Lifetap MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 61
1993-10-04 - Number 62
1993-12-01 - Number 62
1993-12-10 - Number 62
1993-12-10 - Number 62
1994-04-01 - Number 63
1994-04-01 - Number 63
1994-06-21 - Number 63
1995-04-01 - Number 81
1995-04-01 - Number 81
1997-03-24 - Number 99
2022-11-28 - Number 61
2022-11-28 - Number 358
| Card sets | Released in 13 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
You gain 1 life each time any forest of opponent's becomes tapped.
Cards like Lifetap
Lifetap is an intriguing card within the arsenal of blue spells in Magic: The Gathering, sharing characteristics with other life-gaining enchantments. A notable parallel can be drawn to the card Psychic Leech. While Lifetap grants you life whenever a Forest is tapped by an opponent, Psychic Leech also hinges on your opponent’s actions, providing life whenever an opponent’s card ability causes them to draw. However, Lifetap’s potential can be seen when facing decks heavy with Forests, giving it a more situational edge.
Another card that comes to mind is Spirit Link, which attaches to a creature and grants life equal to the damage it deals. Though not an enchantment affecting lands like Lifetap, the concept of gaining life from common gameplay actions connects them. Lifetap’s advantage lies in its ability to affect multiple Forests rather than being limited to one creature’s activity.
Through comparison, Lifetap has a distinct place among life-gaining MTG cards. Its efficacy is context-dependent but can prove to be a persistent source of life advantage against green-heavy decks. This strategic aspect earns Lifetap a considered spot in decks looking to capitalize on the landscape of an opponent’s mana resources.
Cards similar to Lifetap by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lifetap offers players the ability to benefit each time they tap a land for blue mana, effectively turning each land into a potential source of incremental advantage over the course of the game. This can lead to a powerful snowball effect, maintaining the player’s momentum and putting opponents under pressure to respond.
Resource Acceleration: With each blue mana tapped, Lifetap provides users with extra life, which can be a form of resource acceleration. This additional life can effectively increase the player’s staying power in the game, helping them survive longer and providing more opportunities to leverage other cards and strategies.
Instant Speed: While Lifetap itself is not an instant, the benefit it provides synergizes well with instant-speed actions. Having Lifetap on the battlefield allows players to cast instants and still obtain the life-gaining effect during the opponent’s turn, optimizing both their offense and defense strategies.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Lifetap, a distinct disadvantage players face is the necessity to discard a card as part of its utilization. This downside can pose significant strategic challenges, especially when a player’s hand is running on empty or when every card is pivotal to maintaining game momentum.
Specific Mana Cost: Lifetap’s requirement for specific mana alignment necessitates blue mana for activation. This requisite narrows its compatibility, confining it to blue-inclusive decks and potentially excluding it from a wider range of deck builds that could benefit from its ability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a somewhat steep mana investment, Lifetap may not be the foremost choice for players seeking to optimize their mana expenditure. With alternative options available that incur lower costs for similar or even more potent effects, the cost efficiency of Lifetap comes into question within the competitive landscape.
Reasons to Include Lifetap in Your Collection
Versatility: Lifetap shines in decks that focus on gaining life as a resource. Its ability to turn life gain into card advantage makes it flexible enough to include in a variety of deck archetypes, ranging from control to combo-based strategies.
Combo Potential: This card can become a cornerstone in synergistic playstyles. For instance, pairing it with cards that allow you to gain life each turn creates a consistent draw mechanism, fueling your hand and giving you more options each round.
Meta-Relevance: Against aggressive decks, Lifetap’s utility can be a game-changer. In an environment where quick plays and combat tricks dominate, sustaining your life total while drawing more answers helps tilt the game in your favor.
How to beat
Lifetap, a unique card in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal, attracts players keen on gaining an edge through life gain strategies. It truly shines against decks that heavily rely on Islands or blue mana. To effectively counter Lifetap, the strategy is straightforward – avoid playing into its strength. Sideboarding cards that can remove enchantments, such as Disenchant, offers direct removal and swings the momentum back in your favor. It’s essential to diversify your mana base to minimize the impact of Lifetap’s ability if blue is a significant component of your deck.
Additionally, decks that operate on an alternate resource, like using artifacts or creatures with abilities that tap for mana, can bypass Lifetap’s influence entirely. Employing land destruction tactics or land type changing cards such as Blood Moon or Spreading Seas can neutralize the advantage gained by a Lifetap user, simultaneously disrupting their strategy. In a pinch, accelerating your game plan to close out the game quickly before Lifetap can significantly tip the scales is also a viable approach. The key is to remain adaptable and have a well-prepared sideboard to counteract enchantment-oriented strategies.
With the right tactical adjustments and reactive plays, Lifetap can be transformed from a potential threat to a mere hiccup in your path to victory. In competitive MTG play, understanding how to dismantle key cards of opposing decks is as crucial as executing your strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lifetap MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Lifetap and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
Printings
The Lifetap Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 61 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 62 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 62 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 62 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 62 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 63 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 63 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 63 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 81 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 81 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 99 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mike Dringenberg | |
| 12 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 61 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 13 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 358 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lifetap has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lifetap card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Gives one life for each and every Forest tapped. |
| 2004-10-04 | In multi-player games it affects all opponents. |