Baloth Cage Trap MTG Card
2009-10-02 - Number 156
2017-03-17 - Number 120
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant — Trap |
Key Takeaways
- Instant speed casting allows strategic responses to an opponent’s artifact plays with a 4/4 beast.
- Mana efficiency is achieved when its alternative cost bypasses the traditional mana requirements.
- Its reliance on opponent actions for reduced cost can be restrictive but rewarding if conditions are met.
Text of card
If an opponent had an artifact enter the battlefield under his or her control this turn, you may pay rather than pay Baloth Cage Trap's mana cost. Put a 4/4 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Baloth Cage Trap can put a significant creature onto the battlefield, essentially netting you a substantial creature play without losing a card from your hand. This can swing the board state in your favor and outpace your opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Baloth Cage Trap can bypass normal mana costs if an opponent has triggered it by playing an artifact. This allows you to deploy a potent threat early in the game without expending the usual amount of mana, effectively getting ahead in resource utilization.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Baloth Cage Trap at instant speed is a tactical advantage, giving you flexibility to respond to an opponent’s actions. This key timing can disrupt their strategy, especially if they are committing to an early artifact play, by unexpectedly introducing a 4/4 Beast creature token into the fray.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Baloth Cage Trap does not have a discard requirement, it is contingent on your opponent having put a creature card onto the battlefield from anywhere other than their hand this turn, which might not always be a consistent condition to meet.
Specific Mana Cost: Baloth Cage Trap’s alternative cost alleviates mana color concerns, but if not met, its standard green mana cost might not integrate seamlessly into multicolored or colorless-centric decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five mana for a 4/4 creature, Baloth Cage Trap might be seen as cost-prohibitive, especially if its alternative casting condition isn’t regularly met, which could leave you paying full price in a tight game.
Reasons to Include Baloth Cage Trap in Your Collection
Versatility: Baloth Cage Trap offers flexibility in deck building. It can be a cost-effective creature in green decks, especially in those that prepare for opponents’ creatures or artifacts entering the battlefield.
Combo Potential: This card has synergy with decks that are designed to capitalize on creature spells. It can be a surprise blocker or used in combination with cards designed to benefit from casting creature spells.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifacts and creature-heavy strategies prevail, Baloth Cage Trap serves as a powerful counter-play. It can quickly shift the momentum of the game in your favor at a reduced mana cost, fitting seamlessly into a range of green-aligned strategies.
How to beat Baloth Cage Trap
Baloth Cage Trap is a unique interrupter in the MTG universe, offering a twist to the usual creature deployment rhythm. As a trap card, it allows players to put a potent creature onto the battlefield at a potentially reduced cost, provided certain conditions are met—specifically, if an opponent had a creature enter the battlefield under their control this turn. This ability to spring a surprise creature can shift the balance of the game in your favor.
To outmaneuver Baloth Cage Trap, the key is in controlling the timing. Since the reduced cost is triggered by creature plays, one strategy is to limit creature plays or wait until the opponent is tapped out of mana and less likely to afford its full cost. Another tactic involves disrupting their graveyard resources, as cards like Bojuka Bog can exile cards and undermine strategies relying on reanimation or recursion. Removal spells that can handle creatures at instant speed can also be invaluable, as they provide an immediate answer to the Baloth when it hits the board.
In essence, staying flexible and responsive plays a pivotal role when facing up against surprise elements like Baloth Cage Trap. Being one step ahead of your opponent’s plays is essential for victory in the intricate dance of MTG.
Cards like Baloth Cage Trap
Baloth Cage Trap finds its place in the realm of reactive creature spells in MTG. The card is akin to others in its category, such as Beast Within, offering a quick response to an opponent’s actions. Baloth Cage Trap has the unique advantage of being significantly cheaper if a creature entered the battlefield under an opponent’s control this turn. Beast Within lacks this cost reduction but brings versatility, being able to destroy any permanent at instant speed.
In the context of creature-focused traps, Aether Adept also comes to mind. Although it doesn’t share the trap mechanic, Aether Adept disrupts opponent’s plays by returning a creature to its owner’s hand when it enters the battlefield, giving you a tactical edge. Another card to compare is Wing Snare, which also focuses on dealing with creature threats by destroying any flier, akin to Baloth Cage Trap’s creature-specific mechanism.
Scrutinizing the intricacies of these cards highlights how Baloth Cage Trap excels in a meta with frequent creature plays. Its potential for a low-cost high-impact play situates it distinctively within the array of green creature interaction cards in MTG.
Cards similar to Baloth Cage Trap by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Baloth Cage Trap MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Modern Masters 2017, 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 Baloth Cage Trap and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Baloth Cage Trap Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2017-03-17. Illustrated by Austin Hsu.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 156 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Austin Hsu | |
| 2 | 2017-03-17 | Modern Masters 2017 | MM3 | 120 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Austin Hsu |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Baloth Cage Trap has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Baloth Cage Trap card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Casting a Trap by paying its alternative cost doesn’t change its mana cost or mana value. The only difference is the cost you actually pay. |
| 2009-10-01 | Effects that increase or reduce the cost to cast a Trap will apply to whichever cost you chose to pay. |
| 2009-10-01 | You may ignore a Trap’s alternative cost condition and simply cast it for its normal mana cost. This is true even if its alternative cost condition has been met. |
