Caltrops MTG Card

Urza's Destiny (UDS)
1999-06-07 - Number 129

Seventh Edition (7ED)
2001-04-11 - Number 288

Seventh Edition (7ED)
2001-04-11 - Number 288★

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact

Key Takeaways

Caltrops offers a defensive edge, controlling combat phases by tapping opponent creatures.
Its instant speed ability provides strategic flexibility during your opponent’s turn.
Accessible to any deck, it alters battlefield dynamics without specific mana costs.

Text of card

Whenever a creature attacks, Caltrops deals 1 damage to it.

Toward the end, Gatha struggled to keep his experiments in and his patrons out.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Caltrops may not enable you to directly draw cards, but it inherently offers card advantage by potentially neutralizing multiple creatures from your opponent’s board without having to expend additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Caltrops itself doesn’t accelerate resources in terms of mana, it can accelerate your strategic positioning by taxing your opponent’s resources as they’re forced to commit more to the board to overcome the obstacles Caltrops presents.

Instant Speed: Caltrops operates at instant speed once on the battlefield. This allows you strategic flexibility to activate its ability in response to attackers being declared, thereby offering a defensive capability that can disrupt your opponent’s combat plans on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Not applicable to Caltrops as there is no discard requirement to activate its abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Caltrops doesn’t have a specific colored mana requirement, giving it flexibility in deck inclusion but potentially competing with color-specific cards for a slot.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Caltrops has a manageable initial cost, the three generic mana to deploy this artifact might be seen as steep, particularly in faster-paced games where board state impact is crucial from early turns.

Reasons to Include Caltrops in Your Collection

Versatility: The Caltrops card is an artifact that can be incorporated into a wide variety of decks, especially those that need defensive options or wish to deter attackers. Its ability to tap and cause all creatures to become tapped is useful in controlling the pace of the game.

Combo Potential: As an artifact with a tapping ability, Caltrops works well with cards that have synergies with tapped creatures or artifacts. It can be used in a combo to weaken an opponent’s offensive or enhance certain defensive mechanisms within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments where creature-based strategies are dominant, Caltrops becomes a noteworthy addition for its universal creature tapping ability, allowing it to play a critical role in managing the battlefield and potentially disrupting your opponents’ tactics.

How to beat Caltrops

Caltrops presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, this artifact forces all creatures to become tapped as they enter combat. To effectively navigate around this tricky card, you need to consider strategies that diminish its impact. Deploying creatures with vigilance can be a solid approach, as these creatures don’t tap to attack, thereby circumventing Caltrops’ effect. Alternatively, utilizing artifact removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant are direct ways to clear Caltrops from the field.

One can also employ the use of instant-speed spells that boost a creature’s toughness to survive the triggered ability of Caltrops. Skills like these ensure your creatures live to fight on through combat phases unscathed. Using untap mechanics, or cards that can either untap your creatures or tap your opponent’s creatures can tilt the balance of the game back in your favor, neutralizing the threat that Caltrops poses.

Ultimately, while Caltrops can seem daunting by influencing combat dynamics, there are numerous strategies within Magic: The Gathering that offer solutions to work around or eliminate this artifact’s influence in a game, preserving your forces and maintaining your pathway to victory.

Cards like Caltrops

Caltrops stands as a unique artifact in Magic: The Gathering, holding similarities with other cards that impact creature abilities upon entering the battlefield. It bears certain resemblances to cards such as Norn’s Annex, which also inhibits creatures, but Caltrops differs by affecting all creatures and requiring them to be tapped to avoid damage. Norn’s Annex, however, focuses on deterring attacks unless the opponent pays a specific cost in life or mana.

If we look at similar effects, Ensnaring Bridge is another influential card that restricts creature attacks based on hand size, unlike the universal tap effect of Caltrops. While Caltrops affects the board without considering hand size, Ensnaring Bridge offers a different control approach, stopping creatures based on the cards you hold. Additionally, there’s Meekstone, which parallels Caltrops in restraining creatures but instead limits by power, keeping creatures with power 3 or greater tapped, rather than damaging them.

Though each of these cards offers a unique way to control the battlefield, Caltrops is exceptional in its capacity to consistently affect all creatures, making it a notable card for players who enjoy a defensive strategy in MTG.

Cards similar to Caltrops by color, type and mana cost

Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions

Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Caltrops MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny and Seventh Edition, 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 Caltrops and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Caltrops Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-06-07 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1999-06-07	Urza's Destiny	UDS	129	1997	Normal	Black	Jeff Laubenstein
2	2001-04-11	Seventh Edition	7ED	288	1997	Normal	White	Eric Peterson
3	2001-04-11	Seventh Edition	7ED	288★	1997	Normal	Black	Eric Peterson