Ravenous Trap MTG Card
2009-10-02 - Number 109
2020-03-08 - Number 42
2020-08-07 - Number 103
2020-09-26 - Number ZEN-109
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant — Trap |
Key Takeaways
- Zero mana cost under conditions offers significant tempo and resource advantages, disrupting opponent strategies.
- Instant speed allows for flexibility and surprise, pivotal in games where graveyard tactics are key.
- It’s essential for sideboards, versatile against various metagame scenarios involving graveyard interactions.
Text of card
If an opponent had three or more cards put into his or her graveyard from anywhere this turn, you may pay rather than pay Ravenous Trap's mana cost. Exile all cards from target player's graveyard.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ravenous Trap offers a significant boost in card advantage by exiling all cards from an opponent’s graveyard. This can negate combo pieces and gradually accumulated value, leaving them at a strategic loss.
Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly provide mana or acceleration, the ability to cast it for zero cost under the right conditions is a clear win in terms of resource management. This allows you to maintain tempo and keep mana available for other crucial plays.
Instant Speed: Its status as an instant gives you the flexibility to respond to graveyard strategies at a moment’s notice. By disrupting your opponent’s plan on their turn, Ravenous Trap can swing the momentum of the game in your favor without committing resources on your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: To activate its alternative cost, Ravenous Trap requires an opponent to have three or more cards sent to their graveyard from anywhere this turn. This condition, while sometimes easily met in formats like Modern or Legacy where graveyard strategies are common, might not trigger in games against decks that don’t heavily utilize the graveyard, thus limiting its effectiveness and potential as a surprise play.
Specific Mana Cost: Ravenous Trap has a specific mana cost that requires a single black mana. While this may seem minimal, it can be a challenge to cast in a multicolored deck if the necessary mana isn’t available, limiting its integration into some strategies that can’t always guarantee the black mana source on demand.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its regular mana cost is set at three generic mana and one black mana, which could be considered steep for an instant-speed graveyard removal spell, particularly when alternatives like Tormod’s Crypt exist without any cost. This makes it less appealing for decks that require a lower curve or when the game’s state does not allow for that much mana to be held up in anticipation of its use.
Reasons to Include Ravenous Trap in Your Collection
Versatility: Ravenous Trap provides instant-speed graveyard interaction, which is vital in a wide range of formats where graveyard strategies are prevalent. It fits seamlessly into sideboards for both controlling and aggressive builds.
Combo Potential: As a free cast under certain conditions, the card synergizes with spell-based strategies that aim to cast multiple spells in a single turn or seek ways to disrupt opponent’s combos without expending resources.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-present threat of graveyard-based decks in various MTG metagames, Ravenous Trap is a crucial card to have on hand. Its ability to exile an opponent’s graveyard at no cost, under the right conditions, makes it exceptionally powerful and relevant.
How to beat
Ravenous Trap is a potent instant in Magic: The Gathering, designed as a silver bullet against graveyard strategies. Landing on the battlefield abruptly, it exiles an opponent’s graveyard, a knockout move against decks reliant on graveyard interactions. To tackle Ravenous Trap, preemptive action is key. Prioritize cards with graveyard shuffling abilities, like the Eldrazi Titans or Gaea’s Blessing, to keep your graveyard protected from disparagement.
Having counter magic on standby can also be a lifesaver, allowing you to negate Ravenous Trap before it disrupts your strategy. Moreover, employing card types less reliant on the graveyard, such diversifying your deck can mean Ravenous Trap becomes less of a threat. Some players lean towards enchantment and artifact-heavy compositions, which Ravenous Trap cannot touch. Planning out your plays to avoid triggering its alternative free casting cost is also vital; by not casting multiple spells in one turn, you can avoid stepping right into the trap.
Indeed, while Ravenous Trap can be a formidable card to face, a well-thought-out approach that includes variations in deck construction, strategic play, and ready counters can ensure that this trap doesn’t catch you unawares in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Ravenous Trap
Ravenous Trap is a powerful tool for players looking to counter graveyard-based strategies in MTG. Compared to cards like Tormod’s Crypt, Ravenous Trap offers an instant-speed response, allowing players to react on the fly. While Tormod’s Crypt doesn’t require mana investment, it lacks the element of surprise and the ability to exile multiple cards simultaneously that Ravenous Trap provides.
Another comparison points to Leyline of the Void, which also exiles cards that go to the graveyard but from the game’s start if it’s in the opening hand. However, Ravenous Trap shines in its potential to be costless under the right conditions, a boon Leyline cannot claim. There’s also Nihil Spellbomb, which can target a single graveyard and potentially draw a card. Yet, it’s the sweeping effect of Ravenous Trap, clearing all cards from an opponent’s graveyard without cost, that sets it apart in sudden tempo shifts.
Evaluating the effectiveness of graveyard hate options, Ravenous Trap stands out with these distinguishing features. It’s a card that can catch opponents off guard and drastically shift the momentum of the game in a player’s favor.
Cards similar to Ravenous Trap by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ravenous Trap MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Ravenous 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 Ravenous Trap Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Cyril Van Der Haegen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 109 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 2 | 2020-03-08 | Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils | FMB1 | 42 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 3 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 103 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | ZEN-109 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ravenous Trap has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ravenous Trap card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-08-07 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as Ravenous Trap's alternative cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was. |
