Agoraphobia MTG Card

Agoraphobia provides versatility and the ability to retarget, enhancing blue control archetypes. Fitting into decks with bounce mechanics, it exhibits potential for creating powerful combos. Being unique among similar cards, Agoraphobia allows for flexible threat management.

Gatecrash (GTC)
2013-02-01 - Number 30

Agoraphobia - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (DDM)

Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (DDM)
2014-03-14 - Number 22

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets -5/-0. : Return Agoraphobia to its owner's hand.

"Everyone in this city is choosing sides. I choose inside."

Cards like Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is an intriguing enchantment in the world of MTG, fitting into the blue control archetype with its ability to reduce a creature’s power. It’s somewhat akin to cards like Claustrophobia, which also hampers a target creature by tapping it and preventing it from untapping while enchanted. However, Agoraphobia shows versatility by allowing you to return it to its owner’s hand, ready to be played again.

Further comparison draws us to Ice Over, another blue enchantment that freezes a creature or vehicle. Like Agoraphobia, Ice Over is a deterrent for your opponent’s assets. But, unlike Agoraphobia, once Ice Over is on the battlefield, it doesn’t offer the same level of flexibility. Then we have Encrust, restricting not only creatures but artifacts as well, and keeping them locked down without the bounce-back feature that makes Agoraphobia stand out.

In assessing these cards against each other, it’s clear that Agoraphobia holds a unique place by providing reusable control options, giving MTG players the ability to adapt to changing in-game situations, and maintain a stronghold in the control gameplay strategy.

Cards similar to Agoraphobia by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Agoraphobia presents tactical flexibility that can be advantageous. You can repeatedly play it to lock down multiple creatures over several turns, gaining an edge in card utility if not outright card numbers.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a tool for accelerating resources, Agoraphobia can effectively slow down your opponent’s strategy, indirectly preserving your own resources. This economizes the resources you would otherwise allocate for creature removal or defensive plays.

Instant Speed: The ability to bounce Agoraphobia back to your hand at instant speed is its standout feature. This quality allows players to adapt to dynamic game states, affording you the opportunity to respond to threats immediately or adjust your defenses as required without sacrificing your turn sequence.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Agoraphobia requires both blue mana and colorless mana to cast, which can restrict its inclusion strictly to blue or blue-inclined decks, potentially reducing its versatility in a diverse meta.

Discard Requirement: While Agoraphobia itself does not necessitate discarding cards, the need to retain sufficient blue mana to utilize its abilities effectively may indirectly pressure players to discard other cards to maintain a strategic hand balance.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost and an activation cost for its effect, Agoraphobia’s total mana investment can be considerable. There are alternative blue enchantments or control cards that may offer more immediate impact or pose less of a strain on your mana resources over the duration of a game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Agoraphobia is a card that serves multiple roles in a match. This blue enchantment can be used to neutralize an opponent’s biggest threat, effectively immobilizing creatures regardless of their power. Its ability to return to your hand ensures you always have an answer when needed, adapting to the ever-changing battlefield.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that capitalize on repeatable entering and leaving the battlefield effects. Its synergy with bounce mechanics and flicker strategies can lead to powerful and unexpected combos that can disrupt your opponent’s game plan while facilitating your own.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by powerful creatures, Agoraphobia can be a cost-effective tool to mitigate threats. It aligns well with control archetypes that focus on maintaining board stability and prolonging the game, giving you the upper hand against aggressive decks in the current meta.

How to beat Agoraphobia

Mastering the nuances of MTG includes understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of cards like Agoraphobia. It’s a blue enchantment that can dramatically diminish the threat of a powerful creature by reducing its power. Knowing how to handle this card can turn the tide of a match in your favor.

To counteract Agoraphobia, one could employ enchantment removal spells, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, which will quickly dispatch the nagging control it exerts. One can also take advantage of its ability that allows a player to return Agoraphobia to their hand. This can be used to free a creature from its effects temporarily, though it’s a trick that requires mana investment and thus must be used judiciously.

Moreover, having creatures with hexproof or shroud in your deck will make them impervious to being targeted by Agoraphobia in the first place. It’s crucial to fortify your board with diversified threats—employing creatures that benefit from being targeted or that can’t be targeted at all is essential. By combining strategic creature selection and timely removal, players can effectively nullify the impact of Agoraphobia on the game’s outcome.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Agoraphobia MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Agoraphobia and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Agoraphobia Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2014-03-14. Illustrated by Jim Murray.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2013-02-01	Gatecrash	GTC		30	2003	Normal	Black	Jim Murray
2	2014-03-14	Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska	DDM		22	2003	Normal	Black	Jim Murray

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Agoraphobia has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Agoraphobia card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-01-24	Agoraphobia’s last ability can be activated only while it’s on the battlefield.
2013-01-24	Only Agoraphobia’s controller can activate its last ability, no matter who controls the creature Agoraphobia’s attached to.
2013-01-24	Players don’t have priority to cast spells and activate abilities between combat damage being assigned and being dealt. This means that if you want to return Agoraphobia to its owner’s hand before combat damage is dealt, you must do so before combat damage is assigned (and the creature will no longer get -5/-0).