Saprazzan Bailiff MTG Card


Bailiff can cause opponents to discard when they exceed hand size limits, creating card advantage. Setting back opponents’ resources, it delays their play by bouncing mana creatures back. Flexibly include in decks for its control and ability to disrupt opponents at critical times.
Saprazzan Bailiff - Mercadian Masques
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Merfolk
Released1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameMercadian Masques
Set codeMMQ
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number97
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRon Spencer

Text of card

When Saprazzan Bailiff comes into play, remove all artifact and enchantment cards in all graveyards from the game. When Saprazzan Bailiff leaves play, return all artifact and enchantment cards from all graveyards to their owners' hands.


Cards like Saprazzan Bailiff

The Saprazzan Bailiff offers a distinctive role in the world of Magic: The Gathering card management. It’s akin to other cards that manipulate both players’ hands, such as Loxodon Smiter. The Smiter arrives without the ability to bounce back cards to the opponent’s hand, but compensates with a strong presence on the board. Another card sharing the hand disruption theme is Sire of Insanity. This daunting creature forces both players to discard their hand at the end of each turn, marking a broader effect than the focused return provided by Saprazzan Bailiff.

Comparatively, the keen control the Bailiff offers over the return of creatures to an opponent’s hand is nuanced yet impactful. Balancing this are cards like Cunning Lethemancer that exert continual pressure on the hand size of all players, yet this approach lacks the selectivity of Saprazzan Bailiff. Despite having similar objectives, these cards create very different dynamics in game play.

Assessing these options highlights how Saprazzan Bailiff carves its niche within Magic: The Gathering, presenting a specialized option for players aiming to temporarily remove threats while maintaining board control.

Loxodon Smiter - MTG Card versions
Sire of Insanity - MTG Card versions
Cunning Lethemancer - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Smiter - MTG Card versions
Sire of Insanity - MTG Card versions
Cunning Lethemancer - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Saprazzan Bailiff by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Psionic Entity - MTG Card versions
Taniwha - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Wu Admiral - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Dreamtail Heron - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Richard Garfield, Ph.D. - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Tidewater Minion - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Psionic Entity - MTG Card versions
Taniwha - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Wu Admiral - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Dreamtail Heron - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Richard Garfield, Ph.D. - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Tidewater Minion - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Saprazzan Bailiff has the potential to disrupt your opponent’s hand, bouncing creatures back to their hand and momentarily decreasing their board presence. This can effectively turn into card advantage if it forces your opponent to discard due to hand size limits at the end of their turn.

Resource Acceleration: While the Saprazzan Bailiff itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly aid in this by returning mana-producing creatures to the owner’s hand, which can delay your opponent’s development and give you a relative resource advantage.

Instant Speed: Although the Saprazzan Bailiff is a creature and doesn’t operate at instant speed, its entry effect can be utilized at a nearly instant speed by playing it during your main phase right before the end of your turn. This way, it serves a similar disruptive purpose, especially when timed right after your opponent has played a creature.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Saprazzan Bailiff demands that you discard another creature card once it enters the battlefield. This can be a setback when your hand is already struggling or if you’re lacking cards that synergize with graveyard strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both blue and white mana, Saprazzan Bailiff’s dual mana cost can be restrictive, confining the card to only Azorius or multicolored decks where mana fixing is less of an issue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana—two of which must be blue and white—Saprazzan Bailiff may come into play later than other creature control options. In comparison, other creatures or spells might offer similar or better control effects with lower or more flexible mana requirements.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Saprazzan Bailiff offers flexibility in decks focused on control and tempo. As a reactive play, this card can handle multiple kinds of threats by returning creatures to their owner’s hands, thus fitting seamlessly into blue-centric strategies.

Combo Potential: The bailiff works well with strategies that capitalize on casting and recasting creatures. Whether it’s bouncing your own creatures for repeatable effects or disrupting your opponent’s board presence, the bailiff ensures each play can further your game plan.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where aggro decks swarm the field, the bailiff’s ability to clear multiple creatures can be a game-changer. Its utility in resetting the board and giving you the upper hand is essential for maintaining control in a fast-paced meta.


How to beat

The Saprazzan Bailiff may not be the most celebrated card in the MTG universe, but understanding how to neutralize its impact can turn the tides in your favor during gameplay. Known for returning all local enchantments to their owner’s hands when it comes into play, it poses a unique challenge. To dismantle its effect, strategize with counter spells — a well-timed Negate or Counterspell can prevent the Bailiff from entering the battlefield in the first place, maintaining your enchantments’ positions.

Another tactical approach involves the use of removal spells post its deployment. Swiftly employing a Path to Exile or Murder can effectively remove it from the field, limiting its impact to a one-time inconvenience. Alternatively, focus on enchantments with flash, so the returning-to-hand effect becomes a nuanced advantage for you, allowing the redeployment of your enchantments at a moment’s notice. Lastly, graveyard retrieval spells like Eternal Witness enable you to smartly reclaim any key enchantments that may have been bounced back to your hand. Overall, tackling the Saprazzan Bailiff necessitates a mixture of preventive measures and reactive plays.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Saprazzan Bailiff MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Saprazzan Bailiff and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Saprazzan Bailiff has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal