Encase in Ice MTG Card

Encase in Ice hampers opponents, preserving card advantage by freezing significant threats effectively. Instant speed play adds disruptive versatility, allowing surprise tactics during an opponent’s turn. Targeted lockdown provides blue-focused decks with a valuable control tool against certain color strategies.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant, Flash
Released	2015-03-27
Set symbol
Set name	Dragons of Tarkir
Set code	DTK
Number	54
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mathias Kollros

Text of card

Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) Enchant red or green creature When Encase in Ice enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature. Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.

Cards like Encase in Ice

Encase in Ice is an intriguing control option for blue decks within Magic: The Gathering, aligning itself with a lineage of effective creature lockdown spells. It resembles cards like Frost Breath, which temporarily prevents creatures from untapping. Encase in Ice, however, offers a longer-term solution by keeping a red or green creature tapped as long as it remains on the battlefield.

Another parallel can be drawn with the card Ice Cage, which has a similar tap-down effect. Ice Cage can target any creature but has the drawback of being destroyed if the creature becomes the target of another spell or ability. Encase in Ice stands resilient against that particular weakness. A close counterpart is also found in Claustrophobia, which offers indefinite control but at a higher mana cost and without color specificity.

Assessing Encase in Ice within MTG’s catalogue of creature control spells, its niche effectiveness against red and green creatures makes it a strategic sideboard card in formats where those colors dominate the battlefield. Its precise utility gives it a distinct standing among its counterparts.

Cards similar to Encase in Ice by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Encase in Ice excels in slowing down your opponent by targeting their key creatures. Although it doesn’t let you draw cards, it effectively removes an opponent’s threat from the game while you maintain your hand resources.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating your own resources, Encase in Ice allows you to better utilize your mana by dealing with threats at a low cost. This can indirectly speed up your game plan by keeping your opponent’s resources at bay.

Instant Speed: As a versatile enchantment with flash, Encase in Ice can be played at instant speed. This means you can respond to your opponent’s plays, catching them off-guard and potentially disrupting their strategy during their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Encase in Ice mandates that you already control a tapped creature to play, restricting its use to conditions post-engagement or enemy actions.

Specific Mana Cost: With its need for both single blue and double generic mana, this card might not seamlessly fit into multicolored or mana-heavy decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given its cost of two generic and one blue mana, Encase in Ice is a costlier option compared to other freeze or lockdown enchantments available for control strategies.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Encase in Ice has a well-earned spot in decks requiring control over the board. With its ability to lock down powerful red or green creatures, it provides a strategic edge in diverse play environments.

Combo Potential: This card has solid integration capacity, especially when coupled with tap-and-untap mechanics or cards that capitalize on the state of being tapped or frozen, turning it into a useful tool for crafty combos.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating MTG scene, Encase in Ice shines when red or green decks dominate the tables. Its targeted freezing effect can neutralize key creatures, altering the pace and outcome of key matches.

How to Overcome Encase in Ice

Encase in Ice represents a powerful freeze effect in Magic: The Gathering, providing control players with a tool to neutralize menacing red or green creatures. When faced with this icy enchantment, the typical strategy revolves around deploying creatures that are less susceptible to being kept on ice. A swift change of tactics might involve leveraging artifacts or creatures with hexproof to sidestep Encase in Ice’s targeting limitations.

Another angle to consider is enchantment removal. Green players may benefit from accessible options such as Naturalize or more flexible spells like Return to Nature, clearing away the frosty shackles and bringing valuable creatures back into play. For red mages, casting a competitive spell like Smash to Smithereens is optimal, offering both removal and direct damage. Such reactive measures ensure that Encase in Ice doesn’t hold a permanent grip on the battlefield.

Ultimately, Encase in Ice can disrupt aggressive strategies but it’s not impervious to counterplay. Adjusting your deck to include enchantment removal or evasion abilities can effectively prevent Encase in Ice from freezing your game plan, maintaining pressure on your opponent while keeping your most important assets in play.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Encase in Ice MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Encase in Ice and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Encase in Ice has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2015-02-25	If the enchanted creature stops being red or green, or if it stops being a creature, Encase in Ice will be put into its owner’s graveyard.
2015-02-25	The creature can still be untapped by other spells and abilities.

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.