Manticore of the Gauntlet
Creature — Manticore
When this creature enters, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature you control. This creature deals 3 damage to target opponent or planeswalker.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Amonkhet
- Price
- $0.03
- EDHREC rank
- #29373
Manticore of the Gauntlet puts a 5/4 first striker on the board and staples a free ping to every black creature you cast — relevant damage that stacks fast in token and sacrifice strategies. The five-mana cost is real, but the triggered ability costs nothing extra, which is the whole reason to run it.
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 |
Manticore of the Gauntlet is a Commander card through and through — the triggered ping compounds over a long game full of creature casts, and black token or aristocrats commanders turn it into a steady source of direct damage. In Pauper it's legal but fighting for a slot in aggressive black decks that would rather spend five mana on something that closes games immediately. Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer are too fast for a five-mana 5/4 with no immediate board impact beyond its own body, regardless of the trigger. Stick to Commander, specifically any shell that casts multiple black creatures per turn.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.03 bulk tier
At $0.03, Manticore of the Gauntlet is deep bulk — you're picking it out of a dollar box or adding it to a TCGPlayer cart as a throw-in. There's no meaningful financial upside or downside here; buy it if you want it and don't think twice.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.