Eternity Snare MTG Card
2006-10-06 - Number 61
2014-02-07 - Number 37
2022-12-02 - Number 292
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Key Takeaways
- Eternity Snare serves dual purposes: locking down creatures and drawing cards for a strategic edge.
- With a high blue mana requirement, Eternity Snare demands careful deck construction and resource management.
- Despite its cost, Eternity Snare’s utility in control strategies makes it a formidable play in MTG.
Text of card
Enchant creature When Eternity Snare comes into play, draw a card. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Eternity Snare comes with an ability that not only neutralizes an opponent’s creature by tapping it, but also draws you a card. This can shift the momentum by reducing opposing threats while refilling your hand, essentially providing a two-for-one deal in terms of resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Eternity Snare itself does not directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly influence the pace of the game. By removing a potential blocker or attacker from the equation, it allows for a smoother attack path and less pressure on your resources for defense. This strategic edge can be pivotal in outracing your opponent.
Instant Speed: Adapting to the flow of the game is crucial, and while Eternity Snare operates at sorcery speed, it encourages building a deck with other instant-speed responses. Coordinating the timing of Eternity Snare with instant-speed plays maximizes the effectiveness of your control in the game, allowing you to dictate the pace and make on-the-fly decisions that can lead to victory.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Eternity Snare does not force a discard, but it can be a card that remains inactive in your hand if you’re not prepared to pay its sizable cost. Managing hand resources becomes critical when playing higher cost cards like this.
Specific Mana Cost: Eternity Snare’s mana cost is heavily skewed towards blue, requiring a commitment to that color. This could make it challenging to cast in a timely manner, particularly in multicolor decks that might not have the blue mana available when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a demanding casting cost of six mana, Eternity Snare comes in at a point where players expect game-changing effects. While the ability to lock down a creature and draw a card is beneficial, other options might offer more immediate board impact or versatility for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Eternity Snare in Your Collection
Versatility: Eternity Snare is not just a removal spell but also a card draw mechanism thanks to its enchant creature ability. This makes it a flexible inclusion in blue decks that seek to neutralize threats while gaining card advantage.
Combo Potential: The card can be part of combos that exploit tapped creatures, working well with tap-down strategies or with cards that benefit from opponents having tapped creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where large creatures dominate the battlefield, Eternity Snare shines by rendering an opponent’s key creature ineffective, thus it adapts well to slower, control-oriented metagames.
How to beat Eternity Snare
Eternity Snare is a control player’s ally, capable of neutralizing a major threat on the board by enchanting a target creature. The enchanted creature neither attacks nor blocks, rendering it essentially useless, while also allowing the controller of Eternity Snare to draw a card. Its strategic application in a blue control deck can shift the game’s balance, making it a focal point when facing control opponents.
Overcoming Eternity Snare typically involves direct answers to enchantments. Green cards with enchantment removal abilities, such as Naturalize or Return to Nature, dispel such threats efficiently. White also boasts a variety of options, including Disenchant or Invoke the Divine, which not only remove the Snare but can also gain you a bit of additional life in the process. Importantly, instants that counter the spell, such as Counterspell or Negate, when timed correctly, prevent the Snare from ever taking effect. So, being proactive, versatile, and ready to respond to control mechanics like Eternity Snare, reflects sound strategy and foresight, keeping the flow of the game in your favor.
In the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, smart deck construction and reactive play are your best defenses against cards like Eternity Snare. By including versatile removal or counter spells, you ensure that a single enchantment does not hinder your path to victory.
Cards like Eternity Snare
Eternity Snare presents itself as a unique aura in the vast array of blue control elements within the MTG universe. This card brings to the table not only the ability to lock down an opponent’s creature but also to draw a card upon entering the battlefield, sharing similarities with enchantments like Claustrophobia. While Claustrophobia also disables a creature, it does not offer the card draw that Eternity Snare provides, making the latter a more resourceful option in certain decks.
Affinity with cards like Ice Cage is evident; however, Ice Cage breaks upon the enchanted creature becoming the target of another spell or ability, potentially giving opponents a chance to free their creature. In contrast, Eternity Snare’s hold remains firm unless the enchantment itself is directly dealt with. Then there is Encrust, which similarly disables creatures or even artifacts, but lacks the card draw advantage and has a conditional clause where the locked-down card must already be aiding its controller.
All things considered, Eternity Snare stands out in control-based strategies with its dual role of creature neutralization and providing card advantage, a powerful combination that can influence the tide of the game in MTG.
Cards similar to Eternity Snare by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Eternity Snare MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Born of the Gods, 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 Eternity Snare and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Eternity Snare Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral | TSP | 61 | 2003 | normal | black | Drew Tucker | |
| 2 | 2014-02-07 | Born of the Gods | BNG | 37 | 2003 | normal | black | Min Yum | |
| 3 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 292 | 2015 | normal | black | Min Yum |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Eternity Snare has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
