Abyssal Gatekeeper MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Horror
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Gatekeeper’s ability can sweep opponents’ creatures, offering crucial board control at potentially low cost.
  2. Dictate of Erebos parallels the Gatekeeper’s effect but offers sustained control at higher cost.
  3. Against the Gatekeeper, strategic creature management and timing are essential to maintaining board advantage.

Text of card

If Abyssal Gatekeeper is put into any graveyard from play, each player chooses and buries a creature he or she controls.

"There are two ways for me to pass this gate. One involves you remaining conscious." —Gerrard of the *Weatherlight*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Abyssal Gatekeeper goes to the graveyard, its ability can lead to a potential sweep of your opponent’s creatures, maintaining a form of parity or giving you a leg up by keeping creatures with greater resilience on the board.

Resource Acceleration: By forcing each player to sacrifice a creature, this card can disrupt opponents who rely on specific creatures for mana acceleration. Thus, indirectly hindering their resource development while you plan around your Gatekeeper’s ability for minimal setback.

Instant Speed: While the Gatekeeper itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the triggered ability from its death can have an instant-like impact on the game. It can unexpectedly clear the board during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, offering strategic advantages at crucial moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When Abyssal Gatekeeper leaves the battlefield, each player must sacrifice a creature. This effect can be costly for the controller if they lack expendable creatures, turning a potential board advantage into a setback.

Specific Mana Cost: Abyssal Gatekeeper requires black mana, which confines it to mono-black or multi-colored decks. This restricts deck-building options and may not align with all strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though only costing two mana, in the fast-paced modern gameplay, the Gatekeeper’s death trigger can be less impactful when compared to other low-cost creatures or removal spells that offer immediate and more controlled board influence.


Reasons to Include Abyssal Gatekeeper in Your Collection

Versatility: Abyssal Gatekeeper’s ability to force each player to sacrifice a creature when it dies makes it adaptable to a vast array of decks, particularly those focusing on control or attrition strategies. Its low casting cost also allows for early game plays that can shape the battlefield consistently.

Combo Potential: This card serves as a key piece in combo setups that revolve around creature sacrifice. It effortlessly integrates with effects that benefit from creatures dying, such as triggering morbid abilities or powering up graveyard-based strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Within the current environment, Abyssal Gatekeeper can disrupt opponents who rely heavily on key creatures. It has a unique ability to tilt the scales in your favor, especially in metas where maintaining board presence is crucial for success.


How to beat

Abyssal Gatekeeper is a classic card that demands attention in any MTG game. Unlike many creatures that offer straightforward advantages, this morbid gatekeeper has a unique dying clause that forces each player to sacrifice a creature when it hits the graveyard. This effect can turn the tides of battle in a blink and create significant strategic shifts.

To successfully navigate against an opponent wielding an Abyssal Gatekeeper, it’s wise to hold onto creature removal spells until you can afford to lose a creature of your own. Single-target removal, counterspells, or even better, exiling effects can prevent the Gatekeeper from ever triggering its ability. Additionally, controlling the number of creatures on your battlefield ensures that you are not overly affected by its sacrifice effect when it does trigger. Playing cards that produce token creatures can also be a smart move, as they provide disposable targets for the Abyssal Gatekeeper’s ability without severely impacting your game presence.

Mastering the timing of your plays and understanding the importance of creature management are pivotal when facing such intricate cards. The Abyssal Gatekeeper might test your strategic acumen, but with careful planning and the right countermeasures, you can transform its demise into your pathway to victory in your MTG matchups.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is both an art and a science, with every card presenting new challenges and opportunities. Abyssal Gatekeeper is a classic addition to your collection that promises to alter the dynamics of the game with its potent death-triggered ability. Knowing when to play it and how to respond to its effect can make all the difference. Whether you’re baiting an opponent into a sacrifice or strategizing your own creature lineup, this card requires finesse and forethought. Eager to delve deeper into strategies surrounding the Abyssal Gatekeeper or to discover its synergies within various deck builds? Expand your knowledge and strategies with us, as we delve into the world of MTG control tactics and powerful combos that could give you the edge in your upcoming duels.


Cards like Abyssal Gatekeeper

The Abyssal Gatekeeper is a noteworthy creature card in Magic: The Gathering that compels each player to sacrifice a creature upon its demise. This unique ability can vastly affect the board state, drawing parallels to cards like Fleshbag Marauder or Merciless Executioner, each requiring all players to sacrifice creatures when they enter the battlefield. Although the Gatekeeper’s trigger is on death rather than entry, the overall impact is similar, pressuring opponents to make challenging decisions.

Another card with a comparable policy is Dictate of Erebos. While boasting a heftier mana cost for its enchantment status, Dictate of Erebos also forces opponents to sacrifice a creature whenever you lose one. This continuous threat can quickly turn the tide of the game and is more long-standing compared to the one-time event of the Abyssal Gatekeeper. However, even considering the reusability of Dictate of Erebos, the Gatekeeper’s lower cost and death-triggered ability offer a more immediate and straightforward form of disruption.

Weighing both the similarities and differences, Abyssal Gatekeeper holds a valuable position among creature control cards in Magic: The Gathering with its cost-effective, board-altering ability which places it between single-use creatures and recurring enchantments in its strategic utility.

Fleshbag Marauder - MTG Card versions
Merciless Executioner - MTG Card versions
Dictate of Erebos - MTG Card versions
Fleshbag Marauder - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Merciless Executioner - Fate Reforged (FRF)
Dictate of Erebos - Journey into Nyx (JOU)

Cards similar to Abyssal Gatekeeper by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cyclopean Mummy - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Black Knight - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nether Shadow - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cyclopean Mummy - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cuombajj Witches - Rinascimento (RIN)
Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bog Imp - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Corpses - Mirage (MIR)
Blighted Shaman - Mirage (MIR)
Rabid Rats - Stronghold (STH)
Dakmor Bat - Portal Second Age (P02)
Ravenous Rats - Invasion (INV)
Flesh Reaver - Urza's Saga (USG)
Bloodcurdler - Odyssey (ODY)
Nantuko Shade - Commander 2014 (C14)
Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undead Augur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Black Knight - The List (PLST)
Shepherd of Rot - Onslaught (ONS)
Swarm of Rats - Eighth Edition (8ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Abyssal Gatekeeper MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic, 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 Abyssal Gatekeeper and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Abyssal Gatekeeper Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Mark Tedin.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 591997normalblackMark Tedin
22009-04-10Duel Decks: Divine vs. DemonicDDC 312003normalblackMark Tedin
32010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A341997normalblackMark Tedin
42014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. DemonicDVD 312015normalblackMark Tedin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Abyssal Gatekeeper has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 The "sacrifice a creature" effect is not targeted. It can affect creatures with protection from black, for example.
2008-04-01 The player whose turn it is chooses a creature to sacrifice, then each other player in turn order chooses a creature to sacrifice, then all chosen creatures are sacrificed at the same time.

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