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Browse > Home / Strategy / Articles / Oath of the Gatewatch Removal

Oath of the Gatewatch Removal


This is a list of all the removal in Oath of the Gatewatch, divided into permanent creature removal, temporary creature removal (such as bounce, tap, and falter effects), non-creature removal, and off-battlefield removal (hand, stack, and graveyard). The column labeled T (to the right of the permanent creature removal column) indicates how big a creature the removal can handle; if there is no number in that column, the removal is independent of the creature’s toughness. Conditional removal is indicated after the card name. 

  • Italics indicates that the card is a permanent that has to remain in play for the effect to continue.
  • Bold indicates a reusable or ongoing effect.
  • Yellow highlight indicates that multiple targets are affected.
  • Red highlight indicates mass removal that you may be able to avoid overextending into. 
  • Within each color/rarity, cards are ordered by how tough a creature they can kill, then by converted mana cost.

Unlike the list of instant-speed tricks, this list does not try to provide an abbreviated description of the effect, but just references how it affect the targeted permanents/players. Here’s how to interpret those effects:

  • Abbreviations used: A (artifact), attkr (attacker), blkr (blocker), borrow (untap & gain control until end of turn; the permanent gains haste), bounce (return to owner’s hand), C (creature), CMC (converted mana cost), counter when used as a verb (counter a spell), dmg (damage), E (enchantment), flyer (creature with flying), freeze X (tap X and it doesn’t untap next turn), GY (graveyard), L (land), opp (opponent), opp’s X (X controlled by opponent), P (player or power, depending on context), PW (planeswalker), regen (regenerate), S (sorcery), sac (sacrifice), T (toughness), your X (X you control).
  • Effects (+X/+Y, -X/-Y, hexproof, etc.) last until end of turn unless specified otherwise.
  • Effects only target creatures unless otherwise specified, e.g., X dmg without any qualifiers means that the effect does X damage to any creature. If the effect also targets players, that won’t be mentioned here.
Oath of the Gatewatch Permanent Creature Removal T Temporary Creature Removal Non-Creature Not on the Battlefield / Hand Disruption / Counterspells
Colorless uncommon 1◇: Spatial Contortion (+3/-3) 3     1◇: Warping Wail (counter S)
    1◇: Warping Wail (P ≤ 1 or T ≤ 1)        
  rare 5◇+{T}: Endbringer 1 5◇+◇+{T}: Endbringer (C can't attk/blk)   3◇: Thought-Knot Seer (exile non-L from opp's hand)
  mythic         8◇◇: Kozilek, the Great Distortion (discard card to counter spell with the same CMC)
White common W: Searing Light (destroy attkr/blkr with P ≤ 2)   3W+{T}+tap untapped Ally: Spawnbinder Mage (tap) 2WW: Isolation Zone (exile opp's E)  
    2WW: Isolation Zone (exile opp's C)        
  uncommon 1W: Immolating Glare (destroy attkr)        
Blue common 2U/U (surge): Containment Membrane (C doesn't untap during its controller's untap step)   U: Slip Through Space (C can't be blocked)   1U: Negate (counter non-C)
        1U+◇+{T}: Blinding Drone (tap)   2U: Abstruse Interference (counter unless controller pays 1)
        2U: Sweep Away (bounce C, or bounce attkr to library)    
  uncommon     U: Gift of Tusks (C loses all abilities and becomes base 3/3)   1UU: Void Shatter (counter, then exile countered spell)
        2U/1U (surge): Grip of the Roil (freeze)    
        5UU: Roiling Waters (bounce 2)    
  rare     5U+3◇: Deepfathom Skulker (C can't be blocked)   2UU/UU (surge): Overwhelming Denial (counter)
  mythic     4UU/3UU (surge): Crush of Tentacles (bounce all non-L) 4UU/3UU (surge): Crush of Tentacles (bounce all non-L)  
Black common 2B: Tar Snare (-3/-2) 2     3B: Witness the End (opp exiles 2 cards from hand)
    3B: Oblivion Strike (exile C)        
  uncommon 1BB: Flaying Tendrils (Cs get -2/-2; exile Cs that die) 2      
    BB: Grasp of Darkness (-4/-4) 4      
  rare 1B+1◇: Bearer of Silence (opp sacs C)       3BB: Remorseless Punishment (opp loses 5 unless they discard 2 or sac C/PW; repeat once more)
    3BB: Remorseless Punishment (opp loses 5 unless they discard 2 or sac C/PW; repeat once more)        
Red common 1R: Sparkmage's Gambit (1 dmg to 0-2 Cs) 1   3R: Consuming Sinkhole (exile land C)  
    1R: Reality Hemorrhage 2      
    4R/1R (surge): Boulder Salvo 4      
  uncommon 3R: Pyromancer's Assault (whenever you cast your 2nd spell each turn, ~ deals 2 dmg) 2 1R+2◇: Immobilizer Eldrazi (Cs with T > P can't block) 2R+bounce your L: Devour in Flames (5 dmg to PW)  
    1R: Tears of Valakut (uncounterable; 5 dmg to flyer) 5 4R: Press into Service (borrow C)    
    2R+bounce your L: Devour in Flames 5      
  rare 1R: Oath of Chandra 3 2R+1◇: Eldrazi Obligator (borrow C)    
    3RR (surge): Tyrant of Valakut 3      
    XXR/XR (surge): Fall of the Titans (X dmg to 2 Cs) X      
  mythic 2R: Kozilek's Return (2 dmg to Cs; when you cast Eldrazi C with CMC ≥ 7, exile ~ from GY and deal 5 dmg to Cs) 2-5      
    4RR-X loyalty: Chandra, Flamecaller (X dmg to Cs) X      
Green common 1G: Elemental Uprising (your L becomes 4/4 with haste; it must be blocked)     G: Natural State (destroy A/E with CMC ≤ 3)  
  mythic       6G: World Breaker (exile A/E/L)  
Multicolor uncommon     1WU: Reflector Mage (bounce opp's C; its owner can't cast spells with that name until your next turn)   1UB+3◇: Mindmelter (opp exiles 1 card from hand)
  rare WB+1WB+sac another C: Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim (exile non-L; activate only if your life ≥ starting life + 10)     WB+1WB+sac another C: Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim (exile non-L; activate only if your life ≥ starting life + 10)  


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