Well. There's the posibility there will be a card that might require to put Gandalf in the top of your library in order to activate it's ability like for example one that transforms it into Gandalf the White
Putting Gandalf on top of your library is a nice option to protect it. If someone throws a board wipe, you can simply cast a cantrip and then draw it with the very same cantrip or maybe next turn.
@@RG-wv3gt Well, considering MTG as answer for almost everything, yeah, that would be bad, but we cannot go playing as if every single game everyone is running the most precise answers. Also, you could just not do it if you see a red player with 3 open mana (or maybe YOU have the answer to that in hand too!)
@Lugh Ildanach Sure! I say it because red is my favorite and green is my least favorite, so I run that and wild magic surge a lot for enchantments. But I do think having to draw and recast is the bigger downside as opposed to the chance of shuffling him. It'd be mighty tempting to save one of those spells for the chance to hit the gandalf player with it, though...
the 3UR mana cost and his last option for his triggered ability immediately puts flavor for his quote: “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”
Play this and Displacer Kitten, then as you maintain priority, order your triggers so that Gandalf does damage, then Kitten blinks Gandalf so you can deal damage again with the next spell.
For those asking why Gandalf isn’t colorless or some other combination of colors, Gandalf is blue for his wisdom and red because he hold one of the three Elvish rings. Specifically Narya, the ring of fire. It was given to him by Círdan the ship-wright so that “(he) may wield it for the kindling of all hearts to courage.” I was really hoping that Gandalf at least would stay true to lore and be blue/red. Thankfully they’ve done something right!
Considering this is an izzet deck stack spell slinger card, if you find your self in short supply of blinks or bounces I recommend Neera the wild mage as a co-commander if you have to play a spell and set him on top of your library just let the turn shift and cast an opt, send it to the bottom and cast Gandalf free of charge at instant speed
I think the last ability isn't as big as a drawback as you think. A couple opts serum visions etc and I think you're fine Edit: Personally I'm sad it was not a transforming card with a crazy planeswalker version of Gandalf the White
Same also I feel like you can be almost forced into using very easily if your opponent wants too. How many decks out there that have cancels or other take from the top of your deck cards. Not worth it.
In this one deck specifically, I don’t think you’re too worried about losing your commander. Because, you still have access to the blue red instance and sorcery shell. You don’t really need a commander in order to have this be effective. There’s so many other support cards that can make this deck powerful. that said, however, this is definitely not one of the most powerful red blue commanders.
Wasted opportunity to have Gandalf be a flip creatured card: Gandalf the Grey (5 generic mana): when he blocks a creature with more power and toughness than he, he flips into Gandalf the White, who is a white creature
If a Commander would be put into a library, hand, graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead. Meaning: Whenever a spell or effect sends your commander to any place except your Commander zone, you have the option to send it to your command zone instead.
That bounce ability is probably one of his best abilities. It’s an evacuation button if he’s threatened by yur opponent. Imagine Playing opt and then Drawing right back into him all for one mana. He’s a pretty solid Commander
I love the flavor cause Gandalf is famous for abandoning the party and then returning. So him going to the deck and then coming back is awesome, plus you can use it to avoid him being destroyed and paying that tax. He seems pretty strong.
Just to be clear. The initial Reverberate can't target itself correct? In order to go infinite Reverberate copies you need something else to copy it first?
This one landed much better than "The One Ring" to me. Would have been cool if he had a flip mechanic that required him to be exiled and then return as "Gandalf the White, planeswalker".
Wizards: Dis iz Wizard,must be Izzet,hurdhur." Anyone who knows anything about LotR: "Should we add white or something to make this match anything from the original character?" Wizards: "U iz fired." Haven't seen this big a flavor fail in a while. (Okay,Gandalf has Nenya but it's not a literal fire so even that is a fail)
u use the last mode to protect himself if targeted by a removal anyway so doesn't rly matter and if u used the other 3 modes u want to bounce him aswell
So this might be a dumb question but it doesn’t state at end of turn or rests at beginning of turn. Which if I’m reading this right at some point you’ll have to put him on top of your deck even if it isn’t your turn?
