Gimme Five MTG Card


Gimme Five - Unstable
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant
Released2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set nameUnstable
Set codeUST
Number7
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderSilver
Illustred byJesper Ejsing
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Gimme Five offers significant card draw and instant speed play, providing a strategic edge over opponents.
  2. Control of a commander with Gimme Five generates valuable Treasure tokens for resource acceleration.
  3. The card requires careful management of its discard and specific mana cost in gameplay.

Text of card

You gain 1 life for each person who high-fives you in the next thirty seconds. Each player in a silver-bordered game who high-fives you gains 1 life. (Offer high fives. Don't hit people.)

"Up high! To the side! Down low! To the left! Other left! Over here—"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The “Gimme Five” card offers a significant opportunity to pull ahead in terms of card availability. By drawing five cards, you affirm a strong lead in options and strategy over your opponent. This surge ensures you have the resources needed to adapt to the evolving game state and increases your chance of having an answer to your opponent’s moves.

Resource Acceleration: This card isn’t just about the immediate influx of new cards. If you control a commander as you cast it, you’ll also create five Treasure tokens. These tokens are a tremendous boost, acting as a flexible mana source that can be used for anything from casting spells to activating abilities, thereby escalating your board presence and potential plays significantly.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of “Gimme Five” provides a strategic edge, allowing you to use your mana efficiently. You can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to cast it, ensuring that you keep up your defenses and only commit to the card draw when it’s most advantageous. This flexibility is a critical component in maintaining the surprise factor and gaining the upper hand in a match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Gimme Five card necessitates the player to discard another card from their hand, which can be particularly detrimental during the late game when each card’s strategic value is at its peak. This can lead to a tough decision-making process, as discarding a potentially vital piece of your game plan might cost you the match.

Specific Mana Cost: Gimme Five demands a mix of specific mana colors to cast, which can be an obstacle in multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana fixing. If your mana base is not perfectly tailored to accommodate such costs, you may find yourself unable to play the card when you need it the most.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher mana cost than some alternative card draw or lifegain options in MTG, Gimme Five could be considered less efficient. Players often seek the lowest cost spells for maximum impact and flexibility within gameplay, and Gimme Five might not always fit into that category, especially in fast-paced games where every turn counts.


Reasons to Include Gimme Five in Your Collection

Versatility: Gimme Five shines in decks that thrive on life gain and spell copying. It caters to a diverse range of strategies, integrating seamlessly with both aggressive and control game plans. The card’s ability to potentially draw you a hand while bolstering your life total makes it an asset in any collection.

Combo Potential: The instant nature of Gimme Five allows players to utilize it as a surprise element in combos, particularly in tandem with cards that trigger upon life gain or when large spells are cast. Its inherent flexibility can turn the tide in games, especially when synergized with spell-copying mechanics or storm strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors long games and intricate interactions, Gimme Five can be a dark horse, offering not just life padding but also card draw that equips players to outlast their opponents. The card’s relevancy can fluctuate with the shifting meta, but its core utilities remain consistently beneficial.


How to beat

Gimme Five is an intriguing spell that can switch the tide of a game in Magic: The Gathering. As a card that potentially allows a player to gain considerable life, it can be a thorn in the side of aggressive strategies. However, effective counters exist to mitigate its impact. Efficient use of life total as a resource is key, as well as maintaining a board presence that pressures your opponent regardless of their life gain. Cards that disrupt or negate lifegain strategies, such as Tainted Remedy or Skullcrack, provide direct answers to Gimme Five. It’s also beneficial to have instant-speed removal or counterspells ready—being able to respond to Gimme Five’s casting means you’re well-equipped to keep the upper hand.

Managing the battlefield is equally important. By applying continuous pressure with creatures or recurring damage sources, you can mitigate the life gain from Gimme Five. Lastly, being aware of the timing can turn the tables—often players might risk tapping out for a big payoff like Gimme Five. This can be your window to advance your board state or resolve key spells without fear of opposition, thus minimizing the card’s long-term influence on the game’s outcome.


Cards like Gimme Five

Gimme Five is a unique enchantment from the broad repertoire of life-gain spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relative is the Beacon of Immortality, which not only doubles a player’s life total but shuffles back into the library, potentially offering repeated use. Unlike Beacon of Immortality, Gimme Five provides a consistent but smaller life increase, adding valuable incremental gains each turn.

In the same category comes Thrive in Thorns, which, for a single instance, gives you a life boost reflecting the number of creatures you control. While the potential life gain can be substantial, it lacks the repeatability offered by Gimme Five. Another parallel can be drawn with the card Revitalize. Revitalize delivers immediate life gain and card draw at instant speed, presenting a notable utility in faster-paced decks. Though it doesn’t ensure the same long-term benefits as Gimme Five.

Evaluation of these life-gain spells brings to light Gimme Five’s unique place among them. Its ability to accrue life turn after turn without any additional mana investment post-casting makes it a strategic addition for players looking to stabilize and build resilience over the course of a match.

Beacon of Immortality - MTG Card versions
Revitalize - MTG Card versions
Beacon of Immortality - MTG Card versions
Revitalize - MTG Card versions

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Death Ward - MTG Card versions
Blaze of Glory - MTG Card versions
Healing Salve - MTG Card versions
Purelace - MTG Card versions
Guardian Angel - MTG Card versions
Swords to Plowshares - MTG Card versions
Righteousness - MTG Card versions
Indestructible Aura - MTG Card versions
Glyph of Life - MTG Card versions
Warning - MTG Card versions
Heal - MTG Card versions
Anoint - MTG Card versions
Reaping the Rewards - MTG Card versions
Rally the Troops - MTG Card versions
Scent of Jasmine - MTG Card versions
Moment of Silence - MTG Card versions
Enlightened Tutor - MTG Card versions
Orim's Touch - MTG Card versions
Pollen Remedy - MTG Card versions
Sacred Rites - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gimme Five MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Gimme Five and other MTG cards:

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Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-01-19 A silver-bordered game is one where at least one silver-bordered card was in one of the decks. The silver-bordered cards in a silver-bordered game don’t necessarily need to be visible for the players to gain 1 life for high-fiving you.
2018-01-19 Each person who high-fives you counts only once, no matter how many times they high-five you.
2018-01-19 The person timing you should let you (and other players in your game) know when 30 seconds has elapsed. You don’t have to be back in your seat at the end of the 30 seconds.
2018-01-19 You must offer high-fives to other people and they must voluntarily accept for it to count.

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