Portcullis MTG Card

Portcullis shines in control decks, limiting opponents’ creature plays and dictating match pace. It’s essential to balance your deck’s creature count and removal to mitigate Portcullis’ potential cons. Diverse strategies can bypass Portcullis’ restrictions, making flexibility in deck building crucial.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact
Released	1998-03-02
Set symbol
Set name	Stronghold
Set code	STH
Number	139
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Text of card

Whenever any creature comes into play, if there are two or more other creatures in play, set that creature aside. If Portcullis leaves play, put the creature into play under its owner's control.

Cards like Portcullis

Portcullis stands as an intriguing artifact in Magic: The Gathering with a unique ability to control the battlefield. Comparable to cards like Crawlspace, which limits the number of creatures that can attack each turn, Portcullis takes it a step further by preventing additional creatures from entering the battlefield once two are already in play. This can be a double-edged sword, as it affects both players, but it offers a powerful means of crowd control.

Another card with a related concept is the enchantment known as Tangle Wire. Though it doesn’t deal directly with creature count, it similarly disrupts opponents by tapping down their permanents, decreasing their available resources each turn. Both Portcullis and Tangle Wire are about hindering opponents, but Portcullis is more focused on limiting creatures while Tangle Wire broadly targets permanents.

Overall, while Portcullis shares thematic and strategic similarities with these cards, its unique creature control mechanic sets it apart, making it a card that can significantly alter the state of play and become a key piece in any control-focused deck in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Portcullis by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Portcullis has the unique ability to severely restrict the number of creatures on the battlefield. For players running decks with few creatures, this translates to a significant advantage as opponents with creature-heavy strategies will struggle to maintain a presence.

Resource Acceleration: Although Portcullis itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly contribute to this by clearing the path for your land-fetching or artifact creatures to trigger their abilities without the risk of being blocked or removed by opponents’ creatures.

Instant Speed: One of the key strengths of Portcullis lies in its capacity to spring a surprise on opponents. While not at instant speed itself, it can be paired with other instants or flash creatures in your arsenal. This ensures you maintain a responsive stance while controlling the flow of creatures your adversaries can keep in play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Portcullis demands you have fewer than two creatures to benefit from its ability. This can be cumbersome in creature-heavy decks that want to maintain a solid board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Relying on an exact artifact mana cost of four can be restrictive. It may not slot into strategies that run on leaner mana curves or those that demand a faster tempo.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana investment to cast Portcullis, you might find that when you’re ready to play more creatures, its effect can actually hinder your board development, especially in matches where tempo is crucial.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Portcullis can be an adaptable addition to decks focusing on controlling the battlefield. Its unique ability to limit creature presence aligns with strategies that favor a slowed-down, defensive playstyle.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Portcullis becomes a gateway for powerful combos. Players can manipulate it to trap creatures and then release them strategically, or use effects that benefit from noncreature permanents to gain an advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment heavy with creature-centric decks, Portcullis can significantly alter the pace of the game, making it an influential card against decks that rely on flooding the board with creatures.

How to beat

Portcullis is a unique artifact that can be quite the obstacle in MTG, effectively locking down creature strategies by preventing additional creatures from entering the battlefield once two are already present. To navigate around this card, it’s essential to adapt your strategy. One way to overcome Portcullis is by utilizing spells that destroy or bounce artifacts, such as Naturalize or Blink of an Eye, allowing your creatures to flood the board once again.

Another tactic is to rely less on creatures and more on non-creature spells like sorceries, instants, and enchantments that can affect the game without being hindered by Portcullis. Cards with Flashback or other alternative casting methods from the graveyard can also bypass the restrictions of Portcullis. Furthermore, deck designs that embrace control elements or combo pieces which don’t rely on creature attacks can render Portcullis ineffective.

Being adaptable in a jam is what separates a good MTG player from a great one. With the right approach and a few key cards, the challenge of overcoming a Portcullis becomes a testimony to your deck’s flexibility and your skill as a player.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Portcullis MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold, 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 Portcullis and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Portcullis 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 Portcullis 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	Creatures which are phasing in will not trigger this card’s ability.
2004-10-04	If the creature that triggered Portcullis is no longer on the battlefield when the ability resolves, then it fails to do anything.
2004-10-04	You check the count of the number of creatures on the battlefield again during resolution. The creature will not be exiled if the count is 2 or less.
2009-10-01	The creature does enter the battlefield, so any other abilities that trigger on it entering the battlefield trigger. This follows the normal rules for timing triggered abilities: first, the current player puts their abilities on the stack in any order, then each other player in turn order does the same. Portcullis’ own ability is included in this, so it could result in the creature being exiled after some abilities have resolved, but before others.
2009-10-01	The “when Portcullis leaves the battlefield” ability is set up as part of the ability that exiles the creature. It will trigger when Portcullis leaves the battlefield even if Portcullis has somehow lost its abilities at that time.