Leonin Snarecaster MTG Card

Leonin Snarecaster provides immediate board impact by tapping creatures, a crucial tempo play. It may lead to indirect costs over time, less favorable in long-term card advantage. Versatile in specific decks, the card underperforms compared to alternatives in certain metas.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Cat Soldier
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

When Leonin Snarecaster enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature.

Formerly oppressed by the polis of Meletis, leonin occasionally "mistake" their old enemies for game.

Cards like Leonin Snarecaster

Leonin Snarecaster serves as a tactical piece in creature-based strategies within Magic: The Gathering. When looking at its ability to tap a target creature, we see resemblances to other cards like Gideon’s Lawkeeper. While the Snarecaster can impact the board immediately due to its “enter the battlefield” effect, Lawkeeper offers ongoing control, albeit requiring mana to activate its ability each turn.

Another card worth mentioning is Blinding Mage, which again taps creatures but through an activated ability. The key difference is the longevity of control Blinding Mage offers versus the single-use nature of Leonin Snarecaster. In contrast, Azorius Justiciar has a similar effect as the Snarecaster upon entry to the battlefield but targets two creatures. The trade-off here is in mana cost and flexibility.

Assessing the utility of Leonin Snarecaster, it performs admirably in offering instant speed interaction against an opposing creature, fitting well in aggressive decks looking for a tempo advantage. It’s not as flexible as its counterparts but can be decisive in the right deck, making it a card with specific appeal rather than broad use.

Gideon's Lawkeeper - MTG Card versions
Blinding Mage - MTG Card versions
Azorius Justiciar - MTG Card versions
Gideon's Lawkeeper - MTG Card versions
Blinding Mage - MTG Card versions
Azorius Justiciar - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Leonin Snarecaster itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its influence on the board can help preserve your card resources. By tapping a potential attacker or blocker, you effectively neutralize a threat without having to use another card from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: This may not be a direct accelerator, but playing Leonin Snarecaster can strategically slow down your opponent’s pace, giving you additional time to draw into your own resource acceleration cards or develop your board without pressure.

Instant Speed: Leonin Snarecaster’s ability to tap a creature on entry is akin to having an effect at instant speed because it can disrupt an opponent’s combat phase unexpectedly. You can cast this card on your turn or just before your opponent’s combat phase begins, creating immediate board impact and keeping your opposition on their toes.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: One downside of the Leonin Snarecaster is its mana cost which requires white mana. This can sometimes restrict deck building options, particularly in multicolored decks that might struggle with color fixing or prefer to focus on other color combinations for synergy.

Discard Requirement: While Leonin Snarecaster does not directly require a discard to be played, its one-shot effect might lead players to discard it later in favor of cards with more lasting board impact. This can be seen as an indirect cost, especially in games where maintaining card advantage is critical.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Leonin Snarecaster’s mana cost isn’t excessively high, two mana for a creature that only has a temporary effect on the battlefield may not be the most mana-efficient play. There are other creatures or spells at similar mana costs that provide more resilient or versatile solutions, making the Leonin Snarecaster a less desirable choice in competitive scenarios.

Reasons to Include Leonin Snarecaster in Your Collection

Versatility: Leonin Snarecaster can be a useful addition to any deck that values early board control. Its ability to tap target creature can be critical for maintaining tempo and disrupting opponents’ strategies.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with decks that capitalize on tapping and untapping creatures or benefit from having cats or soldiers to enable various tribal interactions and bonuses.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors aggressive creature-based strategies, Leonin Snarecaster can serve as a low-cost means to neutralize attackers or blockers, potentially swinging the game in your favor.

How to Beat

The Leonin Snarecaster is a tactical card that can sway the tide with its ability to tap target creature opponents control. It plays a role akin to Temporary Lockdown in its function to disrupt opponent’s plans, although it doesn’t remove the creature from the game. Against the Leonin Snarecaster’s effect, the focus shifts to spells or abilities that untap your creatures or grant them vigilance, allowing them to sidestep the Snarecaster’s tap-down tactic. Cards like Rally of Wings, which untaps all creatures you control, can be potent tools to counteract such strategies.

Another approach to undermine the Snarecaster is to deploy creatures with haste, ensuring they can attack or use their abilities the same turn they come into play. The Snarecaster, after all, can only tap creatures once per turn using its ability when it enters the battlefield. Additionally, removal spells like Shock or Swift End can eliminate the Snarecaster before its ability affects the battlefield significantly. Such spells negate the potential setback of the opponent’s attempt to stall your strategy, leaving them open for a counterstrike.

To summarize, while the Leonin Snarecaster can pose a brief obstacle, its impact is easily mitigated through vigilance-granting spells, creatures with haste, or timely removal. These strategies can turn the tables on the control this card aims to exert and keep your game plan on track.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Leonin Snarecaster MTG card by a specific set like Theros and Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning, 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 Leonin Snarecaster and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Leonin Snarecaster Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-09-27TherosTHS 232003NormalBlackKev Walker
22014-09-05Duel Decks: Speed vs. CunningDDN 42015NormalBlackKev Walker
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2072015NormalBlackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Leonin Snarecaster has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal