Escape Routes MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2001-02-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Planeshift |
| Set code | PLS |
| Number | 25 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Marc Fishman |
Text of card
o U: Return target white or black creature you control to its owner's hand.
"I'll get you to safety—or whatever passes for safety these days." —Urborg ferry pilot
Cards like Escape Routes
Escape Routes holds a unique position among card mechanics in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to Crystal Shard, both allow players to return creatures to their owner’s hand. Escape Routes differs with its narrower focus, as it’s limited to creatures only, whereas Crystal Shard can be used on any targeted creature, including opponents’. This can be significant in decks built around creature-based strategies or in avoiding unfavorable exchanges.
Another card with a similar vibe is Voyager Staff, though the effect is temporary. Staff exiles creatures and returns them at the next end step, which can protect or reuse creatures but doesn’t offer the sustained control of Escape Routes. Additionally, the repetitiveness available with Escape Routes is unmatched by Voyager Staff’s single-use nature.
Conclusively, Escape Routes may offer strategic advantages in specific MTG deck builds that capitalize on casting creatures with entering the battlefield effects. Although it might appear less flexible than other options, it can be a reliable tool for players aiming to exploit recurring creature abilities.
Cards similar to Escape Routes by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Escape Routes offers repeatable card advantage by enabling you to return a creature you own to your hand. This can be particularly effective in decks built around enter-the-battlefield abilities, allowing you to reuse these effects and maintain a steady flow of utility and pressure.
Resource Acceleration: While Escape Routes itself does not directly accelerate resources, the ability to bounce creatures to your hand can indirectly lead to mana efficiency. By reusing mana-intensive creatures or saving them from removal, you get more value over time, stretching your resources further.
Instant Speed: The option to activate Escape Routes at instant speed gives you significant flexibility. You can dodge targeted removal, surprise opponents by changing combat math, or simply use the effect at the end of your opponent’s turn to maximize mana utilization. This adaptability is invaluable in many in-game scenarios, positioning you tactically ahead.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Escape Routes necessitates discarding a card to activate its ability, meaning that if your hand is already depleted, it might be tricky to make the most of its potential, straining your card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Its activation cost requires both blue and white mana, which could pose a hindrance in decks that are not tailored towards a blue-white combination or multi-color adaptability, potentially restricting its inclusion to certain types of decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of three mana and an additional two mana for each activation, Escape Routes offers a recurring effect that can be seen as costly, especially when matched against other cards with lower and more efficient activation costs for returning creatures to hand.
Reasons to Include Escape Routes in Your Collection
Versatility: Escape Routes provides a flexible mechanic for decks that thrive on reusing enter-the-battlefield effects. It allows you to return a creature to your hand, enabling repeated use of abilities and ensuring your key creatures can evade removal.
Combo Potential: This card creates synergy with creatures that have powerful ETB triggers, amplifying their effects with each activation. It also meshes well with strategies that involve discard or graveyard interaction, offering another layer of tactical depth.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where permanents are often subject to removal, having an option like Escape Routes allows you to safeguard your important creatures and maintain an advantage. Its utility in recurring effects makes it a contender in various meta scenarios, especially those that favor control or value-driven playstyles.
How to beat
Escape Routes is a nuanced card that can puzzle many players in Magic: The Gathering. The card allows its controller to return a creature they own to their hand, making it a persistent threat that can be difficult to permanently remove from the battlefield. However, one effective strategy to counter Escape Routes is to focus on disrupting the player’s mana base. Since the activation of Escape Routes requires mana, denying your opponent that crucial resource can neutralize its effectiveness.
Moreover, incorporating cards that restrict or penalize the use of activated abilities can severely limit Escape Routes. Cards like Pithing Needle, which can name and shut off any non-mana card’s activated abilities, can effectively lock out Escape Routes. Another tactic involves utilizing exile effects or cards that can quickly end the game before the player gets significant value from their creature reusability. Lastly, direct enchantment removal spells or abilities help to eliminate Escape Routes from play, ensuring its effects don’t disrupt your strategy and edge you closer to victory.
Ultimately, the key to outlasting an opponent using Escape Routes is to be proactive and adaptive, ensuring they can’t fully utilize the card’s potential to swing the game in their favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Escape Routes MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Escape Routes and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Escape Routes has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |