Rough // Tumble MTG Card

Planar Chaos (PLC)
2007-02-02 - Number 114

Commander 2013 (C13)
2013-11-01 - Number 118

Rough // Tumble - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 186

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	8
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Key Takeaways

The card’s versatility stands out, handling both ground and flying creatures, offering a strategic edge.
It enables players to recover tempo, potentially swinging the game’s momentum in their favor.
Rough // Tumble’s adaptability during gameplay can catch opponents off guard, disrupting their strategies.

Text of card

Tumble deals 6 damage to each creature with flying.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The versatility of Rough // Tumble provides the option to deal with a variety of board states. Rough can be used to handle smaller creatures while Tumble takes care of airborne threats, which may result in clearing multiple opponent’s creatures with a single card.

Resource Acceleration: Tumble, when played correctly, has the potential to reset the board, helping you regain tempo and swing the game in your favor. This can lead to acceleration in your game plan, as your opponent may need to rebuild their board, giving you the upper hand in resource development.

Instant Speed: While Rough // Tumble is a sorcery, its split nature provides the opportunity to choose the most opportune moment during your turn to cast either half. Being able to adapt to the ever-changing state of the game can provide an unexpected advantage, disrupting potential strategies your opponent might be setting up.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the split card Rough // Tumble offers versatility, it doesn’t come without a drawback. Players must be cautious when selecting which side to cast as each half presents a potential disadvantage. Furthermore, in decks that seek to optimize card advantage, the inability to cast both halves without additional cards like Cascade effects can be less efficient.

Specific Mana Cost: For the Rough half, the red mana requirement aligns it strictly with red-inclusive decks, precluding it from mono-color decks that don’t feature red. This can pigeonhole the card into a smaller subset of deck types, potentially limiting its overall utility in a diverse meta.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When compared to other board sweepers or creature control options, Tumble’s six mana cost, which includes a double red mana requirement, is quite steep. Alternatives might present themselves as more mana-efficient for controlling the board, thereby relegating Rough // Tumble to a more situational or sideboard role rather than a mainstay in most decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rough // Tumble offers a unique flexibility for players to deal with a wide array of board states. With the ability to handle both early game threats and overcrowded boards, it is an excellent choice for players looking to control the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: For those who enjoy intricate plays, this card can become a keystone in your combo toolkit. It integrates seamlessly into strategies aiming to manipulate board states to your advantage, possibly clearing the way for your win conditions.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where swarms of creatures or utility creatures dominate, the sweeping effect of Tumble can shift the game in your favor, while Rough provides a targeted approach against aggressive starts, making it a tactical asset in diverse metas.

How to beat

Rough // Tumble is a versatile card that combines flexible board control with the ability to sweep away an array of small creatures. Playing around this card requires a keen understanding of board state and timing. To effectively counter Rough // Tumble, you might consider increasing the toughness of your creatures to survive the damage from Rough’s two-point damage sweep. Cards that grant indestructibility or regeneration provide a sturdy defense against such board clears.

Alternatively, leveraging instant-speed spells and abilities can save your key creatures from the Tumble side of the card, which targets creatures without flying. You can respond to it by giving your creatures flying or pulling them back to your hand to be replayed later. It’s important to note that Tumble affects all creatures without flying, not just yours. Therefore, cleverly timing your creature plays and predicting when your opponent will cast Tumble can leave their board just as devastated as yours, leveling the playing field.

Overall, by anticipating Rough // Tumble and employing strategic countermeasures, you’ll be able to maintain a strong presence on the battlefield against opponents who might not be as prepared for its sweeping effect.

Cards like Rough // Tumble

Rough // Tumble is a versatile card that effectively combines two distinct spells in Magic: The Gathering. The card shares similarities with other damage-dealing spells such as Pyroclasm and Volcanic Fallout. Pyroclasm also costs two mana and deals two damage to each creature. However, it doesn’t offer the modal flexibility that Rough // Tumble does, which can be paramount in games where player’s needs can drastically change.

Another comparable mechanic is found in Volcanic Fallout. It deals damage to each creature and player and cannot be countered, characteristics shared by the Tumble half of Rough // Tumble. Fallout’s added advantage is instant-speed, allowing for more reactionary play compared to Rough // Tumble’s sorcery speed. On the other hand, the latter’s ability to selectively target creatures without flying through its Rough half can be a tactical advantage, providing a level of precision that Fallout lacks.

Moreover, Rough // Tumble proves its strategic worth by catering to two game scenarios with one card slot. While similar spells may provide elements of damage and speed, Rough // Tumble’s unique split nature makes it a noteworthy consideration for players seeking flexible and adaptable removal options in their decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rough // Tumble MTG card by a specific set like Planar Chaos and Commander 2013, 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 Rough // Tumble and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rough // Tumble Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-02-02 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Luca Zontini.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2007-02-02	Planar Chaos	PLC	114	2003	Split	Black	Luca Zontini
2	2013-11-01	Commander 2013	C13	118	2003	Split	Black	Luca Zontini
3	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR	186	2015	Split	Black	Luca Zontini

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rough // Tumble has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-03-19	All split cards have two card faces on a single card, and you put a split card onto the stack as only the half you’re casting. The characteristics of the half of the card you didn’t cast are ignored while the spell is on the stack.
2021-03-19	Each split card has two names. If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose one of those names, but not both.
2021-03-19	Each split card is a single card. For example, if you discard a split card, you’ve discarded one card, not two. If an effect counts the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard, Rough // Tumble counts once, not twice.
2021-03-19	If an effect allows you to cast a spell with certain characteristics, consider only the half you’re casting. For example, if an effect allows you to cast a spell with mana value 4 or less from your hand, you can cast Rough but not Tumble.
2021-03-19	If you copy a spell that’s half of a split card, the copy copies that same half. For example, if you copy Rough, the copy is also Rough, not Tumble.
2021-03-19	To cast a split card, you choose one half to cast. There’s no way to cast both halves of the split cards featured in this set.
2021-03-19	While not on the stack, the characteristics of a split card are the combination of its two halves. For example, Rough // Tumble has a mana value of 8. This means that if an effect allows you to search for a card with mana value 4 or less, you can’t find Rough // Tumble.