Rumbling Ruin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Elemental
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Power	6
Toughness	6
Number	112
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jakub Kasper

Key Takeaways

Can dictate opponent’s hand size and content, providing a pseudo form of card advantage.
Demands instant-speed answers, creating a significant shift in the game’s momentum.
High mana cost may impede tempo compared to other six-manas options available.

Text of card

When Rumbling Ruin enters the battlefield, count the number of +1/+1 counters on creatures you control. Creatures your opponents control with power less than or equal to that number can't block this turn.

The Rubblebelt grows restless.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rumbling Ruin is a unique creature that, while it doesn’t directly draw cards, can decimate an opponent’s hand by forcing them to return permanents to their hand equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Rumbling Ruin. This, in itself, acts as a form of card advantage as you’re effectively dictating the pace and content of your opponent’s hand.

Resource Acceleration: This card doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of lands or mana, but it can function as a resource accelerator by potentially clearing the board of blockers or other permanents, allowing your other creatures to attack with less resistance and hence, quicken your victory.

Instant Speed: Rumbling Ruin’s abilities aren’t at instant speed, but the card demands an answer at instant speed from your opponents. If they’re unable to react to its board impact, the consequences can be devastating, potentially leading to a swift change in the game’s momentum in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Rumbling Ruin necessitates that players potentially discard other valuable cards from their hand to meet its conditions, which can be particularly detrimental during the late game where each card’s strategic value is amplified.

Specific Mana Cost: With a requirement for red mana, Rumbling Ruin is tailored for red or multicolor decks, potentially excluding it from decks that cannot meet its color needs and reducing its overall versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding six mana to cast, Rumbling Ruin enters the battlefield at a point where players expect significant impact. Its mana cost can hinder your tempo, especially when compared to other creatures or spells in the same mana range that may offer immediate board presence or impact.

Reasons to Include Rumbling Ruin in Your Collection

Versatility: Rumbling Ruin is a flexible addition to any deck looking to take advantage of creatures with +1/+1 counters. Not only can it act as a finisher in aggressive strategies, but it also serves as a formidable blocker in defensive setups.

Combo Potential: This card shines in synergistic interactions, particularly with mechanics that proliferate or strategically manage +1/+1 counters. Pairing it with cards that consistently distribute counters can quickly escalate the power on your board.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where large creatures dominate and games extend into longer battles of board presence, Rumbling Ruin makes a valuable impact. Its ability to potentially nullify an opponent’s blocking options gives it solid leverage in many matchups.

How to Beat Rumbling Ruin

Rumbling Ruin presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to capitalize on creatures with +1/+1 counters. This creature not only packs a punch by itself but also restricts the block ability of your opponent’s creatures based on the number of counters you have in play. To effectively neutralize this threat, one could opt for removal spells that bypass its potential size, such as “Path to Exile” or “Murder.” Cards that exile without targeting can gracefully sidestep its advantages, like “Settle the Wreckage.”

Another strategy involves reducing the impact of +1/+1 counters through cards that restrict counter placement or remove them altogether, such as “Solemnity” or “Thief of Blood.” These can suppress the Ruin’s power and its board control capabilities. Also, employing board wipes like “Day of Judgment” ensures a clean slate, removing the Ruin regardless of how many counters it boasts.

When facing off against Rumbling Ruin, remember to prioritize control over its key mechanic and maintain removals or countering capabilities in your deck to prevent it from overwhelming the match. With the right setup and responses, you can mitigate the threat posed by this formidable card.

Cards like Rumbling Ruin

Rumbling Ruin is a unique creature that stands out in the MTG arena due to its ability to impact the board based on the number of +1/+1 counters present on other creatures you control. A somewhat parallel card is Ivy Elemental, which also arrives with a potential for vast power and toughness depending on the amount of mana spent. Ivy Elemental’s flexibility in size mirrors the variability in Rumbling Ruin’s board-influencing ability, albeit through counters rather than mana investment.

Another comparison can be drawn with Mycoloth, which although operates on a different axis by devouring creatures to amass +1/+1 counters, it also emphasizes the power of counters in game dynamics similar to Rumbling Ruin. Mycoloth, however, adds an additional layer of strategy by creating saproling tokens, showcasing the diverse ways +1/+1 counters can be harnessed in MTG. Lastly, consider Forgotten Ancient, a creature that amasses counters passively as spells are cast and can distribute them, influencing the battlefield akin to Rumbling Ruin’s conditional mass buff.

When examining these cards’ capabilities and their interaction with +1/+1 counters, Rumbling Ruin offers a distinctive tactic for players to leverage these counters in a way that can potentially sway the tide of a match decisively in their favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rumbling Ruin MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Rumbling Ruin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rumbling Ruin has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-01-25	If there are no +1/+1 counters on creatures you control as Rumbling Ruin’s ability resolves, creatures with power 0 or less can’t block this turn.
2019-01-25	Once a creature with high enough power has blocked, changing the power of the blocking creature won’t remove the blocking creature from combat or cause the creature it blocked to become unblocked.
2019-01-25	The number of +1/+1 counters among creatures you control is counted only as Rumbling Ruin’s ability resolves. The set of creatures that can’t block is constantly updated as their power changes, but the number against which their power is compared doesn’t change later in the turn, even if the number of +1/+1 counters among your creatures changes.