Imprisoned in the Moon MTG Card


Effectively removes an opponent’s threats by transforming them into basic lands with limited use. Slows foes’ resource acceleration by targeting their mana resources. Cast at sorcery speed, it immediately alters the game state upon use.
Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Text of card

Enchant creature, land, or planeswalker Enchanted permanent is a colorless land with ": Add " and loses all other card types and abilities.

Only one vault was great enough to hold Emrakul.


Cards like Imprisoned in the Moon

Imprisoned in the Moon is a unique control option in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to other enchantment-based removal options such as Song of the Dryads. Both cards can effectively neutralize potent threats by turning them into lands. Imprisoned in the Moon, however, specifically transforms the target into a colorless land with the ability to add one colorless mana, while Song of the Dryads allows the transformed permanent to tap for any color of mana.

Lignify is another card that shares similar functionality, exchanging a creature’s abilities for a simpler existence as a Treefolk with no abilities besides being a 0/4 blocker. The key difference is that Lignify is limited to creatures while Imprisoned in the Moon can target creatures, planeswalkers, and even lands. Lastly, there is Darksteel Mutation, which incapacitates commanders by making them indestructible bugs with no abilities. However, unlike Imprisoned in the Moon, it leaves the target’s card type unchanged, which is crucial when dealing with commander dynamics or other card type specific interactions.

Through this exploration, it’s evident that Imprisoned in the Moon’s versatility makes it a compelling choice for players seeking a flexible answer to various permanent types in their blue-inclusive decks.

Song of the Dryads - MTG Card versions
Lignify - MTG Card versions
Darksteel Mutation - MTG Card versions
Song of the Dryads - MTG Card versions
Lignify - MTG Card versions
Darksteel Mutation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Imprisoned in the Moon by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Imprisoned in the Moon transforms an opponent’s significant threat—be it a creature, land or planeswalker—into a land with limited abilities, effectively removing their capabilities and leaving the card on the battlefield in a neutered state. This switch not only depletes their resources but can swing the tide in your favor by disrupting their card synergy and planned strategies.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resource acceleration for you, Imprisoned in the Moon can slow down an opponent’s resource acceleration by targeting their mana-producing cards. This indirect method can give you a substantial advantage, allowing you to stay ahead in the race for resources as they scramble to recover from the setback.

Instant Speed: Although this card is cast at sorcery speed, it offers immediate and lasting effects once it hits the board. The ability to use it during your main phases guarantees that you’ll have full information about the game state, ensuring that you can make the best strategic decision on what to target with its transformative power.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Imprisoned in the Moon does not necessitate discarding cards, but it nonetheless requires careful hand management to ensure its casting does not leave you vulnerable to opponent moves.

Specific Mana Cost: With its unique combination of one colorless and two blue mana, Imprisoned in the Moon may not easily fit into multi-colored decks that aren’t heavily tuned to incorporate blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: A three-mana enchantment that permanently disables a threat is potent; however, the casting cost is significant enough to potentially slow down your early gameplay, making it less favorable compared to lower-cost removal options.


Reasons to Include Imprisoned in the Moon in Your Collection

Versatility: Imprisoned in the Moon offers a unique form of control by transforming any target creature, land, or planeswalker into a basic Land – Island. This ability allows players to manage various threats across differing game scenarios, making it a handy tool in numerous deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card fits well within strategies looking to deny opponents of key resources or to set up board states that benefit from changing card types, such as turning creatures into lands to bypass summoning sickness or enable landfall triggers.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting landscape of powerful creatures and planeswalkers, Imprisoned in the Moon remains relevant as a non-destructive removal option. It handles indestructible creatures and can neuter planeswalkers without triggering death effects, maintaining a solid position in diverse formats.


How to beat

Imprisoned in the Moon is a unique Aura card in Magic: The Gathering that has the power to neutralize key threats by transforming them into harmless lands. Navigating around this enchantment requires a strategic approach. Since it alters a creature, land, or planeswalker, it’s essential to have enchantment removal or land destruction abilities at your disposal. Cards such as Nature’s Claim and Krosan Grip offer inexpensive and effective solutions to remove such enchantments directly, liberating your affected card.

Playing around Imprisoned in the Moon also involves anticipating and countering it before it takes effect. Counterspells are particularly valuable in blue deck builds by stopping the spell in its tracks. Alternatively, having hexproof or shroud abilities on your key permanents can prevent them from becoming targets in the first place. However, if a permanent does become a land, leveraging land animation effects can turn the situation to your advantage by enabling your “land” to fight back.

Maintaining deck versatility and being prepared for different types of threats, not just creatures, can be the difference between staying ahead or being caught off guard by Imprisoned in the Moon. Proactive and reactive measures, combined with a good deck composition, are key to overcoming this transformative enchantment.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depths of MTG offer endless possibilities to enhance your gameplay, and adding Imprisoned in the Moon to your collection can be an astute move. It’s been dissected in terms of pros, cons, and potential for combo plays – a multifaceted card that permits sophisticated control over varied battlefield threats. Adaptation is key in MTG, and knowing when to employ such impactful cards can radically alter the duel in your favor. We encourage you to visit us for more insights and guides on optimizing your decks and strategies. Learn with us, and make each match an example of your evolving expertise in MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Imprisoned in the Moon MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon Promos and Eldritch Moon, 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 Imprisoned in the Moon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Imprisoned in the Moon Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-07-22Eldritch Moon PromosPEMN 65s2015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
22016-07-22Eldritch MoonEMN 652015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
32016-07-22Eldritch Moon PromosPEMN 65p2015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 11022015NormalBorderlessJérémie Solomon
52021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 852015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
62021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1062015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
72023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 742015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
82023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 2242015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee
92024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 1882015NormalBlackRyan Alexander Lee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Imprisoned in the Moon has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-07-13 At the time the permanent becomes enchanted, Imprisoned in the Moon causes it to lose all abilities except the noted mana ability. Any abilities the permanent gains after that point will work normally.
2016-07-13 Becoming a land may cause other Auras to become illegally attached. These are put into their owner's graveyard, and any Equipment attached to the land become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Counters on the land remain on it even if they don't do anything.
2016-07-13 If the enchanted permanent is a land and has land types, it retains those types even though it loses any intrinsic mana abilities associated with them. For example, a Plains enchanted by Imprisoned in the Moon is still a Plains, but it can't tap for , only for .
2016-07-13 If you remove Imprisoned in the Moon from a planeswalker after tapping it for mana, you can still activate a loyalty ability of that planeswalker even though it's tapped.
2016-07-13 The permanent will keep any supertypes it previously had. Notably, if Imprisoned in the Moon is enchanting a legendary permanent, that permanent will continue to be legendary.