One of my initial thoughts on this card is to run the planar Bridge and make it the only creature in the deck then when the plaintiff Bridge triggers you automatically get Gandalf with reset abilities I haven't plotted the deck out yet so I'm not sure if it works but it's possible
Gandalf the grey being izzet..? Hmm. And not shifting into gandalf the white when he dies, pfffth! I dunno, this does not feel at all like Gandalf other than the art being gandalfish. I could have seen him as esper or orzhov maybe, or just colorless and having colored abilities.
So if you blink the card or cast it again (or something similiar) you get the things already chosen back as options ? Because how it is written it appears that you can choose each thing only once for the whole game at least for me
Yes, you can choose again. As with other "chose another that hasn't been chosen" , when the card exits the battlefield (by any means, blink , destroyed, etc ) It's a new instance of the card. Demonic Pact works the exact same way. Gala Greeters only care in the same turn, but if you blink them you can choose the same option (because its a "new card")
That's how it goes. Gandalf's last ability will result in him leaving the battlefield to be eventually recast as a new object with no memory of his former life.
In my group, I'm the one who plays a ton of red and loves chaos warp and wild magic surge, but I am also the one who likes spellslinger, so I guess that works out for me
These universes beyond is still a no for me. Wotc should focus on expanding their own IP rather than paying to include other IPs. Street fighter, stranger things, walking dead, transformers, LOTRs... Smh .
Is it just me, or does this NOT feel like a good adaptation of a Gandalf magic card? I always thought he'd be White-Blue with some way to protect others (and probably has Protection from Red himself). Gandalf being Red and dealing direct damage just doesn't feel like something I could see Gandalf doing. He doesn't really go around shooting fireballs at his enemies from what I can remember.
I mean... Gandalf the Gray, if we are talking just colors, would have to be orzhov, not Colorless. Think about it, he literally can't be colorless, coz Grey IS a color.
Displacer Kitten, Conjurer's Closet, and Thassa Deep-Dwelling are all great cards for having a way to always reset the commander. Putting a flicker effect onto Isochron Scepter is also an option.
Here's the thing: I play with my commanders in hard sleeves, at least partially to make sure I don't accidentally shuffle my commander back into my deck after the game is over. Unless I am mistaken, there is no rule that says an opponent has to cut the deck after shuffling (or that you even need to cut it...). So, you can just shuffle the deck, then cut it 'randomly', and have your commander on top every time. Sure it may go against the spirit of the rules, but unless there is a rule that prevents it... And anyways, unless an opponent is running a deck built around forcing your opponents to shuffle, the odds are not good that they will have a card to do it and will use it, just to shuffle your not very powerful commander away.
@@PraiseGodandJesus528 Its a desperate attempt to keep making money. It's not that the mechanics are bad. It's just a bastardization of LOTR annnnnd MTG.
What a terribly disappointing card design. Should have definitely been a flip card with Gandalf the white on the other side. Also why is Gandalf Izzet?? Could have imagined him much better at four colors excluding white. Which would have made sense then to flip him when he dies!
Challenge: Make a video without bad mouthing or making a condescending comment about WotC... Big time fan of your content but the negativity is a little too persistent. We get it bud... I too want the best for a game I enjoy.
This card is so mediocre its disappointing. I was really hoping this card was gonna be good. I shouldn't be surprised, especially seeing how bad the rest of the lord of the rings cards are. As a lord of the rings and mtg fan I'm dissatisfied and disappointed.
Make sure you check out my episode on The One Ring! th-cam.com/video/Vd0yjewZv9U/w-d-xo.html
Well. There's the posibility there will be a card that might require to put Gandalf in the top of your library in order to activate it's ability like for example one that transforms it into Gandalf the White
I can't wait for gandalf the white and monty python and holy grail's black knight!
So long as there's no Mussolini or Blue Menie card, I think we'll be okay.
@@mattseman5682 but then you'd miss out on cowboy Curtis and Jambi the Genie
They already have the black knight. It came out in Throne of Eldraine. While flavorful, the card sucks.
@Chosen One Thanks for sharing your completely unprompted opinion on my meme reference comment.
I have this odd land called Tokyo City "Big Playground" that seems like it should go in tjos deck your putting together.
