Gossamer Chains MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Number	6
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Luke

Key Takeaways

Gossamer Chains facilitates card and resource advantage through its bounce and reuse tactic, altering resource dynamics.
It binds play to white mana and demands a discard, limiting its versatility within diverse deck structures.
Despite constraints, it remains a strategic tool, with combo and meta relevance, distinguishing its utility.

Text of card

Return Gossamer Chains to owner's hand: Target unblocked creature deals no combat damage this turn.

"Harah swung his sword mightily, but still the air held him fast." —Azeworai, "Kenechi's Dream"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gossamer Chains presents an unusual form of card advantage by allowing players to return it to their hand at instant speed, effectively negating an opponent’s attack and depriving them of the chance to gain card advantage through combat damage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Gossamer Chains doesn’t directly provide mana or tokens, the ability to reuse the card by bouncing it back to your hand can indirectly accelerate your resources. This reuse can save mana in the long run, as it prevents the need to cast multiple spells to deal with each threat.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Gossamer Chains’s return to hand effect at instant speed gives players the flexibility to respond to threats dynamically. This tactic can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, compelling them to reconsider their actions or commit more resources to achieve their goals.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gossamer Chains returns to your hand only with a critical caveat – you must discard two cards. This can be a steep price for some decks, especially if it’s during a stage in the game where maintaining card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Gossamer Chains requires white mana to play. This restriction means it can’t just slip into any deck, potentially limiting its utility to those that run, or can accommodate, white mana in their mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not the most expensive, Gossamer Chains sits at a unique point on the mana curve. There are numerous lower-cost options that might contribute to a more aggressive early-game strategy or rival enchantments that provide a more immediate impact on the board state.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Gossamer Chains is an asset in decks that hone in on defense. With the ability to frustrate attackers by returning it to hand, it excels in thwarting various opponent strategies.

Combo Potential: This enchantment synergizes with cards that capitalize on bounced permanents. Moreover, it sets the stage for potent graveyard-centric combos, an area often explored by seasoned players.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures dictate the pace, Gossamer Chains offers a repeatable means to dissuade enemy attacks, maintaining its relevance across various meta shifts.

How to beat

Gossamer Chains is an enchantment that can be a persistent nuisance for players attempting to break through their opponent’s defenses in MTG. This card allows its controller to return it to hand to nullify an attack, acting as a recurring fog on one creature a turn. To effectively counter its repeated use, consider employing enchantment removal or direct player damage strategies that negate the need for an attack phase.

Utilizing cards like Disenchant or Naturalize can directly address Gossamer Chains by removing it from the battlefield permanently. Since Gossamer Chains requires it to be on the battlefield to activate its ability, these spells can ensure it won’t be coming back. Furthermore, if you know your opponent is relying on it for defense, baiting its use before casting a removal can clear the way for your creatures. Alternatively, burn decks or spells that deal damage directly to your opponent can circumvent the need to attack creatures entirely, rendering Gossamer Chains ineffective. Cards that can’t be countered or that grant your spells and abilities uncounterable status are also great solutions to overcome the defensive line established by this enchantment.

In essence, understanding the tactical versatility of your deck and having a few strategic trump cards can tilt the scales in your favor against the ethereal defense posed by Gossamer Chains.

Cards like Gossamer Chains

Gossamer Chains is a unique enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, known for its defensive capabilities. Its closest relatives include Maze of Ith, which similarly disrupts combat without destroying creatures. While Maze of Ith can untap a single attacking creature and prevent its damage, Gossamer Chains can return to its owner’s hand to negate the combat damage of an unblocked attacker. This gives players the flexibility to reuse it or capitalize on the returned card through various synergies.

Another enchantment, Spidersilk Armor, also grants a defensive boon by providing creatures with a slight toughness boost and reach, but lacks the interactive and reusable aspect that makes Gossamer Chains stand out. Dissipation Field is also worth mentioning, as it returns to the opponent’s hand any creature which deals damage to you. While Dissipation Field potentially affects multiple creatures, it’s less controlled than the strategic return to hand provided by Gossamer Chains.

In summation, Gossamer Chains holds its own as a valuable tactical tool in Magic: The Gathering. It allows players to disturb the flow of combat while maintaining board presence and providing opportunities for clever card interactions.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gossamer Chains MTG card by a specific set like Visions, 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 Gossamer Chains and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gossamer Chains has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	A creature is only considered an “unblocked creature” if it is an attacker during combat after blockers are declared.
2004-10-04	The return of this card to your hand is part of the activation cost and is paid on activation. You do not have a choice to pay this cost zero times or more than one time in order to multiply the effect.