The Black Gate MTG Card


Enhances card draw and control, allowing for a consistently powerful hand throughout the game. Grants tactical advantage with instant speed play, elevating strategy during opponents’ turns. Requires careful deck integration due to specific mana costs and potential resource depletion.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Land — Gate

Text of card

As The Black Gate enters the battlefield, you may pay 3 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . , : Choose a player with the most life or tied for most life. Target creature can't be blocked by creatures that player controls this turn.


Cards like The Black Gate

In examining The Black Gate within the game of Magic: The Gathering, its unique abilities place it among some noteworthy peers. A card that it resembles in terms of impact on the game is Expedition Map. Both cards have a low casting cost and focus on manipulating the flow of the game by interacting with the library or the battlefield. Yet, The Black Gate offers a distinctive twist by potentially changing the outcome of a turn when used at the right moment.

Comparable too is the classic Demonic Tutor, which shares the concept of searching the library for a card to put into your hand, albeit without the element of surprise that The Black Gate could deliver on an opponent’s turn. The unpredictability The Black Gate brings to the table can shift dynamics profoundly. Then, there’s Diabolic Tutor, which serves a similar purpose but at a higher mana cost and lacks the instant speed that The Black Gate possesses, making it less versatile.

All things considered, The Black Gate stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its tactical advantage and instant-speed interaction, setting the stage for players to unveil surprise elements at critical junctures, much to the chagrin of their opponents.

Expedition Map - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Expedition Map - MTG Card versions
Demonic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to The Black Gate by color, type and mana cost

Swamp - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Spawning Pool - MTG Card versions
Cabal Coffers - MTG Card versions
Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt - MTG Card versions
Lake of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire - MTG Card versions
Unholy Grotto - MTG Card versions
Tomb of Urami - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Swamp - MTG Card versions
Vivid Marsh - MTG Card versions
Crypt of Agadeem - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Salvage - MTG Card versions
Bojuka Bog - MTG Card versions
Polluted Mire - MTG Card versions
Barren Moor - MTG Card versions
Ifnir Deadlands - MTG Card versions
Desert of the Glorified - MTG Card versions
Cabal Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Tower - MTG Card versions
Swamp - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Spawning Pool - MTG Card versions
Cabal Coffers - MTG Card versions
Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt - MTG Card versions
Lake of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire - MTG Card versions
Unholy Grotto - MTG Card versions
Tomb of Urami - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Swamp - MTG Card versions
Vivid Marsh - MTG Card versions
Crypt of Agadeem - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Salvage - MTG Card versions
Bojuka Bog - MTG Card versions
Polluted Mire - MTG Card versions
Barren Moor - MTG Card versions
Ifnir Deadlands - MTG Card versions
Desert of the Glorified - MTG Card versions
Cabal Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Tower - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using The Black Gate. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Death's ShadowDeath's Shadow LegacyDeath's ShadowLegacy League 2023-11-25
Dimir Death's ShadowDimir Death's Shadow LegacyDeath's Shadow2023 Asia Legacy Championship
Mono-Black DepthsMono-Black Depths LegacySultai DepthsEternal Weekend Europe 2023 Legacy Mainevent

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Black Gate provides players with a powerful draw mechanic, enabling them to keep their hand well-stocked and potentially pulling just the right answers or threats they need to control the game’s pace.

Resource Acceleration: This card allows for improved resource management by offering alternative ways to deploy threats or answers without compromising one’s mana base, thereby, enhancing the flexibility and tempo of play.

Instant Speed: The ability to play The Black Gate at instant speed gives players a significant tactical advantage, allowing for reactionary play during an opponent’s turn and keeping up the pressure while preserving mana for counterspells or other instantaneous actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing The Black Gate, you must forfeit a card from your hand, which can disadvantageously deplete your resources at critical moments of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of The Black Gate is specific to black mana. This requirement may restrict the card’s integration into multi-color decks and may not align with the mana curve strategies of certain deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its Mana cost set at a higher level, The Black Gate competes with other valuable cards that could be played at the same stage. Players must carefully consider its cost-to-benefit ratio in the context of their overall deck strategy.


Reasons to Include The Black Gate in Your Collection

Versatility: The Black Gate offers a unique flexibility to any player’s deckbuilding toolbox. With the potential to manipulate graveyards, it can serve multiple strategies from reanimator themes to controlling opponents’ graveyard-based plays.

Combo Potential: Its ability to selectively exile cards opens the door to various combos, especially in decks that capitalize on graveyard interaction or those that benefit from dictating the types of spells opponents have access to.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames evolve, cards that affect both players’ graveyards are increasingly significant. The Black Gate could prove to be an essential tool for gaining the upper hand in environments where graveyard strategies are prevalent.


How to Beat

The Black Gate is a pivotal card that can shape the battlefield in MTG. It serves as a deterrent, locking out certain player actions, which can be quite the strategic asset. To effectively counter this card, it’s vital to have a game plan that includes enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant, or getting ahead of its activation with cards like Naturalize that can destroy target artifacts or enchantments. Notably, cards like Thrashing Brontodon can serve a dual purpose, providing a solid creature on the board while also offering a way to remove The Black Gate from the battlefield.

Additionally, utilizing countermagic spells like Negate can prevent The Black Gate from ever impacting the field. There’s also the option to sidestep its constraints by focusing on versatile instant-speed spells that keep your strategies unfolding on your opponent’s turn, mitigating the impact of The Black Gate’s restrictions. When going up against this powerful card, the key is to remain nimble and adaptable, ensuring that you have the right tools at the right time to dismantle its influence over the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Black Gate MTG card by a specific set like Tales of Middle-earth Commander and Tales of Middle-earth Commander, 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 The Black Gate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The Black Gate Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Marc Simonetti.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 1602015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
22023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 802015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti
32023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 4902015NormalBlackMarc Simonetti

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The Black Gate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-06-16 The chosen player needs only to have the most life or tied for most life as The Black Gate's last ability resolves. After the ability resolves, any changes in life total won't affect which creatures can block or be blocked that turn.
2023-06-16 The creature that was targeted by The Black Gate's last ability can't be blocked by any creature the chosen player controls, including creatures that weren't on the battlefield when The Black Gate's ability resolved.