Putting Gandalf on top of your library is a nice option to protect it. If someone throws a board wipe, you can simply cast a cantrip and then draw it with the very same cantrip or maybe next turn.
Just be careful no one responds to your cantrip with chaos warp!
@@RG-wv3gt Well, considering MTG as answer for almost everything, yeah, that would be bad, but we cannot go playing as if every single game everyone is running the most precise answers. Also, you could just not do it if you see a red player with 3 open mana (or maybe YOU have the answer to that in hand too!)
@Lugh Ildanach Sure! I say it because red is my favorite and green is my least favorite, so I run that and wild magic surge a lot for enchantments. But I do think having to draw and recast is the bigger downside as opposed to the chance of shuffling him. It'd be mighty tempting to save one of those spells for the chance to hit the gandalf player with it, though...
@@lugh.i or leave open mana for more draw spells to answer the warp
@Kyle Loehr True! Though then maybe someone counters the draw spell, etc.
Big missed opportunity for this to be a flip card that had Gandalf the White on the other side which was triggered when Gandalf dies.
Ohhhh they sure did…
As it stands, there will be at least 1 more Gandalf to come. That is the positive side about it...
Maybe we get a transforming saga with the white on the back
the 3UR mana cost and his last option for his triggered ability immediately puts flavor for his quote: “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.”
Play this and Displacer Kitten, then as you maintain priority, order your triggers so that Gandalf does damage, then Kitten blinks Gandalf so you can deal damage again with the next spell.
Gandalf the Grey isnt colorless? heresy!
Indeed!
Literally my first thought
Gandalf the White better be white then
ditto
Gandalf the Purple
Loxodon Warhammer is oddly fitting for Gandalf, as he wields the sword Glamdring, which is also called "Foe Hammer".
I love the fact this card represents Gandalf's tendency to abandon the party every other day XD it's hilarious
I'm definitely putting Gandalf on top. If he gets shuffled it'll be like the book, waiting for sunrise on the third day.
you can cast a draw spell, put gandalf on top, then draw him. you can do this at instant speed for protection. opt is now a protection spell
For those asking why Gandalf isn’t colorless or some other combination of colors, Gandalf is blue for his wisdom and red because he hold one of the three Elvish rings. Specifically Narya, the ring of fire. It was given to him by Círdan the ship-wright so that “(he) may wield it for the kindling of all hearts to courage.” I was really hoping that Gandalf at least would stay true to lore and be blue/red. Thankfully they’ve done something right!
Considering this is an izzet deck stack spell slinger card, if you find your self in short supply of blinks or bounces I recommend Neera the wild mage as a co-commander if you have to play a spell and set him on top of your library just let the turn shift and cast an opt, send it to the bottom and cast Gandalf free of charge at instant speed
I think the last ability isn't as big as a drawback as you think. A couple opts serum visions etc and I think you're fine
Edit: Personally I'm sad it was not a transforming card with a crazy planeswalker version of Gandalf the White
Would have LOVED a Jeskai Gandalf deck!
Same also I feel like you can be almost forced into using very easily if your opponent wants too. How many decks out there that have cancels or other take from the top of your deck cards. Not worth it.
In this one deck specifically, I don’t think you’re too worried about losing your commander. Because, you still have access to the blue red instance and sorcery shell. You don’t really need a commander in order to have this be effective. There’s so many other support cards that can make this deck powerful. that said, however, this is definitely not one of the most powerful red blue commanders.
Wasted opportunity to have Gandalf be a flip creatured card:
Gandalf the Grey (5 generic mana): when he blocks a creature with more power and toughness than he, he flips into Gandalf the White, who is a white creature
Nice :-) Lightning fast as always!
I try my best!
I was really expecting an colorless Gandalf the Grey that could transform into Gandalf the White
If a Commander would be put into a library, hand, graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead. Meaning: Whenever a spell or effect sends your commander to any place except your Commander zone, you have the option to send it to your command zone instead.
That bounce ability is probably one of his best abilities. It’s an evacuation button if he’s threatened by yur opponent. Imagine Playing opt and then Drawing right back into him all for one mana. He’s a pretty solid Commander
I love the flavor cause Gandalf is famous for abandoning the party and then returning. So him going to the deck and then coming back is awesome, plus you can use it to avoid him being destroyed and paying that tax. He seems pretty strong.
