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Mechanics of Magic Overview: Threshold

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When you first start playing Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the graveyard can feel like a dead end, a place where your cards go to rest, never to be seen again. But as you get more and more familiar with the game, you'll start to realize the graveyard is actually an incredibly valuable resource. So much so that for many players, the graveyard's often like a second hand or library they can utilize resources from, and one classic mechanic that really embraces this idea is Threshold.

Threshold was first introduced back in the Odyssey (2001) and left a big mark on how players think about their discard pile. Fast-forward to today, and we've seen all sorts of variations on "graveyard matters" mechanics. The concept of abusing our graveyards has proven to be so popular that Threshold has even recently resurfaced in the latest Standard set, Foundations, showing yet again that even some of the old mechanics can find new life in Magic of today.

So, with all that said, if you're ready to see how binning a mere seven cards will allow you to cross the Threshold towards winning more games, grab your trusty lantern and shovel (no heavy lifting required), and let's get digging in today's Mechanic's Overview Segment.

A Grave New World: What Is Threshold?

"Threshold: As long as there are seven or more cards in your graveyard, [static ability], [self-replacement], [activated ability] and/or [triggered ability]."

"Threshold: [static ability], [self-replacement], [activated ability] and/or [triggered ability]. Activate this ability only if seven or more cards are in your graveyard."

Essentially, Threshold is an ability word that cares about having seven or more cards in your graveyard. Once you cross that Threshold, cards with Threshold will essentially power up, gain new abilities, or otherwise turn into something far more formidable.

From Keyword Ability to Ability Word

Did you know that Threshold initially began as a bona fide keyword ability? Over time, Wizards realized that Threshold was behaving more like a condition-based upgrade rather than a standalone keyword with its own rules baggage. In other words, the rules for Threshold were often summarized as "If you have seven or more cards in your graveyard, do X," rather than introducing any novel game rules by itself.

So, with that realization came the introduction of ability words--italicized words that group similar abilities thematically without carrying independent rules meaning. And with the release of Time Spiral (2006), Threshold was retroactively changed into an ability word, and all previous cards were given an errata so that "Threshold -- [effect]" now read essentially as a reminder of the condition while also aligning it with other ability words like Metalcraft (which cares about having three or more artifacts) or Morbid (which checks if a creature died this turn).

Threshold-Lite Mechanics

In hindsight, Threshold can be seen as one of the earliest explorations of gating abilities behind a condition that players must strive to meet. Even years after Threshold's debut, MTG designers continue to introduce numerous "Threshold-lite" mechanics, each using different conditions or criteria:

  • Delirium: Triggered when you have four or more card types in your graveyard, Delirium can be considered a spiritual successor to Threshold as it encourages even more nuanced graveyard construction by mixing card type diversity into the criteria.
  • Spell Mastery: Spell Mastery rewards you if you have at least two instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard, offering a smaller, more easily achieved upgrade than Threshold but still a nod to conditional enhancements based on your graveyard.
  • Metalcraft: Although unrelated to the graveyard, Metalcraft's condition of controlling three or more artifacts resembles Threshold's approach of "Have X of something to power up your cards."
  • Ascend: If you control ten or more permanents, Ascend gets the City's Blessing, which, much like Threshold, permanently upgrades some cards' power levels.
  • Descend: Recently introduced, Descend cares about how many permanent cards you have put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn. While not identical, this mechanic is spiritually akin to Threshold's ethos--manipulating the graveyard to meet certain numeric criteria.

Notable Threshold Cards

Cabal Ritual

From old to new, there are several Threshold cards that stand out as shining examples of what the mechanic can offer:

Cabal Ritual: Without Threshold, it adds three Black mana for two, which is decent, but once Threshold is active, it jumps to five mana. I don't think you need me to elaborate more as to why this is considered a staple even today.

Cephalid Coliseum: Draw 3, Discard 3 (fuels future instances of Threshold), and make a Thoracle Combo player lose the game for one mana? Say no more.

Barbarian Ring: As a proud Dwarf of the Magda Coalition, you'd be surprised at how often I reach Threshold even when I'm playing a Mono-Red deck in a cEDH environment. Trust me, play this land, suck it up and lose like 3-4 life over the course of the game, then shoot down all the Opposition Agents, Collector Ouphes, and Orcish Bowmasters when they least expect it.

Stitch Together: When Threshold isn't met, it returns a creature from your graveyard to your hand. With Threshold, however, it puts that creature straight onto the battlefield. Is it better than Reanimate? Probably not, but hey, it's an option if we really want to cheat in a Griselbrand as consistently as possible.

Kiora, the Rising Tide: A recent addition to the Threshold roster that not only lets you sculpt your hand but also makes a legendary 8/8 Blue Octopus every turn? Kiora should lose her Spark more often.

Hunting Grounds: A Selesnya enchantment that, once Threshold is online, lets you cheat creatures onto the battlefield from your hand whenever an opponent plays a spell. Let's play a game of Emrakul, shall we?

The Future of Threshold

With Threshold making a return in Foundations, it's clear that this classic graveyard mechanic still has a lot to offer. And while it might not show up in every set like Trample or Flying, the fact that it's somehow back in Standard suggests that Wizards is keeping an open mind about its potential.

One easy way I could see Threshold re-envisioned in future sets is by toggling the number of cards needed in the graveyard. For example, instead of always requiring exactly seven, we might see something like "Threshold N," where a card's payoff can scale according to the environment it's printed. A faster format might set the bar lower, so you reach your bonus abilities quicker, while a more slow-paced setting might crank it up, rewarding players who invest in a longer game plan.

But for now, all we can do is trust that Wizards will keep finding fresh ways to help us tip the scales in our graveyards' favor. Until that time comes, as always, happy brewing, and may your graveyards run deep and your Threshold always remain just a few cards away.

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