats while maintaining card parity. This ensures that your hand remains adaptable without sacrificing essential resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Generous Gift does not directly accelerate resources, by eliminating key pieces of your opponent’s strategy, you indirectly influence the momentum and control the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Generous Gift at instant speed offers a high degree of flexibility. You can disrupt opponents’ plays during their turn or end step, giving you the upper hand by keeping them guessing about your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Generous Gift does not require discarding, it does present a disadvantage by granting your opponent a 3/3 Elephant creature token. This can be particularly problematic if you’re already facing a board where every creature counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Generous Gift requires one white mana, which could potentially restrict its inclusion in non-white or multicolor decks that have a tight color mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While three mana may not seem too steep, in faster-paced games or competitive formats, a cost of three mana for a single-target removal may not be as efficient as other lower-cost alternatives available.


Reasons to Include Generous Gift in Your Collection

Versatility: Generous Gift stands out for its wide-ranging impact on the game. Able to remove any permanent — from troublesome creatures to powerful enchantments — it’s a must-have for any deck looking to deal with a diverse array of threats.

Combo Potential: While it may provide your opponent with a creature, the 3/3 Elephant token can be a strategic boon in decks designed around sacrifice mechanics or those that benefit from opponents having creatures, such as when using “Grave Pact” or “Dictate of Erebos”.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where key permanents can define a match, Generous Gift offers a level of control essential to any player looking to stay apace with dynamic and ever-shifting competitive play. Its place in decks across various formats ensures its continual relevance.


How to beat

Generous Gift is an intriguing tool in the Magic: The Gathering toolbox, providing players with a flexible answer to any nonland permanent. One efficient strategy against this card involves playing around its elephant in the room – the 3/3 green Elephant creature token it bestows upon the permanent’s controller. Instead of overcommitting high-value targets to the board, deploying a multitude of less valuable permanents can dilute the card’s impact, making the token less of a setback.

Another tactic is utilizing the Elephant token to your advantage. Since Generous Gift can be used on your own permanents, you can set up plays where the token becomes a resource for further strategies, such as sacrifice or aggro empowerment. It’s also worth keeping in mind that after Generous Gift resolves, instant-speed tricks or removal can clear the path before the token can be a nuisance, maintaining board superiority.

Ultimately, the key to outmaneuvering Generous Gift hinges on strategic permanents selection and turning the tables by integrating the generated token into your own game plan. This enhances your position while mitigating any potential tempo loss brought on by the destruction and token generation balance that Generous Gift presents.


BurnMana Recommendations

The world of MTG is vast, rich with strategies and cards that can shift the tide of any match. Generous Gift exemplifies the type of utility card that smart players use to gain an edge. Balancing the pros and cons of its effects can sharpen your tactical acumen. Whether you’re disrupting an adversary’s game plan or turning new cards into powerful allies, every card you choose can have a substantial impact. Dive deeper into your MTG journey, discover synergies, and learn to leverage every card to its fullest. Navigating the ebbs and flows of gameplay with insight is what separates the casual players from the champions. Enhance your deck and playstyle with us.


Cards like Generous Gift

Generous Gift is a versatile removal spell in Magic: The Gathering, akin to other classic cards that deal with in-game threats. Its closest relative might be Beast Within which offers a similar effect, allowing players to destroy any permanent. Yet, Generous Gift differs as it is color-restricted to white, whereas Beast Within is in green. Both cards leave opponents with a 3/3 token, balancing out the removal capability with a minimal board presence.

Another often-discussed comparison is with Swords to Plowshares, a one-mana staple in white decks. Swords to Plowshares excels at removing creatures without a downside of providing a creature token to an opponent, but unlike Generous Gift, it cannot target noncreature permanents, limiting its applicability in a broader range of situations.

Despite the diversity of removal spells, Generous Gift holds a unique position, offering flexibility and an even-handed approach to neutralizing threats across all permanent types. Its capacity to handle an expansive array of in-game scenarios makes it a valuable addition and often a preferred choice for players focusing on utility over specialization.

Beast Within - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Beast Within - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Swords to Plowshares - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Generous Gift by color, type and mana cost

Reverse Damage - MTG Card versions
Army of Allah - MTG Card versions
Holy Light - MTG Card versions
Morale - MTG Card versions
Blood of the Martyr - MTG Card versions
Piety - MTG Card versions
Martyrdom - MTG Card versions
Harsh Justice - MTG Card versions
Kor Chant - MTG Card versions
Just Fate - MTG Card versions
Waylay - MTG Card versions
Warrior's Honor - MTG Card versions
Radiant's Judgment - MTG Card versions
Afterlife - MTG Card versions
Abolish - MTG Card versions
Restrain - MTG Card versions
Prismatic Strands - MTG Card versions
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Protection - MTG Card versions
Oblation - MTG Card versions
Reverse Damage - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Army of Allah - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Holy Light - Masters Edition (ME1)
Morale - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Blood of the Martyr - Chronicles (CHR)
Piety - Renaissance (REN)
Martyrdom - Alliances (ALL)
Harsh Justice - Portal (POR)
Kor Chant - The List (PLST)
Just Fate - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Waylay - Urza's Saga (USG)
Warrior's Honor - Anthologies (ATH)
Radiant's Judgment - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Afterlife - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Abolish - Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (DDF)
Restrain - Invasion (INV)
Prismatic Strands - Commander 2019 (C19)
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Teferi's Protection - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Oblation - Commander 2011 (CMD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Generous Gift MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Generous Gift and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Generous Gift Magic the Gathering card was released in 15 different sets between 2019-06-14 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 861502015normalblackKev Walker
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 912231997normalblackKev Walker
32019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 112015normalblackKev Walker
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 3692015normalborderlessAyako Ishiguro
52020-09-26The ListPLST MH1-112015normalblackKev Walker
62020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3752015normalblackKev Walker
72020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6202015normalblackKev Walker
82021-06-18Modern Horizons 1 TimeshiftsH1R 21997normalblackKev Walker
92022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 842015normalblackKev Walker
102022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 2012015normalblackKev Walker
112022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1002015normalblackKev Walker
122023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 702015normalblackKev Walker
132023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 1872015normalblackKev Walker
142023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 322015art_seriesborderless
152023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 262015normalblackKev Walker
162023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6242015normalborderlessRon Spears
172023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 682015normalblackKev Walker
182023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1282015normalblackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Generous Gift has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-06-14 If the target permanent is an illegal target by the time Generous Gift tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. No player creates an Elephant. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), its controller does create an Elephant.

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