Barl's Cage MTG Card

Barl’s Cage provides indirect card advantage and strategic resource conservation without drawing cards. Its sorcery-speed limitation is offset by the ongoing battlefield impact, simulating instant responses. Despite the mana and card cost, it remains a versatile and meta-relevant control tool.

The Dark (DRK)
1994-08-01 - Number 96

Chronicles (CHR)
1995-07-01 - Number 94

Fifth Edition (5ED)
1997-03-24 - Number 352

Masters Edition III (ME3)
2009-09-07 - Number 190

Card sets	Released in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact

Text of card

o3: Target creature does not untap as normal during its controller's next untap phase.

For a dozen years the Cage had held Lord Ith, but as the Pretender Mairsil's power weakened, so did the bars.

Cards like Barl's Cage

Barl’s Cage is a unique piece in the MTG toolbox, bearing some resemblance to artifact cards that manipulate creature dynamics. One could draw parallels with Tangle Wire, which also utilizes tap effects to control the pace of the opponent’s game. Both cards serve to disrupt creature strategies, with Barl’s Cage offering targeted tapping of creatures while Tangle Wire has a wider impact but diminishes over time.

Another card worth mentioning is Icy Manipulator, an artifact that shares the capability to tap other cards, though not limited to creatures alone. Unlike Barl’s Cage, Icy Manipulator can target lands and other non-creature artifacts, offering broader control options. However, Barl’s Cage’s potential to trap a creature over several turns provides a focused tactical advantage.

Amidst the varying degrees of control these cards provide, Barl’s Cage shines as a strategic pick for players aiming to lock down threatening creatures. With a pinpoint effect against creature-heavy decks, it makes a substantial impact by restraining key opponents’ threats turn after turn. Barl’s Cage’s enduring restriction can significantly alter the board state, distinguishing it within MTG’s diverse arsenal of artifacts.

Cards similar to Barl's Cage by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Barl’s Cage doesn’t directly provide card draw, but it can restrict your opponent’s plays by potentially locking out a key creature from attacking or blocking, indirectly leading to a form of card advantage by hampering your opponent’s board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While not a traditional resource accelerator, Barl’s Cage can conserve your resources by negating the need to spend cards on removal—keeping your hand equipped to address other threats and outpacing your opponent in resource allocation.

Instant Speed: Barl’s Cage operates at a sorcery speed, yet it compensates for this by impacting the battlefield continually turn after turn. Its ability to interfere with tapped creatures can simulate the timely responses usually afforded by instant speed interactions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Barl’s Cage demands you to pitch another card to unlock its potential, a steep price when your hand is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: With three generic mana and one from a mountain’s fiery pools, this artifact insists on red’s presence, possibly clashing with your deck’s mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Committing four mana might seem modest, but often pulls you back in tempo when quicker solutions could better serve the strategy at play, especially in formats where speed is king.

Reasons to Include Barl’s Cage Mtg Card in Your Collection

Versatility: Barl’s Cage is a unique artifact that provides strategic control over the battlefield. It can adapt to various situations by restricting opponents’ creature abilities, making it a valuable card in many different deck types.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to tap and untap creatures can be the cornerstone of several combos. It can be used to repeatedly trigger tap and untap effects or to disrupt your opponent’s strategies, making it a powerful tool in combination-heavy decks.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures with activated abilities are commonplace, Barl’s Cage gains additional importance. Its ability to manipulate and control creatures aligns perfectly with a meta that relies on creature-based strategies, providing significant tactical advantages.

How to beat

Barl’s Cage is one of those intriguing Magic: The Gathering cards that can impose significant control on the battlefield by tapping creatures without summoning sickness. This card can disrupt your strategy, especially if you rely heavily on a few potent creatures. However, it’s not unbeatable. One straightforward tactic is to deploy a wide array of low-cost creatures, diluting the impact Barl’s Cage can have on your board presence.

Moreover, incorporating enchantment removal or artifact destruction spells in your deck can effectively neutralize Barl’s Cage. Cards such as Nature’s Claim or Disenchant provide cost-efficient ways to remove problematic noncreature permanents. It’s also valuable to include indirect approaches like hexproof or shroud granting abilities to your creatures, which can make them less vulnerable to targeted effects.

Lastly, focusing on instants and sorceries or leveraging abilities that can be activated without tapping can circumvent Barl’s Cage’s limitations. This allows you to carry out your game plan while minimizing the cage’s restrains on your strategy. Remember, it’s all about anticipation and having a plan to dismantle such control pieces that could otherwise stall your victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Barl's Cage MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Chronicles, 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 Barl's Cage and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Barl's Cage Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Tom Wänerstrand.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1994-08-01	The Dark	DRK	96	1993	Normal	Black	Tom Wänerstrand
2	1995-07-01	Chronicles	CHR	94	1993	Normal	White	Tom Wänerstrand
3	1997-03-24	Fifth Edition	5ED	352	1997	Normal	White	Tom Wänerstrand
4	2009-09-07	Masters Edition III	ME3	190	1997	Normal	Black	Tom Wänerstrand

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Barl's Cage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Oldschool	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Does not prevent a creature from untapping at other times. It just stops the “normal” untap during the untap step.
2009-10-01	Barl’s Cage doesn’t track the creature’s controller. If the affected creature changes controllers before its old controller’s next untap step, this ability will prevent it from being untapped during its new controller’s next untap step.
2009-10-01	If the targeted creature is untapped at the time its controller’s next untap step begins, this ability has no effect. It won’t apply at some later time when the targeted creature is tapped.
2009-10-01	You may target any creature with this ability. It doesn’t have to be tapped.