Bar the Gate
Instant
Counter target creature or planeswalker spell. Venture into the dungeon. (Enter the first room or advance to the next room.)
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
- Price
- $0.24
- EDHREC rank
- #9549
Bar the Gate counters any spell for three mana and replaces itself with a dungeon trigger — the draw-a-card rider is the whole reason to run it. Three mana is a real cost for a counterspell, but in dungeon-matters decks the venture payoff makes it competitive with cheaper options that do nothing else.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Sefris of the Hidden Ways
Sefris of the Hidden Ways turns every venture trigger into a reanimation threat, so Bar the Gate pulling double duty as a counterspell and a dungeon step is exactly what the engine wants — each counter you hold up also inches you toward a free creature out of the graveyard.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Bar the Gate earns its slot specifically in dungeon-matters builds — outside that context, three mana for a counterspell is too slow against the table. Pauper is where the venture mechanic has the most structural support at common, and Bar the Gate is a clean inclusion there if you're building around dungeon payoffs. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer, unconditional counters at this cost lose to Force of Will effects or cheaper interaction, so it sees essentially no competitive play. The card is legal across most formats but only pulls its weight where venturing is the point.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.24 bulk tier
At $0.24, Bar the Gate is deep bulk — pick up as many as you need without a second thought. Bulk commons with narrow mechanical niches don't tend to climb, so there's no urgency beyond what your dungeon deck actually requires.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.