Hold for Ransom MTG Card

Hold for Ransom offers strategic depth, with instant speed play and card draw potential. The card’s demanding mana cost and discard requirement may limit its versatility. Counter strategies, like enchantment removal, can mitigate its control effects.

Hold for Ransom - Streets of New Capenna

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2022-04-29
Set symbol
Set name	Streets of New Capenna
Set code	SNC
Number	16
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nestor Ossandon Leal

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block and has ": Hold for Ransom's controller sacrifices it and draws a card. Activate only as a sorcery."

"Let's find out how much your friends think you're worth." —Gino, hired kidnapper

Cards like Hold for Ransom

Hold for Ransom is another intriguing entry in the realm of control spells within Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with Claustrophobia, which also incapacitates a creature without actually removing it from the battlefield. What makes Hold for Ransom shine is its added versatility. Not only does it detain a creature, but it also allows the controlling player to draw cards whenever the imprisoned creature’s controller casts a spell, turning a defensive move into a potential advantage in card economy.

Comparatively, Arrest is another card that neutralizes threats by preventing them from attacking or blocking and negating their abilities. While Arrest completely shuts down a creature’s capabilities, it lacks the card draw mechanic that Hold for Ransom provides, making Hold for Ransom potentially more beneficial in longer games where card advantage is crucial. Then there’s Encrust, which not only taps a creature or artifact but also prevents its activation. Although Encrust offers the flexibility of targeting noncreature permanents, it doesn’t offer the ongoing benefit of drawing extra cards.

To sum it up, Hold for Ransom holds its own against other control spells due to its unique blend of creature confinement and card draw, which may grant players an advantageous position in both board control and hand resources throughout the game.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hold for Ransom shines when it comes to disrupting your opponent’s plans while bolstering your position. By taking control of an opposing creature, you effectively remove that threat from your adversary’s arsenal. Additionally, this shift provides you with a new asset on the battlefield, increasing your potential strategies and combat effectiveness.

Resource Acceleration: Utilizing Hold for Ransom can have a ripple effect on your mana usage. Not only do you deploy a threat without expending the mana usually associated with casting creature spells, but you also free up resources to play other cards in your hand. This efficient use of mana can significantly accelerate your game plan and pressure your opponent.

Instant Speed: The power of instant speed spells in MTG cannot be overstated, and Hold for Ransom leverages this by allowing you to adapt to the fluid situation of a match. With the ability to act at the end of your opponent’s turn or in response to their moves, it ensures that you maintain the upper hand, keeping your strategies flexible and your threats unpredictable.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Hold for Ransom necessitates the discard of another card, which may prove to be a challenging trade-off, especially when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of mana types to play, which could potentially clash with your deck’s mana base or strategy, making it a situable fit for only certain types of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost reaching a more elevated tier for its effects, Hold for Ransom faces stiff competition from other cards that may fulfill similar roles more efficiently or at a lower resource investment.

Reasons to Include Hold for Ransom in Your Collection

Versatility: Hold for Ransom is a flexible card that can be integrated into various control strategies. Its ability to neutralize threats temporarily makes it a valuable inclusion in decks that aim to stall the game and build up to a powerful late-game presence.

Combo Potential: This card can complement decks that take advantage of tapping and untapping mechanics or those that benefit from enchantments. It can also serve as a piece in disrupting opposing combos by targeting key creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that’s rich with creature-based strategies, Hold for Ransom can become an essential tool. It can swing the tempo in your favor by effectively removing a pivotal creature from combat and its abilities, albeit temporarily – a vital move that could pave the way for your victory.

How to beat

Hold for Ransom shines as a notable control tool in Magic: The Gathering, largely due to its ability to neutralize a major threat by exiling an opponent’s creature and preventing it from attacking or blocking. This is especially impactful when dealing with creatures that have significant combat abilities. However, with the right strategy, you can effectively counteract this spell and maintain momentum in your game.

The key to overcoming Hold for Ransom lies in removing its enchantment from the battlefield. Spells that destroy enchantments or target permanents can swiftly restore your creature to play. Alternatively, counterspells are particularly effective at stopping Hold for Ransom before it can even affect the board state. Interestingly, cards that offer hexproof to your creatures as well as flicker effects, which temporarily exile and then return creatures to play, can also circumvent the constraints of Hold for Ransom. Taking these approaches will minimize the card’s impact and keep your strategy on track.

Ultimately, being prepared with enchantment removal, disruption abilities, and protection for your key creatures makes Hold for Ransom much less of a setback. Playing thoughtfully and incorporating these methods will give you a solid advantage against control decks that include this confining spell.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hold for Ransom MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 Hold for Ransom and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hold for Ransom has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2022-04-29	The ability Hold for Ransom grants to the enchanted creature can be activated only by that creature's controller, who is usually not the same player who controls Hold for Ransom.