Gate Smasher MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
| Released | 2015-03-27 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dragons of Tarkir |
| Set code | DTK |
| Number | 239 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Filip Burburan |
Key Takeaways
- Grants card advantage and dictates game pace by providing powerful attack opportunities.
- Necessitates a card discard and a specific mana setup, which may limit deck inclusion.
- Critical for dealing damage in relevant metas, enhancing creature-based strategies.
Text of card
Gate Smasher can be attached only to a creature with toughness 4 or greater. Equipped creature gets +3/+0 and has trample. Equip
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gate Smasher grants significant card advantage by potentially allowing its controller to bypass an opponent’s creatures. This can lead to more effective attacks, putting you ahead in the race to deplete the opponent’s life total.
Resource Acceleration: When paired with creatures with high toughness, Gate Smasher can accelerate your game plan, effectively utilizing your resources on the battlefield to deal more damage and control the flow of the game.
Instant Speed: Although Gate Smasher enchants a creature at sorcery speed, the pressure it creates can dictate the pace of the game, forcing opponents to respond. In decks with multiple creatures, this can lead to strategic plays that capitalize on the forced blocks, or lack thereof, thanks to the trample ability Gate Smasher confers.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One notable drawback of Gate Smasher is the obligation to discard another card to play it. This can be a significant setback, particularly in clutch moments when card economy is critical, leaving you potentially at a disadvantage with fewer options in hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Gate Smasher also comes with a strict mana cost that requires both red and generic mana. This can be restrictive because it necessitates a specific color combination, potentially limiting the card’s inclusion to only certain types of decks that can reliably produce red mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Moreover, Gate Smasher demands a considerable investment of mana. The overall mana cost might be deemed high when compared to other equipment cards. This might prompt players to opt for other equipment with a lower mana cost or without the discard requirement for optimal play efficiency.
Reasons to Include Gate Smasher in Your Collection
Versatility: Gate Smasher offers a unique ability to boost your creatures, making it a solid addition to decks that aim to deal massive damage quickly. Its ability to attach to creatures with toughness four or greater ensures it’s useful in a variety of heavy-hitting decks.
Combo Potential: With the right creatures on the battlefield, Gate Smasher can be a key component in powerful combos. It pairs well with cards that have or grant trample, turning formidable creatures into nearly unstoppable forces.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, having a reliable way to increase damage output can be crucial. Equipping Gate Smasher can give your creatures the edge they need to overcome common defensive setups and press your advantage on the battlefield.
How to beat
The Gate Smasher card can be quite the obstacle in Magic: The Gathering, but seasoned players know there are strategies to circumvent its impact on the game. This artifact boasts a substantial power increase for creatures with the Gate subtype, making it a formidable addition to Gate-focused decks. Knowing the card’s strengths helps in planning the right countermeasures. Keeping removal spells ready is key. Cards such as Naturalize allow players to destroy target artifacts, effectively clearing the path of the boost that Gate Smasher provides.
Another approach involves preventing the Gate Smasher from being equipped in the first place. Counterspells can hamper an opponent’s attempt to bring Gate Smasher into play, maintaining a level battlefield. Disenchant effects provide additional opportunities to eliminate the artifact after it has landed on the board. By utilizing these spells wisely, players can mitigate the threat of Gate Smasher, turning the tides in their favor during matches that could otherwise be dominated by this powerful equipment.
In essence, the key to beating Gate Smasher lies in readiness with artifact removal or denial strategies that disrupt your opponent’s game plan, ensuring that this powerful artifact doesn’t tip the scales against you.
Cards like Gate Smasher
Gate Smasher is an intriguing utility artifact in Magic: The Gathering that gives a commanding presence to creature-focused decks. It bears a resemblance to other equipment cards like Fireshrieker, bestowing formidable double strike upon a creature. However, the condition that Gate Smasher can only be attached to a creature with toughness 4 or greater restricts its versatility unlike the more flexible Fireshrieker.
Comparing Gate Smasher to Grafted Wargear reveals another layer of strategy. Both amplify a creature’s power, but Grafted Wargear offers a more immediate boost in strength with added power and toughness, plus it lacks Gate Smasher’s toughness restriction. On the flip side, equipping Grafted Wargear demands a sacrifice if it’s unattached, a risk Gate Smasher players do not face.
In analyzing both the limitations and the enhancements these artifacts provide, Gate Smasher emerges not just as a tool for empowering heavy hitters but also for its potential synergy in decks where strong, durable creatures lead the fray. Its conditional attachment may narrow its application, yet in the right deck, it shines by pushing formidable creatures into overwhelming territory.
Cards similar to Gate Smasher by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gate Smasher MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Gate Smasher 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 Gate Smasher has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gate Smasher card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-02-25 | Gate Smasher’s equip ability can target any creature. However, if that creature’s toughness is 3 or less as the equip ability resolves, Gate Smasher won’t become attached to it. |
| 2015-02-25 | If Gate Smasher is attached to a creature whose toughness falls below 4, Gate Smasher will become unattached as a state-based action. |
