Gallant Strike
Instant
Destroy target creature with toughness 4 or greater.
Cycling 
(, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Aetherdrift
- Price
- $0.11
- EDHREC rank
- #15985
Gallant Strike gives a creature +1/+1 and lifelink until end of turn, with a cycling ability that lets Gavi, Nest Warden players cast it for free the first time each turn. It's a narrow combat trick that only earns its slot by being a free spell — otherwise it wouldn't make the cut.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Gavi, Nest Warden
Gavi, Nest Warden makes the first cycling spell each turn free, which means Gallant Strike effectively costs nothing — zero mana for a combat trick that also triggers every Gavi payoff in the deck.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Gallant Strike is legal across all major constructed formats but sees virtually no play outside Commander. In 60-card formats, a one-mana +1/+1 lifelink trick is well below the power floor — there are strictly better combat tricks at the same cost. In Commander, the only reason to run Gallant Strike is the cycling trigger, and only in a deck built around Gavi, Nest Warden or a dedicated cycling shell where free spells matter. Outside that specific context, cut it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.11 bulk tier
At $0.11, Gallant Strike is deep bulk — you'll find it in bulk bins or throw it in as a filler pick. Don't expect that price to move; the card has a single narrow home and no crossover demand.
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Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.