Baffling End MTG Card

Baffling End offers card advantage by eliminating threats without direct draw. Efficiency shines with its low-cost removal, aligning with early game strategies. Competitive decks can utilize Baffling End in meta against aggressive tactics.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set name	Rivals of Ixalan
Set code	RIX
Number	1
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mathias Kollros

Text of card

When Baffling End enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls with converted mana cost 3 or less. When Baffling End leaves the battlefield, target opponent creates a 3/3 green Dinosaur creature token with trample.

Cards like Baffling End

Baffling End stands out in MTG as a removal option for creatures, inviting comparisons to other spells in white’s arsenal. It resembles the functional aspects of Declaration in Stone, as both target creatures and exile them. However, Baffling End is more specialized, restricting its exile ability to creatures with a converted mana cost of 3 or less, while Declaration in Stone provides a broader range but requires a mana investment per creature if multiple are targeted.

Another similar spell is Seal Away, which shares the same mana cost and can exile any tapped creature until Seal Away leaves the battlefield. This makes Seal Away versatile against larger threats, though it’s conditional on the creatures being tapped. Conversely, Baffling End can affect untapped creatures, making it a preemptive measure against early aggro decks.

Considering the niche role of Baffling End, especially in dealing with swarms of small-to-medium threats without delay, it is a strategic inclusion in many MTG decks focusing on control or tempo. Each card, with its unique nuances, illustrates white’s removal capabilities and the importance of selecting the right tool for the challenge at hand.

Declaration in Stone - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Baffling End. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	Abzan Combo	Gladiator		Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 13 2024
	Abzan Midrange	Gladiator		Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 08 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Baffling End doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it effectively works as card advantage by removing an opponent’s creature. This tilts the balance in your favor, leaving them with one less threat and you maintaining your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Baffling End doesn’t provide resource acceleration in the traditional sense of adding mana. However, by removing an early game threat for a cost of only three mana, it enables you to use your resources efficiently, effectively accelerating your game plan while disrupting theirs.

Instant Speed: Baffling End is not instant speed removal, but its low casting cost and the fact that it exiles can make it a preferred choice over similar costing instant speed options, especially when considering its effect in the context of permanent removal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Baffling End doesn’t require you to discard a card, it is important to note that its removal effect is conditional. Upon leaving the battlefield, the opponent gets a 3/3 Dinosaur creature token, which can be a disadvantage as it provides the opponent with a potentially threatening board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Baffling End has a specific mana cost that includes white. It’s only playable in decks that can produce white mana, making it less flexible for decks running multiple colors without white or those without the appropriate mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite having a relatively low casting cost at two mana, in comparison to similar removal spells, it can be considered a bit high considering the delayed downside. There are other removal options in the game that may not leave behind a creature token, potentially offering a more permanent solution without potentially benefiting the opponent.

Reasons to Include Baffling End in Your Collection

Versatility: Baffling End offers flexibility in your deck by seamlessly fitting into any build that requires efficient creature removal. As a low-cost enchantment, it can be slotted into various deck archetypes to manage early game threats.

Combo Potential: This card can complement strategies that capitalize on enchantments. It can trigger enter-the-battlefield effects, synergize with cards that care about enchantment count or be part of a sacrificial combo where you benefit from its removal later on.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to exiling target creatures with power 3 or less, Baffling End is especially handy in a meta filled with aggro decks. Its presence can disrupt early board development by your opponent, making it a relevant choice for control and midrange decks looking to stabilize against faster opponents.

How to beat

The Baffling End card presents a unique challenge within Magic: The Gathering, effectively removing an opponent’s creature with a converted mana cost of 3 or less. To navigate around this, consider using creatures with an immediate impact on the battlefield. Creatures with enter the battlefield abilities or those that leave a token behind when they leave the battlefield can mitigate the loss. Cards like Duress are also able to preemptively strip Baffling End from an opponent’s hand before it can be played.

Keep in mind the dynamism of instant speed spells which allow you to react during your opponent’s turn. By saving removal or counter spells like Negate or Disenchant, you have the possibility to either prevent Baffling End from hitting the battlefield or removing it after it has targeted one of your creatures, thus returning a dinosaur token to play. Additionally, playing around Baffling End by investing in more costly creatures or those immune to its effects can also be a strategic approach.

The right combination of strategic creature selection, timing, and spellcasting can help overcome the temporary setback that Baffling End can present, keeping your deck’s momentum intact.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Baffling End MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Baffling End and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Baffling End has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Commander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-01-19	In a multiplayer game, the target opponent who creates a Dinosaur token doesn’t have to be the same one whose creature was exiled.
2018-01-19	While Baffling End’s two abilities are flavorfully related, they are independent. If the first ability doesn’t resolve (perhaps because the target gained hexproof), the second will still create a Dinosaur token when Baffling End leaves the battlefield.