Squidnapper MTG Card
2019-11-07 - Number 29
2021-08-20 - Number 29
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Squid Pirate |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Squidnapper may offer card advantage by controlling key creatures, altering the game’s momentum.
- Requires a card discard if you can’t return a creature, a significant trade-off during gameplay.
- Ideal for disrupting creature-focused decks, it adds strategic depth to blue-based control decks.
Text of card
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, gain control of target creature an opponent controls until CARDNAME leaves the battlefield or that player pays the ransom. Ransom — and 2 life
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Squidnapper can potentially shift the tide by taking control of an opponent’s key creature. This temporary gain not only diminishes your opponent’s resources but can also significantly improve your board position.
Resource Acceleration: While Squidnapper itself doesn’t generate mana or tokens, it can indirectly accelerate your resources by commandeering opponent’s mana dorks or creatures with abilities that produce additional mana or other values.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Squidnapper at instant speed means you can wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to disrupt their strategy, whether that’s right before they declare attackers or in response to them casting a spell that would amplify the power of their creature.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Squidnapper forces you to return a creature you control to your hand unless you discard a card. This disadvantage can be particularly impactful during tight games where maintaining hand advantage is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Squidnapper includes both blue and generic mana, making it less flexible for multicolored decks that do not focus on blue mana or run on a tight mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For six mana, Squidnapper’s ability to potentially seize an opponent’s land can be costly, especially when compared to other control options available that might disrupt the opponent’s game plan for less mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Squidnapper offers adaptability to different playing styles. Whether you’re controlling the board in a blue-based deck or seeking to disrupt opponent strategies, Squidnapper’s utility in seizing control of key creatures is a tool with broad applications.
Combo Potential: Coupled with cards that benefit from temporary creature ownership or sacrifice mechanics, Squidnapper becomes a linchpin for inventive and potentially game-turning combinations.
Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where creature-based decks flourish, Squidnapper stands as a relevant choice. It can tilt the battlefield in your favor by temporarily removing an opponent’s threat or by providing that critical swing with an enemy’s creature on your side.
How to beat
Squidnapper is a unique creature card that can swiftly alter the board’s dynamics by kidnapping an opponent’s creature until it leaves the battlefield. To counter this elusive mollusk, the key lies in removal and counterplay. Efficient removal spells can dispatch Squidnapper before it establishes control, effectively releasing the seized creature. Predictive counter spells serve as a preemptive measure, ensuring Squidnapper never enters the field to begin with.
Deploying creature-based strategies can also mitigate the impact of Squidnapper. By maintaining a wide board presence, the significance of losing any particular creature diminishes. The art of sacrifice in MTG is also crucial; utilizing sacrificial creatures not only undermines Squidnapper’s abduction but can also activate your own abilities and effects in response. Lastly, resilience is fundamental in MTG and constructing a deck that can recover from adverse effects helps turn the tide back in your favor against Squidnapper’s temporary theft.
Considering Squidnapper’s role and influence in a match implies a deeper understanding of deck building and in-game tactics. Overcoming a Squidnapper play demands prompt and decisive actions, but with the right strategy, this bounding cephalopod’s grip can be easily broken.
Cards like Squidnapper
Squidnapper is an intriguing creature card that brings a unique twist to the battlefield in MTG. When compared to cards like Man-o’-War, both creatures possess the capability to change the flow of the game by returning other creatures to their owner’s hand. Squidnapper goes beyond by potentially keeping an opponent’s creature hostage as long as you control islands, making it a tactical choice for control strategies.
Another card with a somewhat related effect is Aether Adept. Although it doesn’t offer the detainment ability that Squidnapper does, Aether Adept also bounces creatures upon entering the battlefield, providing a valuable tempo swing. Yet, it lacks the ongoing control Squidnapper can exert when conditions are met. Frost Lynx shares some defensive qualities, tapping down opponent’s creatures, although it doesn’t remove them from the board. This makes Squidnapper a more disruptive choice, especially in games where maintaining board presence is crucial.
Considering these comparisons, Squidnapper fits well into decks that benefit from repeatedly using enter-the-battlefield effects while also hindering opponents from reestablishing their board, positioning itself as a unique and strategic tool in the MTG realm for controlling the ebb and flow of the game.
Cards similar to Squidnapper by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Squidnapper MTG card by a specific set like Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019 and Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021, 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 Squidnapper 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 Squidnapper Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-11-07 and 2021-08-20. Illustrated by Jeff Carpenter.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019 | CMB1 | 29 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jeff Carpenter | |
| 2 | 2021-08-20 | Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021 | CMB2 | 29 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jeff Carpenter |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Squidnapper card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2019-11-12 | If Squidnapper leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, you won’t gain control of the target creature at all. |
| 2019-11-12 | If a card with a ransom ability loses that ability, it has no ransom cost. No player may pay its ransom cost. |
| 2019-11-12 | Pay no attention to any other card in this set using the word “ransom” when determining how Squidnapper’s ransom ability works. |
| 2019-11-12 | Paying a ransom cost to end an effect is a special action. The card’s owner may pay that cost any time they have priority, and players can’t take actions in between the time the player announces their intent to pay and the time the card returns to the zone from which it came. |
