Crush of Tentacles

Crush of Tentacles was released as a promotional card for the Oath of the Gatewatch expansion in early 2016. As a rare sorcery, its design centers on the surge mechanic, a thematic hallmark of the set that encourages players to cast multiple spells in a single turn to trigger powerful additional effects. The card represents the terrifying oceanic forces of the Eldrazi threat, specifically echoing the themes of overwhelming, shifting power that defined the narrative of the Zendikar plane during this era.

The illustration was rendered by artist Jaime Jones, who sought to capture the visceral scale of a sea-spanning monstrosity emerging from the depths. By utilizing a fluid, nightmarish aesthetic, the artwork emphasizes the card’s mechanical identity as a board-clearing event. Upon its debut, the card was received with significant interest by the competitive community, as its high-impact board state manipulation made it a quintessential example of the late-game control tools favored in the Standard environment of the time.