Gauntlets of Chaos MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 278
1995-07-01 - Number 99
1997-03-24 - Number 373
2009-09-07 - Number 196
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Swaps less valued permanents for more impactful ones, potentially shifting the board state in your favor.
- Activates at instant speed, allowing strategic plays that disrupt opponents’ plans unexpectedly.
- Demands a hefty mana investment, which may upset your mana curve and affect game efficiency.
Text of card
o5: Sacrifice Gauntlets of Chaos. Take control of target land, creature, or artifact. Then give former controller of that permanent control of a target permanent of the same type under your control. You each control these permanents until game ends. Gauntlets of Chaos does not tap or untap these permanents. Enchantments on traded permanents are destroyed.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Gauntlets of Chaos card provides a unique blend of flexibility and surprise, potentially giving the player an edge by exchanging control of a lesser valued permanent for a more advantageous one owned by the opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Gauntlets of Chaos doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it can dramatically shift the board state to favor you by enabling you to swap a dispensable asset for a key piece on your opponent’s battlefield, possibly gaining access to a resource that can produce mana or other advantages.
Instant Speed: What sets Gauntlets of Chaos apart is the ability to activate its effect at instant speed, allowing a player to wait until the most strategic moment during a round. This can disrupt an adversary’s plans and can tip the game in your favor when least expected.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When it comes to Gauntlets of Chaos, one downside is it does not have a direct discard requirement but its use may result in a disadvantageous trade, especially if you’re exchanging a high-value permanent for one of lesser impact.
Specific Mana Cost: This artifact demands a precise mana setup to cast, requiring no less than five mana of any type. This makes it a sizable commitment in terms of resources, potentially throwing off your mana curve in the early game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The activation cost is steep — another five mana and sacrificing Gauntlets of Chaos itself. Given the card’s potential for backfiring by benefiting your opponent, its cost is significant. In competitive play, when mana efficiency can be the difference between victory and defeat, this high cost can outweigh the potential strategic advantage it provides.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Gauntlets of Chaos, a classic piece from MTG’s earlier sets, serves as a flexible tool in many commander decks. Its ability to exchange control of permanents can work to your advantage in a variety of game situations.
Combo Potential: This card opens up a world of possibilities for creative players. It allows for game-changing plays when paired with other cards that manipulate ownership or take advantage of entering and exiting the battlefield effects.
Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where versatile artifacts are always useful, Gauntlets of Chaos maintains its relevance. As metas shift, this card can adapt to new challenges, providing an edge in unpredictable game environments.
How to beat
Gauntlets of Chaos is an intriguing artifact that can shake up the game when played in Magic: The Gathering. It brings a unique twist to the battlefield, capable of swapping control of creatures or lands with an opponent. Facing this card, your strategy must focus on minimizing its impact. Key to this is maintaining a field of creatures that you’d be less affected by losing or by using removal spells to ensure you don’t have high-value targets.
Control decks that can counter artifacts effectively or destroy them before their ability is activated are excellent in mitigating the Gauntlets’ effect. Consider running cards like Disenchant or Naturalize to remove it from play swiftly. It’s also beneficial to have instant-speed interaction to disrupt your opponent’s plans when they’re counting on flipping a crucial permanent.
Ultimately, awareness of the Gauntlets of Chaos and preparing your deck to either withstand its exchange or remove it immediately can greatly reduce its potential disruption. With the proper counters in place, you can keep your strategic assets safe and diminish the Gauntlets’ chaotic influence on the game.
Cards like Gauntlets of Chaos
Exploring the realm of powerful artifact cards in Magic: The Gathering, Gauntlets of Chaos stands out as a quintessential example of a game-altering piece of equipment. Its closest counterparts are cards like Jester’s Mask and Thieves’ Auction, which also disrupt the battlefield by redistributing permanents in an unusual fashion. Gauntlets of Chaos brings its own unique twist, allowing players to exchange control of any two target creatures, enchantments, or artifacts on the board, setting the stage for unexpected turns and strategic plays.
In the vein of altering ownership, Cultural Exchange is another card that opens the door for tactical maneuvers, enabling the exchange of any number of creatures between players. While it offers a broader swap than Gauntlets of Chaos, it is restricted solely to creatures, lacking the expansiveness of targeting noncreature permanents. Then there’s Puca’s Mischief, which facilitates a more controlled yet continuous exchange of permanents with equal or lesser converted mana costs at each upkeep.
Each of these cards injects an element of surprise and complexity into the game, but when it comes to swapping a wide range of permanent types, Gauntlets of Chaos provides a level of versatility and immediate impact that is unparalleled, making it a formidable tool for those who wield it skillfully within the Magic: The Gathering universe.
Cards similar to Gauntlets of Chaos by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gauntlets of Chaos MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Chronicles, 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 Gauntlets of Chaos 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
Printings
The Gauntlets of Chaos Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 278 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 99 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 3 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 373 | 1997 | Normal | White | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 4 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 196 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gauntlets of Chaos has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gauntlets of Chaos card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | As you activate the ability, the targets you choose must be two artifacts, two creatures, or two lands. As the ability resolves, both targets will be legal only if they are two artifacts, two creatures, or two lands at that time as well, though they may be a different type than they were at the time the ability was activated. For example, if the targets were a creature and an artifact creature when the ability was activated, but the first target became a noncreature artifact by the time the ability resolves, both targets will still be legal (since they’re both artifacts). |
| 2009-10-01 | If one of the targets is illegal by the time the ability resolves (because the wrong player controls it, or it’s the wrong card type, or for any other reason), the exchange doesn’t happen. The target that’s still legal will remain under its controller’s control. Since the exchange doesn’t happen, no Auras are destroyed. (If both targets are illegal, the ability doesn’t resolve.) |
