Stronghold Gambit MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2000-02-14 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Nemesis |
| Set code | NEM |
| Number | 100 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Greg Hildebrandt & Tim Hildebrandt |
Key Takeaways
- Gambit allows for saving resources by avoiding the mana cost of high-power creatures.
- Risk plays a role; it fails if opponents hold creatures in their hand.
- Despite limitations, it offers advantages in specific red-centric deck builds.
Text of card
Each player chooses a card in his or her hand. Then each player reveals his or her chosen card. The owner of the creature card revealed this way with the lowest converted mana cost puts that card into play. If two or more creature cards are tied for lowest cost, those cards are put into play.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Stronghold Gambit, the potential to cheat a high-cost creature onto the battlefield bypasses the need to draw and play multiple cards to produce the same effect, offering an alternative path to gaining card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Effectively skipping the mana cost of a creature can leapfrog you ahead of opponents in terms of resources, as you’re able to deploy threats earlier than normally possible.
Instant Speed: Though Stronghold Gambit isn’t at instant speed, its unique effect can disrupt your opponent’s strategy at a critical moment during your turn, particularly when combined with ways to control the reveal, ensuring you maximize the impact of the card played.
Card Cons
High Risk Element: Stronghold Gambit hinges on a condition that your opponents do not have a creature card in hand, which can be a significant gamble, especially in formats with creature-heavy decks.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both red mana and generic mana, Stronghold Gambit is not always easy to cast, particularly in multicolored or mana-intensive decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two red mana may be steep for what the card accomplishes, as it can easily be negated by an opponent’s hand, leaving you at a disadvantage.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Stronghold Gambit’s unique game mechanic allows it to seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Its place in red decks, particularly those that revolve around creatures, can add an unexpected tactical edge against opponents.
Combo Potential: This card shines when paired with decks that manipulate the top of the library or knowledgably control the battlefield. The ability to potentially put a high-powered creature into play at a lower cost opens up numerous combo possibilities.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players run creature-light decks, Stronghold Gambit can serve as a decisive play. As the MTG landscape evolves, including cards that can leverage the knowledge of the opponent’s hand composition can give a significant strategic advantage.
How to beat
Stronghold Gambit is an intriguing card that can turn the tide of a Magic: The Gathering game by introducing elements of prediction and surprise. Essentially, this card allows both players to potentially put a creature card from their hand onto the battlefield without paying its mana cost, which can result in a significant advantage. However, there are strategies to mitigate its impact on the game.
To effectively counter Stronghold Gambit, it’s vital to limit the creatures in your hand if you suspect your opponent has it. This reduces the chance they’ll benefit from the card’s effect. Hand disruption, like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, can extract Stronghold Gambit from your opponent’s hand before they have a chance to cast it. Another key tactic is holding instant-speed removal or creature counterspells. Should your opponent put a large creature into play using Stronghold Gambit, you can immediately address the threat. Remember, knowledge of your opponent’s deck and predicting their plays is valuable – if Stronghold Gambit is a known quantity within their strategy, prepare to disrupt or react swiftly to mitigate its game-changing ability.
Overall, though Stronghold Gambit may seem daunting, it presents an opportunity for strategic plays and deckbuilding with disruption and instant-speed interaction to emerge victorious.
Cards like Stronghold Gambit
Stronghold Gambit stands out in the diverse library of red spells in the realm of MTG. This unique card can be likened to other gambling-style cards, such as Risk Factor, which also embraces the concept of giving opponents difficult choices. Unlike Stronghold Gambit, Risk Factor does not depend on creatures, but instead leans on the direct damage aspect, offering a significant threat if the opponent chooses not to let you draw cards.
Looking at a different approach, we have Browbeat. This card presents a similar dilemma to the opponent – allow card drawing or take damage. However, Stronghold Gambit provides a potential creature advantage which can swing the board state significantly. With Browbeat, the possible benefit is more mana-efficient damage against the opponent. Then, we have Illicit Auction, a card that incorporates bidding, another gambling-mechanic that MTG offers, but lacks Stronghold Gambit’s ability to potentially sneak a high-cost creature into play without paying its mana cost.
As we sift through the options and evaluate the synergy of these alternatives, Stronghold Gambit holds a unique spot, especially in chaos-style or red creature-heavy decks, offering a distinct blend of unpredictability and board control against opponents.
Cards similar to Stronghold Gambit by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Stronghold Gambit MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Stronghold Gambit 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 Stronghold Gambit has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Stronghold Gambit card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Creature cards which are revealed but are not the lowest cost, or any non-creature cards revealed remain in their owners’ hands and stop being revealed. |
| 2004-10-04 | You don’t have to choose a creature card, but choosing a non creature does nothing except maybe bluff your opponent. |
