Tar Snare MTG Card

Tar Snare disrupts opponents by removing key creatures instantly, aiding in maintaining board control. Its specific mana cost challenges deck diversity but can be a strategic inclusion in mono-black builds. Versatile and meta-relevant, Tar Snare offers removal options against pervasive small creature threats.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Target creature gets -3/-2 until end of turn.

The amorphous, magically animated residue known as the Fathom Sludge lurks in the Hagra Cistern, attacking its prey with pseudopods and dragging it down to be digested.

Cards like Tar Snare

In the realm of black removal spells within Magic: The Gathering, Tar Snare holds its ground with simplicity and efficiency. Much like its cousin Dead Weight, Tar Snare offers a solution to disable an opponent’s creature. While Dead Weight decreases a creature’s power and toughness for as long as it remains on the battlefield, Tar Snare provides a swift -3/-2 reduction to a creature’s stats, but only for the turn it’s played, possibly clearing the way for a decisive attack.

When compared, Grasp of Darkness shines as another solid option, offering a more significant -4/-4 stat reduction at the same mana cost. However, Grasp of Darkness requires double black mana, making it less flexible in multicolored decks than the single black mana requirement of Tar Snare. Similarly, Final Death is worth mentioning as it exiles the target creature permanently, but this comes at a higher mana value, which places it in a different strategic bracket compared to the immediacy offered by Tar Snare.

By evaluating Tar Snare alongside these alternatives, it demonstrates a balanced position within the range of black removal spells, offering both affordability and tactical advantage during critical turns of play.

Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Grasp of Darkness - MTG Card versions
Final Death - MTG Card versions
Dead Weight - MTG Card versions
Grasp of Darkness - MTG Card versions
Final Death - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tar Snare doesn’t directly draw cards, but it can effectively nullify an opponent’s creature, which is a key component in gaining positional advantage during the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Tar Snare doesn’t provide mana or treasure tokens, it aids in resource acceleration by potentially removing blockers or attackers, which can preserve your board state and allow for a more efficient deployment of your own resources.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Tar Snare at instant speed means it can be used reactively, giving you the flexibility to address threats during your opponent’s turn or after they’ve committed to a particular play, disrupting their strategy and timing.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tar Snare does not require a discard to cast, control decks may struggle with its absence of card advantage, thus requiring strategic hand management.

Specific Mana Cost: Tar Snare’s casting cost involves one colorless and two black mana, making it less flexible and potentially challenging to cast on curve in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, Tar Snare provides a -3/-2 debuff, which may be considered costly when compared to more impactful removal spells available at similar or lower mana costs.

Reasons to Include Tar Snare in Your Collection

Versatility: Tar Snare is a flexible removal spell that fits into a variety of black decks. Its ability to target any creature regardless of size makes it a useful tool against a range of threats on the board.

Combo Potential: This card shines in synergistic builds that can take advantage of creature removal. Tar Snare can help enable strategies that thrive on clearing the board or benefit from opponents having fewer creatures on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: The evolving gameplay landscape often sees smaller creatures making a big impact. Tar Snare can be particularly effective in metas where key creatures need to be removed promptly to disrupt an opponent’s game plan.

How to beat

Tar Snare is a spell in Magic: The Gathering that can pose quite a challenge with its ability to give a creature -3/-3 until end of turn. This effect can disrupt strategies, especially when dealing with smaller or critically important creatures. However, there are ways to tackle Tar Snare. Considering its color limitation, being a black spell, it can’t touch creatures with protection from black. Cards like Apostle’s Blessing can grant temporary protection, ensuring key creatures stay on the battlefield despite the threat.

Moreover, Tar Snare targets only one creature, so strategies employing a wide breadth of threats can dilute its impact. Creatures that can regenerate or have indestructible are also effective, as they can survive the hit from Tar Snare. Lastly, having robust instant-speed responses, such as a buff spell or hexproof-granting effects like Ranger’s Guile, can counteract Tar Snare’s debuff, turning a potential loss into a surprise advantage for the unwary opponent.

Victory over Tar Snare comes down to thoughtful deck building and timely plays, ensuring your creatures circumvent its looming shadow and leave your adversary grasping at straws as your force remains unfaltering on the field of battle.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tar Snare MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Mystery Booster, 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 Tar Snare and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tar Snare Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Karl Kopinski.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-01-22Oath of the GatewatchOGW 902015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7872015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
32020-09-26The ListPLST OGW-902015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tar Snare has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal