Gathering of Darkness

three generic mana one black mana Sorcery

Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

Amass Goblins 3. (Put three +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also a Goblin. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Goblin Army creature token first.)

"Alas! Bolg of the North is coming!" —Gandalf

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6 printings

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Gathering of Darkness rulings

2026-06-29
To amass Goblins N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Goblin Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already a Goblin, it becomes a Goblin in addition to its other types.
2026-06-29
Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason.
2026-06-29
In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you control a creature with changeling) while you amass Goblins, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't a Goblin, it becomes a Goblin in addition to its other types.
2026-06-29
Some spells and abilities that amass Goblins may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Goblins.
2026-06-29
Amass Orcs works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token if you don't control an Army. And if the Army creature you chose isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Goblins, you can end up with a Goblin Orc Army.
2026-06-29
If you don't control an Army, the Goblin Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters.

Gathering of Darkness keyword rules

Amass Rule 701.44

To amass [subtype] N means “If you don’t control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black [subtype] Army creature token. Choose an Army creature you control. Put N +1/+1 counters on that creature. If it isn’t a [subtype], it becomes a [subtype] in addition to its other types.”

A player “amassed” after the process described in rule is complete, even if some or all of those actions were impossible.

The phrases “the Army you amassed” and “the amassed Army” refer to the creature you chose, whether or not it received counters.

Some older cards were printed with amass N without including a subtype. Those cards have received errata in the Oracle card reference so that they read “amass Zombies N.”