Rockslide Ambush
Sorcery
Rockslide Ambush deals damage to target creature equal to the number of Mountains you control.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Portal Three Kingdoms
- Price
- $24.89
- EDHREC rank
- #26152
Rockslide Ambush deals damage equal to the number of Mountains you control to any target — instant-speed, scalable, and attached to a land drop that replaces itself. In red-heavy or Mountain-matters decks, this is a removal spell that costs you nothing in card equity.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Rockslide Ambush earns its slot in any deck running a high Mountain count — Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle strategies, Mono-Red stompy, or Landfall builds that stack basics. The damage scales into the late game in a way that most fixed-damage burn spells do not, and the land-cycling floor means it never bricks your hand. In Pauper, it occupies a niche role in dedicated Mountain-count shells but faces stiff competition from more efficient burn options. Legacy and Vintage are non-starters — the card simply doesn't reach the power threshold those formats demand.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Rockslide Ambush's unique value is the land-cycling clause, and nothing replicates that exactly — but if you want pure scalable reach without the modal rider, Acid Blast and Shard Volley offer cheap alternatives that trade flexibility for raw damage at a fraction of the cost. If the land-cycling is the point, Smoldering Spires and similar cycling lands at pennies each can round out the effect, though they deal no damage at all.
Price Context
Current price
$24.89 premium tier
At $24.89, Rockslide Ambush sits in premium territory for what is functionally a niche Commander role-player. The price reflects low supply more than universal demand — it holds value best in dedicated Mountain-matters builds, but casual buyers should weigh whether their deck actually needs the cycling clause before paying that premium.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.