Gang Up MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant
Abilities	Assist
Released	2018-06-08
Set symbol
Set name	Battlebond
Set code	BBD
Number	47
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Aaron Miller

Key Takeaways

Gang Up provides significant card advantage by potentially removing multiple creatures with a single card.
Its instant speed allows for reactive plays, adjusting tactics to the flow of the game.
Despite versatility, Gang Up’s specific mana requirements can limit its deck compatibility.

Text of card

Assist (Another player can pay up to of this spell's cost. You choose the value of X.) Destroy target creature with power X or less.

"Well, who do we have here, Gorm?" "No one, Virtus. No one at all."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gang Up is an excellent card for achieving card advantage. It can potentially remove multiple creatures from the board with just one card, significantly altering the state of the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Gang Up itself does not directly lead to resource acceleration, it efficiently makes use of available resources. It allows for a potential mana-cost reduction when collaborating with other players, achieving more impact for less mana investment.

Instant Speed: Gang Up operates at instant speed, offering flexibility and strategic depth to gameplay. You can respond to enemy plays, maneuver around your opponent’s strategies, and make pivotal decisions during their turn, effectively turning the tide of the game when it’s most opportune.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gang Up demands players to forfeit another card from their hand, which could pose a challenge during moments when their card arsenal is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a precise blend of mana, including both green and black, restricting its integration to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost being on the higher end for its effects, players might find that there are other options available that provide similar outcomes without taxing their mana resources as heavily.

Reasons to Include Gang Up in Your Collection

Versatility: Gang Up is adaptable across various strategies, slotting into decks that aim to control opponent creatures or amplify combat interactions. Its ability to disrupt opponents’ board state or turn the tide in multiplayer games makes it a handy card in any collection.

Combo Potential: This card can easily become a component in a deck that thrives on cast triggers and spell-slinging synergies. Gang Up enables players to collaborate, potentially leading to advantageous scenarios where you can impact multiple targets simultaneously.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-heavy decks prevail, Gang Up holds value as a practical solution to swinging games in your favor. Its potential to cope with a range of threats and alter combat outcomes makes it a strategic inclusion in your arsenal.

How to beat

Gang Up presents an intriguing challenge for Magic: The Gathering players, combining elements of strategy and timing to overcome it effectively. Its primary force lies in the ability to destroy any creature when it’s backed by a sufficient number of creatures of your own. The key to defeating Gang Up is maintaining a low-profile board presence. Spells that offer hexproof or shroud can shield your most valuable creatures from the card’s target-selection process. This strategic use of protective spells disrupts Gang Up’s utility by limiting available targets.

Counterplay can also come in the form of instant-speed removals or sacrifices that can be activated in response to Gang Up. By reducing the number of creatures available before the spell resolves, you can minimize its impact or even render it obsolete if there are not enough creatures to fulfill its condition. Additionally, employing cards that can counter spells directly offers a straightforward answer to Gang Up and other similar threats in a match. Tactical foresight, appropriate card selection, and precise timing are your allies in dealing with this conniving card.

Ultimately, while Gang Up has the potential to turn the tables within a game, a well-prepared strategy can neutralize its effects, keeping your side of the board secure from unexpected ambushes. It requires a thorough understanding of potential interactions and preemptive measures to ensure your key creatures survive the encounter.

Understanding the Mechanics

In the realm of removal spells in MTG, Gang Up stands out with its crowd-sourced approach to dealing with creatures on the battlefield. Gang Up’s unique aspect is its ability to scale with the number of creatures you control. It reminds seasoned players of cards like Mob Justice or Massive Raid, which similarly leverage the quantity of creatures to yield a substantial effect.

Cards like Gang Up

Gang Up enters the scene of MTG as a card that invites comparisons with others in the same tactical space. It echoes the collaborative strategy of cards such as Band Together, where multiple creatures band to add their power and take down a common foe. Gang Up, however, opens the door to not just one but two creatures you control diving into the skirmish. This potential to pool the might of two creatures against an opponent’s creature gives players a tactical edge in combat scenarios.

Another similar card worth noting is Seeds of Strength, which while not a removal, also accentuates the power of unity. Though it grants three instances of power or toughness increase across your creatures, it lacks the direct removal capability that Gang Up possesses. When evaluating these options, Gang Up’s dual-target flexibility proves invaluable for players who prefer a collaborative assault strategy in their MTG gameplay.

Ultimately, Gang Up provides a tactical advantage in creature-heavy decks, making it a noteworthy inclusion when strategizing around creature interactions and multifaceted attack plans in MTG.

Cards similar to Gang Up by color, type and mana cost

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Aesthetic Consultation - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gang Up MTG card by a specific set like Battlebond, 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 Gang Up and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gang Up has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-06-08	Assist allows another player to pay for any amount of generic mana. If an effect changes the cost of the spell, the amount that player may pay will be more or less than the amount in the spell’s reminder text.
2018-06-08	If an effect allows a player to cast a spell spending mana “as though it were mana of any color” or “of any type,” that player must still pay for the colored mana in that spell’s total cost. That cost doesn’t become generic.
2018-06-08	Only the generic mana portion of a spell’s cost can be paid with assist. Any colored mana costs must be paid by the spell’s controller, even if the assisting player paid mana of that color.
2018-06-08	You may reveal a card with assist and discuss how to pay for it before you begin to cast the spell. Targets are chosen for that spell before you choose another player to help you pay for it and before that player has committed any mana to doing so.