Fall of the Gavel
Instant
Counter target spell. You gain 5 life.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- UW
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Return to Ravnica
- Price
- $0.12
- EDHREC rank
- #24197
Fall of the Gavel counters a spell and gains you 5 life for five mana — the life gain is real, but five mana is a steep ask when Counterspell and Absorb exist. Run it only if you're in a life-total-matters shell that genuinely needs the padding.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Fall of the Gavel occupies the bottom tier of counterspell options — five mana leaves you tapped out at exactly the moment opponents apply pressure, and the 5 life rarely changes the math at a four-player table. Legacy, Modern, and Vintage all have access to interaction so efficient that Fall of the Gavel never sees competitive play in those formats. Pioneer is the most charitable context, where the card pool is shallower and a lifegain-matters deck might squeeze some value out of it, but even there it's a fringe consideration. In Oathbreaker, the tighter mana constraints make the five-mana ceiling even harder to justify.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.12 bulk tier
At $0.12, Fall of the Gavel is deep bulk — it costs less than a sleeve and that price reflects the demand accurately. Don't expect any upward movement; counterspells at this mana cost don't get reappraised.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.