Nemesis Trap MTG Card
2010-02-05 - Number 61
2011-06-17 - Number 91
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant — Trap |
Key Takeaways
- Generates a token and provides card advantage without depleting your hand.
- Instant speed allows for diverse tactical plays and disrupts combat.
- Specific mana needs and higher cost can limit deck compatibility.
Text of card
If a white creature is attacking, you may pay rather than pay Nemesis Trap's mana cost. Exile target attacking creature. Put a creature token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nemesis Trap lets you create a token copy of an attacking creature, effectively providing an additional blocker or attacker without expending an additional card from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: By cloning creatures with mana-producing abilities or those that yield some form of cost reduction, Nemesis Trap indirectly contributes to accelerating your available resources on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: Given its instant speed, this trap card can disrupt opponents unexpectedly during combat, thus maximizing tactical flexibility while keeping mana available for other potential interactions during your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Nemesis Trap necessitates an upfront sacrifice of a card, posing a problem when your hand is running low, and every card counts towards your strategy and survival in the game.
Specific Mana Cost: This trap requires a precise blend of mana types to cast, needing both colorless and black mana, potentially restricting its integration into a wider array of decks, especially those that run on a tight mana curve or a multicolored scheme.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana value that puts Nemesis Trap on the higher end of the cost spectrum, you might find yourself in situations where it becomes a cumbersome card to play, especially when alternatives exist that could circumvent opponent threats at a lower expenditure, thereby preserving your mana for crucial turns.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Nemesis Trap is a tool that can adapt to various situations on the battlefield. It can neutralize an attacking creature, which makes it useful in a multitude of deck styles that focus on control or surprise tactics.
Combo Potential: This card has synergy with decks that capitalize on triggered abilities or those that can benefit from copying instant spells. It can be a strategic game-changer by turning an opponent’s aggression into a moment of opportunity for the player.
Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where creatures are key to securing victory, Nemesis Trap can serve as a valuable deterrent. It keeps you one step ahead of opponent maneuvers, especially in metas with a heavy focus on combat and creature-based strategies.
How to beat
Nemesis Trap is one of those intriguing Magic: The Gathering cards that can turn the tide of a game when used effectively. This trap card creates a token copy of a target attacking creature, except it’s black and has “this creature is a Nightmare in addition to its other types.” It then exiles that token at the end of combat. To outmaneuver the Nemesis Trap, it’s essential to bait it out or play around it. Since it’s only triggered by attacking creatures, consider holding back your most valuable creature or employing indirect methods of inflicting damage. Cards that grant hexproof can also protect your key creatures from getting ensnared.
Another strategy is to force the opponent to use Nemesis Trap prematurely or when it’s less advantageous for them. Incremental damage, creature abilities that operate from the battlefield without engaging in combat, or consistently playing creatures with lower stakes can reduce the impact of Nemesis Trap significantly. It’s also worth noting that instant-speed removal can disrupt the trap, eliminating the copied creature before it wreaks havoc. By keeping the board state flexible and forcing tough decisions for your opponent, Nemesis Trap loses its potential to dominate the game.
Cards like Nemesis Trap
Nemesis Trap stands out within the realm of magic trickery cards in MTG. It shares common ground with others such as Sudden Spoiling which also offers instant-speed interaction. Nemesis Trap exhibits its uniqueness by exiling an attacking creature and putting a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature, whereas Sudden Spoiling temporary neutralizes threats without duplicating them.
Moving on to Mirror Match, a card with a similar clone mechanic, it can flip the state of the game by copying multiple attacking creatures during combat. However, its higher mana cost and requirement for the creatures to be attacking you makes it less flexible. Path to Exile, while not producing a token, offers a different value in permanently exiling any target creature at an efficient cost, ensuring the threat doesn’t return.
Analyzing the abilities and benefits of each, we can see Nemesis Trap offers an impressive blend of disruption and board presence. Thus, in a game where tempo and creature control are vital, Nemesis Trap can be an unexpectedly potent play for those looking to turn the tide of battle.
Cards similar to Nemesis Trap by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nemesis Trap MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Commander 2011, 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 Nemesis Trap 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Nemesis Trap Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2011-06-17. Illustrated by Ryan Pancoast.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-02-05 | Worldwake | WWK | 61 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast | |
| 2 | 2011-06-17 | Commander 2011 | CMD | 91 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Pancoast |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nemesis Trap has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nemesis Trap card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | An “attacking creature” is one that has been declared as an attacker this combat, or one that was put onto the battlefield attacking this combat. Unless that creature leaves combat, it continues to be an attacking creature through the end of combat step, even if the player it was attacking has left the game, or the planeswalker it was attacking has left combat. |
| 2010-03-01 | Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the exiled creature will trigger when the token is put onto the battlefield. Any “as -his creature] enters the battlefield” or “ -his creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work. |
| 2010-03-01 | If the exiled creature has in its mana cost (such as Protean Hydra), X is considered to be zero. |
| 2010-03-01 | If the exiled creature was a token, your token copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that put it onto the battlefield. |
| 2010-03-01 | If the exiled creature was copying something else (for example, if it was a Jwari Shapeshifter), then your token enters the battlefield as a copy of whatever the exiled creature was copying. |
| 2010-03-01 | If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Nemesis Trap resolves, the entire spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t get a token. |
| 2010-03-01 | If you cast Nemesis Trap during your opponent’s declare attackers step, you’ll put the token onto the battlefield before the declare blockers step begins and you can block with it this combat. If you cast Nemesis Trap later in the combat phase a, you won’t be able to block with the token. |
| 2010-03-01 | If you cast Nemesis Trap for , you may still target any attacking creature, not just the white attacking creature. |
| 2010-03-01 | The token you put onto the battlefield copies exactly what was printed on the exiled creature and nothing more (unless it was copying something else or it was a token; see below). It doesn’t copy whether the exiled creature was tapped or untapped, whether it had any counters on it or Auras attached to it, or any non-copy effects that changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on. For example, if Nemesis Trap targets an animated Celestial Colonnade, the token you put onto the battlefield will be a Celestial Colonnade that’s just a land. (Because of this, Nemesis Trap has received minor errata to specify that you put a token, not a “creature token,” onto the battlefield.) |
