Restrain MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Number	30
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Dorman

Key Takeaways

Restrain provides card advantage through strategic countering, excelling in control deck setups.
Its specific mana cost and discard requirement may limit deck integration despite its benefits.
Restrain’s strength in meta play fluctuates with creature-heavy deck prevalence, requiring adaptability.

Text of card

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by target attacking creature this turn. Draw a card.

"Hanna would give up her own life before she'd abandon the *Weatherlight*." —Sisay

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Restrain enables a strategic draw by countering an opponent’s spell, reducing their resources while potentially keeping your hand filled with options.

Resource Acceleration: By disrupting your adversary’s tempo, Restrain indirectly accelerates your resource management, allowing you a smoother progression to your win conditions.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Restrain being an instant cannot be overstated. It allows for tactical flexibility, giving you the power to respond to threats on your opponent’s turn and keeping them guessing about your next move.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Restrain necessitates the discarding of another card in order to be played. This cost can pose a significant disadvantage, especially in late-game scenarios where every card in hand is pivotal.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires both blue and white mana to cast. This specific mana combination can restrict the card to decks that run on the Azorius color pair, thereby reducing its versatility across the broader slate of possible deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two colored mana plus others, Restrain sits at a higher end of the mana scale for its effects when compared to other control options available. There are instances where other cards may provide similar or better value for less mana investment.

Reasons to Include Restrain in Your Collection

Versatility: Restrain is a card with a broad range of applications, as it can be integrated into various deck styles that prioritize slowing down the opponent. This card shines in control decks that require time to set up a winning board state.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that capitalize on tap effects or are designed to benefit from opponents’ creatures being incapacitated, Restrain can turn into a cog in a machine of synergistic gameplay, contributing to locking down the battlefield in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: The shifting trends often see creature-heavy decks rise in popularity. Restrain becomes particularly effective in such an environment, as it can manage the board and keep pivotal creatures at bay, preserving your life total and giving you a tactical edge over creature-focused rivals.

How to beat

Restrain commands attention in MTG as a unique control card with the ability to stifle an opponent’s creature developments. It shines in scenarios where you’re up against fast-paced decks that aim to flood the board with numerous creatures early on. To outmaneuver Restrain effectively, it’s about adjusting your gameplay to decrease its impact.

One strategy is to prioritize non-creature spells or champion creatureless decks that are unfazed by Restrain’s limiting powers. Alternatively, consider utilizing low-cost creatures to bait out Restrain early, preserving your high-impact creatures for later when your opponent’s resources are strained. Employing instant speed removal or abilities can also bypass Restrain’s constraints, allowing you to manage the board on your own terms.

Stacking your deck with enchantment removal spells is another sound tactic. Disenchant, for instance, provides a straightforward solution to Restrain, releasing your creatures from their bonds. For those who favor subtlety, countering Restrain the moment it hits the stack denies its potential to influence the battlefield. Adaptability is key, and understanding when to commit resources or flex your deck’s strengths makes all the difference against cards like Restrain.

Cards like Restrain

Restrain stands out in Magic: The Gathering’s roster of denial mechanics, aligning closely with the likes of Frost Breath and Sleep. Both serve the purpose of temporarily immobilizing opponent creatures, with Restrain freezing creatures in action upon casting. Unlike Restrain, Frost Breath lacks the capacity to affect all creatures your opponents control, only targeting up to two.

When exploring other parallels such as Blustersquall, one finds it too can tap multiple creatures. Blustersquall, however, offers versatility with its overload cost enabling it to either be a single-target or board-wide effect, a flexibility that Restrain does not provide. Then there’s Gridlock, where despite its ability to tap a number of creatures based on mana spent, it doesn’t compete with Restrain’s blanket coverage which affects all creatures on the opposing side without the need to scale with mana investment.

Examining these alternatives helps to appreciate Restrain’s straightforward yet sweeping impact in games, positioning it as a robust option for players aiming to halt their adversaries in their tracks in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Restrain by color, type and mana cost

Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Restrain MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Restrain and other MTG cards: