Deadlock Trap MTG Card

Deadlock Trap controls threats at instant speed, maximizing game tempo and disrupting opponents’ strategies. While powerful, it requires energy counters and generic mana, which can sometimes hinder its activation. Its effectiveness is heightened in metas with numerous creatures and planeswalkers, offering strategic versatility.

Kaladesh Promos (PKLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 204s

Kaladesh (KLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 204

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Artifact

Text of card

Deadlock Trap enters the battlefield tapped. When Deadlock Trap enters the battlefield, you get (two energy counters). , Pay : Tap target creature or planeswalker. Its activated abilities can't be activated this turn.

Cards like Deadlock Trap

Deadlock Trap is an intriguing artifact in Magic: The Gathering, standing out for its ability to neutralize the abilities of other cards. It echoes the functionality of renowned cards like Icy Manipulator, which allows players to tap any artifact, creature, or land. Nonetheless, Deadlock Trap offers a more specialized approach by targeting only creatures and planeswalkers, but with the added benefit of not having to tap the artifact itself to use its effect.

The likes of Pacification Array offer a similar disabling effect at a lower cost, though they require payment and tapping with each use. Deadlock Trap, conversely, utilizes energy counters, providing multiple uses without the need for a mana investment at the time of activation. Another parallel can be drawn with Tumble Magnet, which also uses charge counters to manage opposing threats; however, Deadlock Trap’s influence over planeswalkers grants it a unique position in strategic gameplay.

Ultimately, Deadlock Trap carves its niche within Magic: The Gathering artifacts by offering key strategic advantages, particularly in matchups where incapacitating key creatures and planeswalkers can turn the tide of battle in the player’s favor.

Cards similar to Deadlock Trap by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deadlock Trap offers utility by tapping potential threats, effectively keeping your opponent’s key cards at bay without sacrificing card equity. This can lead to maintaining board control without losing card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Working alongside energy counters, this artifact can meld into a resource acceleration strategy. It provides a continuous source of disruption without requiring a constant draw of additional cards.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Deadlock Trap at instant speed offers a versatile defense mechanism. You can effortlessly ambush an opponent’s moves mid-combat or during pivotal phases of their turn, interrupting finely laid plans without warning.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deadlock Trap requires you to discard a charge counter from it to activate its ability. Keeping it functional necessitates additional actions or cards to reload it with counters, leaving it potentially inert otherwise.

Specific Mana Cost: While colorless, the activation cost of Deadlock Trap includes generic mana, which can impede its usage in turns where you need to manage resources for other spells or creatures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at three mana to cast and another to activate, it demands a substantial investment before it affects the game. This can be restrictive, especially when you need to keep your mana available for other strategic plays or counter-actions.

Reasons to Include Deadlock Trap in Your Collection

Versatility: Deadlock Trap offers a flexible control element for many deck archetypes. Its ability to tap any target creature or planeswalker is useful across multiple matchups, aiding in both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: With its capability to incapacitate key opponent cards, Deadlock Trap can be a linchpin in decks focusing on energy counters. It synergizes well with cards that produce or utilize energy, creating opportunities to disrupt opponent plays turn after turn.

Meta-Relevance: As the game pace fluctuates with each set release, the power to nullify threats remains perennially significant. Deadlock Trap’s relevance grows in metas dominated by heavy planeswalker presence or decks reliant on pivotal creatures, where restraining these assets can turn the tide of the game.

How to Beat the Deadlock Trap Card

Deadlock Trap is a unique artifact that allows players to tap another target permanent, effectively freezing a player’s major threat each turn. To navigate around Deadlock Trap’s controlling grip, it’s crucial to include answers such as artifact removal in your deck. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant can quickly dismantle the trap, restoring your strategic advantage. When facing this card, it’s also advantageous to diversify your threats, making it less impactful when a single piece is neutralized.

Pressure is another key tactic. By playing multiple threats in a turn, you force the Deadlock Trap’s controller to make tough decisions on what to neutralize, thus mitigating its effectiveness. Additionally, consider using cards that can operate from the graveyard, such as reanimation spells, so that even if your creatures or other permanents are targeted by Deadlock Trap, you have ways to bring them back into play.

Strategically speaking, by incorporating more instant-speed interactions, you can wait for the Deadlock Trap to be used before committing to your most important spells or creatures during your opponent’s end step. This approach keeps the Trap’s controller on the backfoot, constantly having to guess your next move.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deadlock Trap MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh Promos and Kaladesh, 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 Deadlock Trap and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deadlock Trap Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2016-09-30. Illustrated by Jason Rainville.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-09-30	Kaladesh Promos	PKLD		204s	2015	Normal	Black	Jason Rainville
2	2016-09-30	Kaladesh	KLD		204	2015	Normal	Black	Jason Rainville

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deadlock Trap 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 Deadlock Trap card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2016-09-20	A tapped planeswalker can be attacked or dealt damage as normal.
2016-09-20	Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written “ -ost: -ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.
2016-09-20	After a planeswalker enters the battlefield, the active player receives priority and may activate an ability of that planeswalker before any player can activate Deadlock Trap's last ability.
2016-09-20	If the tapped creature somehow becomes untapped, it can attack and block as normal, but its abilities still can't be activated this turn.
2016-09-20	Once a player has announced an ability, Deadlock Trap can't be used to undo it. The last ability must be activated before that player activates that ability.
2016-09-20	Players may respond to Deadlock Trap's last ability by activating an ability of the target permanent if that ability's timing permissions allow it.
2017-02-09	Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.)
2017-02-09	Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters.
2017-02-09	If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.
2017-02-09	Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method.
2017-02-09	You can't pay more energy counters than you have.
2017-02-09	is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.
2018-01-19	There are many important moments in the story, but the most crucial—called “story spotlights”—are shown on cards. These cards have the Planeswalker symbol in their text box; this symbol has no effect on gameplay. You can read more about these events in the official Magic fiction at http://www.mtgstory.com.