Gateway Shade MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Shade
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	65
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ryan Yee

Key Takeaways

Repeatable card advantage with Gateway Shade’s mana-based power increase ensures a persistent threat on the battlefield.
Instant speed ability of Gateway Shade enables unexpected plays, forcing opponents to misjudge their defense.
While powerful, Gateway Shade requires careful hand and mana management to maximize its in-game potential.

Text of card

: Gateway Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Tap an untapped Gate you control: Gateway Shade gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Tireless and merciless, shades are harnessed as spies by the Dimir.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gateway Shade offers a repeatable method for card advantage by allowing you to pump it with mana for sustained battlefield presence, which could indirectly influence card dynamics in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling mana investment into its power boost ability without a tap requirement, Gateway Shade can serve as a versatile threat, indirectly accelerating resource utility by demanding less commitment for enhancement.

Instant Speed: Gateway Shade’s power-boosting ability can be activated at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing and misallocating their blockers or removal spells.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in the strategic nuances of a battle with Gateway Shade demands you forfeit an additional card from your hand, which might hamstring your game plan if you’re already starved for options.

Specific Mana Cost: Conjuring this creature requires a commitment to black mana, which can pigeonhole the card’s inclusion to decks that heavily or exclusively draw from the darker recesses of magic.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Fielding Gateway Shade involves a notable investment of three mana. For players looking to maximize their mana curve, there may be alternative cards that present a more cost-effective way to establish board presence or disrupt opponents.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gateway Shade can adapt to various playstyles and deck themes. Its ability to grow via mana investment allows it to act as a scalable threat at any stage of the game.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that increase or reproduce mana, Gateway Shade’s power can skyrocket, opening up devastating combo avenues. Its synergy with certain lands or enchantments that untap creatures maximizes its potential.

Meta-Relevance: As players navigate a format where creature-based strategies are prominent, Gateway Shade’s ability to persist as a looming threat makes it a valuable asset. It can squeeze through stalemates, making it a timely inclusion in many collections.

How to beat

Gateway Shade is a unique and flexible creature card in Magic: The Gathering that can be a challenge to go up against. Enabling players to pump it up by paying mana and giving it the capacity to become unblockable by tapping a Gateway, this card can quickly turn into a formidable foe on the battlefield.

To effectively combat Gateway Shade, players should consider utilizing removal spells that can bypass its potential for sudden growth. Direct damage spells or those that force a sacrifice can eliminate the Shade before it becomes too large a threat. Moreover, keeping the board clear of Gateway artifacts limits the Shade’s unblockability, effectively neutralizing one of its key advantages. Keeping mana available for instant-speed responses when your opponent commits to powering up the Shade is also a shrewd tactic, potentially wasting their resources and leaving them vulnerable to counterattacks.

The key lies in timing and resource management – be proactive, disrupt the Shade’s synergies, and always be ready to remove it before it can deal significant damage. With strategic play, Gateway Shade can be overcome, ensuring it doesn’t overshadow your path to victory.

Cards like Gateway Shade

Gateway Shade stands as a unique creature within the vast array of Magic: The Gathering cards. Like its shadowy counterparts, such as Nantuko Shade, it offers players the flexibility to pump up power at a moment’s notice using mana. This power increase on demand can be pivotal during combat phases, allowing for surprising shifts in board dominance. However, Gateway Shade’s distinct feature is its synergy with the Gateway mechanic, a nod to the storied plane of Ravnica’s gateways.

In contrast, Nantuko Shade lacks this specific synergy but compensates with a lower initial mana cost. Meanwhile, Dread Shade from the Dominaria set also shares the ability to bolster its power, yet ties the boost exclusively to black mana, unlike the broader flexibility of Gateway Shade which permits the use of any type of mana. This subtle variance can heavily influence deck building strategies and mana base considerations for players.

Indeed, evaluating the comparative strengths and utilities in shade creatures across MTG shows Gateway Shade as a versatile choice for decks that leverage mana diversity and capitalize on the Ravnica gate theme, offering a specialized role in certain deck archetypes.

Cards similar to Gateway Shade by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gateway Shade MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Gateway Shade and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gateway Shade has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-01-24	You can’t tap an untapped Gate you control for mana and tap it to activate Gateway Shade’s ability at the same time. You must choose one or the other.