The recent Otherside NFT mint on May 1st triggered an intense three-hour Gas War, with Ethereum transaction fees soaring beyond 8,000 Gwei. Many buyers failed to complete their transactions, while others paid over 2 ETH in gas fees alone. In the aftermath, Yuga Labs announced it would refund gas costs to failed transactions. This event highlighted the extreme competition and emotional rollercoaster—panic, anxiety, frustration—that defines high-stakes NFT purchases.
This guide breaks down proven strategies to navigate Ethereum gas mechanics and increase your chances of success during high-demand NFT drops.
Understanding Ethereum Transaction Fees
When you transact on the Ethereum network in the EIP-1559 era, you must pay a fee to have your transaction validated. This fee consists of two components:
- Base Fee: Set by the network based on current demand.
- Priority Fee (Tip): Set by you to incentivize miners to prioritize your transaction.
Total Transaction Fee = Base Fee + Priority Fee.
Configuring Your Gas Settings for Minting Success
To optimize your setup, enable advanced gas settings in your MetaMask wallet. This allows you to set a "Max Fee," representing the absolute maximum you are willing to pay for the transaction.
Always click "Edit" when the MetaMask pop-up appears after hitting "Mint" on a project’s website. Using the default suggested gas fees often leads to failure during competitive drops, as others may aggressively increase their offers.
Editing Max Fee and Priority Fee: Key Options
Important: Never modify the "Gas Limit." Focus instead on the Max Fee and Priority Fee.
- Priority Fee: The tip you pay miners to prioritize your transaction.
- Max Fee: The absolute maximum you’re willing to pay per unit of gas.
You have three strategic approaches:
Option 1: Increase Only the Max Fee
This approach is minimally effective. It accommodates rises in the base fee but caps your tip at the default value (usually 1.5–2 Gwei). Miners remain less incentivized to prioritize you.
Option 2: Increase Only the Priority Fee
This provides more incentive for miners. However, if the base fee increases, the sum of Base Fee + Priority Fee might exceed your Max Fee. When this happens, your Priority Fee is automatically reduced to stay within the Max Fee limit, weakening your competitive position.
Option 3: Increase Both Max Fee and Priority Fee
This is the recommended strategy. It accounts for potential increases in the base fee while simultaneously offering a strong incentive to miners.
How Much Should You Increase Fees?
Conservative Strategy
Blocknative, a blockchain data platform, recommends: "For predictable transaction settlement, the current best practice is to set a Max Fee that anticipates a rise in the base fee."
Their gas estimator uses this heuristic:
Max Fee = (2 * Base Fee) + Priority Fee
Using the "99% probability" setting on the Blocknative Gas Estimator will likely (though not guaranteed) lead to success. Doubling the current base fee for your Max Fee should keep your transaction viable for six consecutive blocks.
👉 Check real-time network fees
Aggressive Strategy
Set a high Max Fee and an equally high Priority Fee. This means that after the base fee is deducted, the entire remainder goes to the miner as a tip, maximising your chances of immediate inclusion.
This is risky and can lead to overpaying, but it may be necessary for ultra-high-demand drops.
Example: During the MAYC airdrop, one user reported:
- Base Fee: 364 Gwei
- Priority Fee Set: 700 Gwei
- Max Fee Set: 700 Gwei
The transaction confirmed instantly, costing 0.12 ETH.
How to Speed Up a Stuck Transaction
If your transaction isn’t confirming within seconds, you can attempt to speed it up.
- Go to MetaMask's "Activity" tab and find the pending transaction.
- Click "Speed Up." This will allow you to re-enter the gas settings and increase your fees.
- If the "Speed Up" option isn’t visible, click on the transaction to open its details. You should find the option at the bottom of the screen.
Monitor a tool like the Blocknative Gas Estimator during this process to understand real-time network congestion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes a Gas War?
A Gas War occurs when demand to transact on the Ethereum network massively exceeds available block space during events like popular NFT mints. Users competitively bid higher transaction fees to get prioritised.
What is the difference between Base Fee and Priority Fee?
The Base Fee is burned and set by the network protocol. The Priority Fee (tip) is paid directly to miners to incentivize them to include your transaction in the next block.
Can I get a refund if my transaction fails?
It depends on the project. Some projects, like Yuga Labs did for Otherside, may refund failed gas fees. However, this is not a standard practice. Always assume gas spent on failed transactions is lost.
Is the aggressive gas strategy worth the cost?
It can be if securing the asset is your absolute priority and you understand the potential for high costs. For most users, starting with a conservative strategy and only speeding up if necessary is a balanced approach.
How can I practice setting gas fees?
Experiment with minting less popular NFTs or making simple transfers during low-congestion periods. This helps you understand the MetaMask interface without the pressure of a Gas War.
What is the most common mistake in a Gas War?
The most common mistake is not editing the default gas settings provided by MetaMask. This almost always results in a lost transaction during high competition.
Final Thoughts
Winning a Gas War requires preparation, quick decision-making, and a clear understanding of Ethereum's fee market. While the aggressive strategy can succeed, it comes with significant financial risk. Practice configuring your wallet settings and monitor gas estimators to make informed decisions. Mastering these mechanics is key to securing those highly coveted digital assets.