Just to be clear. The initial Reverberate can't target itself correct? In order to go infinite Reverberate copies you need something else to copy it first?
Didn't expect him to be izzet
Gandalf the Blue-Red
This is going to be fun with polymorph effects
This works I’m the 99 of a Veyran deck VERY well. You could essentially do 6 dmg to each opponent per spell
I just really want there to be a Smaug👉👈 and for it be good/universal for dragon decks
well... there is... a smaug... token... I appreciate that they at least included it... since it's really the only card reference to the hobbit
Wait for Silmarillion set - Glaurung, Father of the Uruloki is sure to make an appearance
This one landed much better than "The One Ring" to me.
Would have been cool if he had a flip mechanic that required him to be exiled and then return as "Gandalf the White, planeswalker".
Wizards: Dis iz Wizard,must be Izzet,hurdhur."
Anyone who knows anything about LotR: "Should we add white or something to make this match anything from the original character?"
Wizards: "U iz fired."
Haven't seen this big a flavor fail in a while.
(Okay,Gandalf has Nenya but it's not a literal fire so even that is a fail)
So excited for this set
u use the last mode to protect himself if targeted by a removal anyway so doesn't rly matter
and if u used the other 3 modes u want to bounce him aswell
This seems like a commander you wouldn't build around thb. I actually thought that giving himself a way to reset himself made him playable.
I'm excited to see gandalf the white
I thought it would be a 2 sided card
If I had to guess, Gandalf the White would be a Jeskai card.
So this might be a dumb question but it doesn’t state at end of turn or rests at beginning of turn. Which if I’m reading this right at some point you’ll have to put him on top of your deck even if it isn’t your turn?
One of my initial thoughts on this card is to run the planar Bridge and make it the only creature in the deck then when the plaintiff Bridge triggers you automatically get Gandalf with reset abilities I haven't plotted the deck out yet so I'm not sure if it works but it's possible
Add sone wizard cycling to search that Gandalf back up
i liked you way more when you were magic the noah's intern
Gandalf the grey being izzet..? Hmm. And not shifting into gandalf the white when he dies, pfffth!
I dunno, this does not feel at all like Gandalf other than the art being gandalfish.
I could have seen him as esper or orzhov maybe, or just colorless and having colored abilities.
Can’t u put ur commander back to the command zone when it would be shuffled into the library?
Gandalf card is goated
that's it... i get myself a displacer kitten... or two...
So will Gandalf the White be Jeskai?
So if you blink the card or cast it again (or something similiar) you get the things already chosen back as options ? Because how it is written it appears that you can choose each thing only once for the whole game at least for me
Yes, you can choose again.
As with other "chose another that hasn't been chosen" , when the card exits the battlefield (by any means, blink , destroyed, etc ) It's a new instance of the card.
Demonic Pact works the exact same way.
Gala Greeters only care in the same turn, but if you blink them you can choose the same option (because its a "new card")
That's how it goes. Gandalf's last ability will result in him leaving the battlefield to be eventually recast as a new object with no memory of his former life.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Dragon's Approch build?
If the is a real card I hope it's not the only gandalf. I am excited to make a gandalf deck but this commander is kinda boring.
I Like the concept . Yet Gandalf wouldnt be izzet . I hope Gandalf the White is actually azorius
oh no, as feared, the set is underpowered and not a Modern Horizon set
Wait!!! there’s going to be Gandalf the white card I called it first!!
I can already see an infinite mana with magda in this deck
My 1st thoughts was with veyran or harmonic prodigy
I mean... I don't know about your play group, but mine isn't bringing a lot of snipe deck shuffle in their decks.
In my group, I'm the one who plays a ton of red and loves chaos warp and wild magic surge, but I am also the one who likes spellslinger, so I guess that works out for me
These universes beyond is still a no for me. Wotc should focus on expanding their own IP rather than paying to include other IPs. Street fighter, stranger things, walking dead, transformers, LOTRs... Smh .
