Custody Battle MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Number	197
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Greg Hildebrandt & Tim Hildebrandt

Key Takeaways

Disrupt opponents’ strategies and potentially turn their creatures against them, encouraging cautious play.
Instant speed effect pressures opponents, possibly leading to their making suboptimal decisions.
Strategic use in decks can create card advantage and resource acceleration, furthering your game plan.

Text of card

Enchanted creature has "At the beginning of your upkeep, target opponent gains control of this creature unless you sacrifice a land."

Goblins resolve disputes by splitting everything straight down the middle.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Custody Battle is designed to potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy by making them risk losing a creature every upkeep. This ongoing threat can easily translate into card advantage as it may force opponents to play more cautiously or surrender valuable creatures to you.

Resource Acceleration: If you manage to gain control of an opponent’s creature with Custody Battle, you effectively accelerate your resources. Not only do you increase your board presence, but you also potentially gain any mana abilities that the creature has, further enhancing your capability to cast spells swiftly.

Instant Speed: Although Custody Battle itself may not be an instant, its effect creates an instant speed dilemma for the opponent during their upkeep. This pressure can lead to suboptimal plays from your opponent, keeping you ahead in the game while you efficiently manage your resources and keep your options open.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in a custody battle over a creature means making strategic sacrifices. For this MTG card, one such sacrifice is the need to discard a card from your hand. During gameplay where every resource counts, losing a card could mean forfeiting a crucial play later on.

Specific Mana Cost: Another aspect to ponder is the stringent mana requirement of Custody Battle. The card requires not just any mana, but a precise mix, which makes it somewhat restrictive. This specificity could potentially hinder the card’s integration into a variety of decks that are not closely aligned with its mana colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Mana economy is vital in MTG and the demanding cost associated with Custody Battle can be a downside. With a relatively high mana cost for its effect, players must consider whether the investment is worth it, especially when there are alternative cards that may provide similar benefits for less of a mana commitment.

Reasons to Include Custody Battle in Your Collection

Versatility: Custody Battle is a card that showcases flexible use in various aggressive or control decks. Its ability to hijack opponents’ creatures ensures that it can adapt to numerous game scenarios, making it a wildcard in your MTG arsenal.

Combo Potential: This card has potential in combination with sacrifice effects or other cards that benefit from the control of multiple creatures. By temporarily gaining control of an opponent’s creature, you can initiate surprise combos or disrupt your opponent’s plans.

Meta-Relevance: With the constant evolution of the MTG meta, Custody Battle remains relevant. It’s particularly potent against decks that rely heavily on a single creature or are creature-centric, swinging the balance in your favor in an instant.

How to beat

Custody Battle is a unique red enchantment card that can swing the tide of a game by turning creature control into a mini-game of chance. Each turn, its ability challenges the creature’s controller to maintain its loyalty, adding an unpredictable twist to the battlefield.

To outmaneuver Custody Battle’s unpredictable nature, focus on maintaining a diverse lineup of creatures to lessen the impact of potentially losing one. Counterplay also comes from using instant-speed removal or sacrifice effects in response to the Custody Battle trigger, preserving your resources and leaving the enchantment without a target. Another method is utilizing cards that grant your creatures hexproof or shroud, preventing opponents from targeting them, thus nullifying Custody Battle’s effect. Also consider artifact destruction spells to eliminate support cards that synergize with Custody Battle, mitigating its potential threat. A well-timed Negate or Disenchant can nip the problem in the bud, removing the enchantment before it can cause chaos.

Ultimately, the key is to limit the enchantment’s impact by being proactive and ensuring your deck is equipped with versatile answers to adapt to the whims of Custody Battle’s effect. This strategic approach will keep your army safe and press the advantage in your favor.

Cards like Custody Battle

Custody Battle is an intriguing enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering that adds a layer of strategy to creature control. A close counterpart to this card is the enchantment, Confiscate. Both exert influence over creatures, but Confiscate does so by directly gaining control of any permanent—not just creatures—when it enters the battlefield. However, Custody Battle’s unique ability to potentially change the controller of a creature during each of your opponent’s upkeeps adds an ongoing element of chance and unpredictability.

Control Magic is another classic spell that offers a parallel in terms of commandeering creatures. While Custody Battle can shift control multiple times, Control Magic offers a more stable solution by taking control of a creature as long as the enchantment remains on the battlefield. Then there’s Hijack, providing a different approach with temporary control, but unlike Custody Battle or Control Magic, this effect only lasts for a single turn and includes artifacts along with creatures.

Considering the options, Custody Battle introduces a dynamic and suspenseful approach to creature control in Magic: The Gathering. It’s this capacity to disrupt the battlefield continually that allows players to integrate the card into strategies focused on versatility and adaptability.

Cards similar to Custody Battle by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Custody Battle MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Custody Battle and other MTG cards: