Gruul Locket MTG Card


Gruul Locket - Ravnica Allegiance
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact
Released2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set nameRavnica Allegiance
Set codeRNA
Number234
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byKev Walker

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers card draw and mana ramp, strengthening mid to late-game performances in MTG decks.
  2. Instant speed draw activation allows for strategic responses to opponent’s plays.
  3. Restrictive mana requirements and high activation cost can be potential downsides.

Text of card

: Add or . {RG}{RG}{RG}{RG}, , Sacrifice Gruul Locket: Draw two cards.

"In life, it was a cunning survivor, fearless and quick. May its power pass to you as you wear its skull." —Gna, Gruul shaman


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Gruul Locket has the capability to aid in card draw. Once you’ve established your mana base, it can be sacrificed to draw two new cards. This feature can be pivotal in the mid to late game, ensuring you never run out of steam and can keep pressing the advantage against your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: The Gruul Locket serves as a flexible mana source. It allows you to ramp up your available resources, providing access to more colors and enabling you to cast costly spells sooner. Whether you’re looking to summon powerful creatures or cast game-changing spells, the acceleration can give you the edge you need.

Instant Speed: Although the locket itself is an artifact that is played at sorcery speed, its draw ability can be activated at instant speed. This means you can respond to your opponent’s actions and make decisions with the full knowledge of their moves, maximizing the potential to disrupt their strategy whilst bolstering your own position.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Gruul Locket allows you to draw cards later in the game, it obligates you to discard the locket itself, which can be a setback if you’re aiming to maintain a presence on the board or rely on artifact synergies.

Specific Mana Cost: Deploying the Gruul Locket requires a precise combination of red and green mana. This stipulation can be restrictive and isn’t always ideal, especially in multi-colored decks where mana flexibility is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To utilize its card drawing capability, you must invest a sizeable amount of mana into the locket. In scenarios where game pace is critical, the relatively steep cost to draw can put players at a tempo disadvantage against decks that draw cards more efficiently.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gruul Locket boasts a dual role in any MTG deck it joins, providing both mana fixing for Gruul colors and a later option for card draw. This makes it adaptable to a variety of game stages and strategies.

Combo Potential: As a mana rock, the Locket can be an integral part of ramping into more significant, game-changing spells. Also, the draw ability can help dig for combo pieces, making it a utility player in decks looking to assemble specific interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a gaming environment that often pivots around swift mana development, Gruul Locket can be especially pertinent. It ensures that decks remain on curve and can keep pace with or even outmaneuver the current competitive landscape.


How to beat

Navigating the nuances of artifact manipulation can be vital in overcoming obstacles in MTG, and facing the Gruul Locket demands such expertise. This versatile artifact serves a dual purpose—a mana color fixer and a card draw engine all in one. Its synergy with the Gruul guild is evident, supporting both accelerated plays and late-game staying power.

Overcoming a Gruul Locket starts with recognizing its role in ramping mana and fueling an opponent’s hand in the later stages. Natural answers include artifact destruction spells or abilities, which deny your opponent those advantages. Cards like Naturalize, Shatter, or even casual play favorites like Smash to Smithereens can effectively dismantle the locket’s benefits. Timing is crucial—destroying it before your adversary can utilize its card drawing capability can significantly shift the balance.

Take note also of enchantments like Stony Silence or Collector Ouphe that can nullify activated abilities of artifacts, rendering the Gruul Locket inert. Consider too the tactical employment of counterspells to prevent the locket from ever hitting the board. These strategic considerations, when executed with precision, can handily disarm the capability of the Gruul Locket to influence the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re looking to bolster your deck’s performance and ensure your games climb beyond mere skirmishes, incorporating the Gruul Locket can be a wise move. Its unique blend of mana ramp and instant speed card draw can turn the tides in your favor. However, understanding the intricacies of when to play it and when to sacrifice it for those crucial two cards is paramount. Arm yourself not only with the locket but also the know-how to dismantle your opponent’s strategies. Ready to deepen your grasp of deck-building strategies and gain that competitive edge? Delve into our resources for enhanced understanding and strategic gameplay. Master the Gruul Locket, harness its power, and charge towards victory with confidence.


Cards like Gruul Locket

Examining the Gruul Locket in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, we notice its kinship with other lockets from the Ravnica allegiance, like the Azorius Locket. Both serve as dual mana generators, aiding players in color fixing. The Gruul Locket, though, distinctively combines the might of red and green mana, aligning with players channeling the raw power of the Gruul Clans. Furthermore, it offers card draw, but compared to Azorius Locket, it requires the user to delve deeper into their mana reserves to activate this ability.

Another relative in this family is the Manalith, a tried-and-true artifact that supplies one mana of any color. Despite the broader mana flexibility, Manalith lacks the card draw potential that the Gruul Locket and other Ravnican lockets possess. On the other hand, Chromatic Lantern not only provides mana of any color without tapping for it but also turns all lands into sources of every color, significantly outmatching the lockets in terms of mana utility. Nevertheless, it stands as a higher-cost option without the direct card draw ability.

In the landscape of MTG artifacts designed for mana generation and card advantage, the Gruul Locket claims its spot as a solid choice for players looking to merge strength with the capacity to tap into additional resources when needed.

Azorius Locket - MTG Card versions
Manalith - MTG Card versions
Chromatic Lantern - MTG Card versions
Azorius Locket - MTG Card versions
Manalith - MTG Card versions
Chromatic Lantern - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gruul Locket 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 Gruul Locket and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gruul Locket has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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