Suggesting we run opt in an izzet spellslinger deck, how imaginative
But why do they give them the futuristic Warhammer card frame???
I dont get it :(
It's probably for the new "universes beyond" archetype in game.
I wished he would let us draw but he seems fun enough
Maybe stupid question, are these card abilities confirmed or are these theoretical/subject to change?
doesn't opt instantly put him back in your hand?
Why not give gandalf magecraft, and the transform mechanic?
Flicker spell and Isochron Scepter? 🤔
Why isn't he Azorius or Bant????
Why be careful? If he's your commander you can simply put him in your command zone instead no?
Is it just me, or does this NOT feel like a good adaptation of a Gandalf magic card? I always thought he'd be White-Blue with some way to protect others (and probably has Protection from Red himself). Gandalf being Red and dealing direct damage just doesn't feel like something I could see Gandalf doing. He doesn't really go around shooting fireballs at his enemies from what I can remember.
I mean... Gandalf the Gray, if we are talking just colors, would have to be orzhov, not Colorless. Think about it, he literally can't be colorless, coz Grey IS a color.
Bro yesss
I wouldn't run Gandalf the Grey as a commander; I'd run him in the 99 of Veyran.
Pretty sure these spoilers start on the 14th 🧐
I figured he would have been a white card.
Hey can you do goro goro and umazawa next?
I think people are sleeping on Gandalf as a commander. 7 activations commander damage defeats THE WHOLE TABLE.
It's battle damage not effect
@@AtomicBlast00 Yup, you're totally right, my bad. Nobody's sleeping on anything. XD
Ok, so you found one potential bad scenario for this card, that will happen very rarely, if ever. So, thats not an argument, its just kinda silly
Displacer Kitten, Conjurer's Closet, and Thassa Deep-Dwelling are all great cards for having a way to always reset the commander.
Putting a flicker effect onto Isochron Scepter is also an option.
I think it's still a bad card. I mean its 5 mana for not that much. There are definitely better commander for blue and red...
Here's the thing: I play with my commanders in hard sleeves, at least partially to make sure I don't accidentally shuffle my commander back into my deck after the game is over. Unless I am mistaken, there is no rule that says an opponent has to cut the deck after shuffling (or that you even need to cut it...). So, you can just shuffle the deck, then cut it 'randomly', and have your commander on top every time. Sure it may go against the spirit of the rules, but unless there is a rule that prevents it... And anyways, unless an opponent is running a deck built around forcing your opponents to shuffle, the odds are not good that they will have a card to do it and will use it, just to shuffle your not very powerful commander away.
Looks like I have a new infect build to try
"Gandalf the grey" as an Izzet commander, with no flip to Gandalf the White on death?
This is a flavor disgrace. I can't play it. >:[
The gandalf card is fine but nothing at all to be excited about this is a pretty meh card.
Wizards of the Coast needs to stop making crap like this.
Why?
@@PraiseGodandJesus528 Its a desperate attempt to keep making money. It's not that the mechanics are bad. It's just a bastardization of LOTR annnnnd MTG.
@@mattp5499 gotcha I feel that
What a terribly disappointing card design. Should have definitely been a flip card with Gandalf the white on the other side. Also why is Gandalf Izzet?? Could have imagined him much better at four colors excluding white. Which would have made sense then to flip him when he dies!
Way, way off what I had in mind.
Is it just me or does he look a little eastern
Yeah it's just you I think that boi is 100 percent mayonnaise monkey lol.
@@raypowers781 ok. Good. After Aragon going full "we wuz kangz" I was somewhat concerned we'd be seeing this set go full Velma
Card is bad, just play grixis.
Meh
I’ll be honest… this card sucks
Challenge: Make a video without bad mouthing or making a condescending comment about WotC... Big time fan of your content but the negativity is a little too persistent. We get it bud... I too want the best for a game I enjoy.
This card is so mediocre its disappointing. I was really hoping this card was gonna be good. I shouldn't be surprised, especially seeing how bad the rest of the lord of the rings cards are. As a lord of the rings and mtg fan I'm dissatisfied and disappointed.
I do not think that Gandalf the Grey is impressive. Hopefully, Gandalf the White will be better.
🤢👎👎