Grasping Giant MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Giant
Abilities	Vigilance
Released	2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set name	Theros Beyond Death
Set code	THB
Power	5
Toughness	7
Number	288
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jinho Bae

Key Takeaways

Card advantage comes with Grasping Giant by exiling opponents’ creatures, which disrupts their plans.
Resource acceleration is achieved by indirectly limiting opponents through Grasping Giant’s abilities.
Manipulating its enter-the-battlefield effect can simulate instant speed interactions to surprise foes.

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Vigilance Whenever Grasping Giant becomes blocked by a creature, exile that creature until Grasping Giant leaves the battlefield.

Mirinthes thought death was seconds away when the giant's fist closed around him. Two days later, he was praying for death's release.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grasping Giant comes with a distinctive mechanic that lets you exile an opponent’s creature until Grasping Giant leaves the battlefield. This not only temporarily removes a threat but also can potentially strip resources from your opponent’s hand or board presence, effectively offering a chunk of card advantage during the mid to late game.

Resource Acceleration: While Grasping Giant itself doesn’t directly produce mana or Treasure tokens, by removing key pieces from the opponent’s board, it indirectly accelerates your resources. It limits the opponent’s ability to execute their game plan, potentially leading to a situation where you’re playing uncontested and can allocate resources more freely to advance your board state.

Instant Speed: Though the Grasping Giant doesn’t operate at instant speed, its inherent ability triggers upon entering the battlefield, a factor that can be manipulated to your advantage. Utilizing flicker effects or other methods to re-trigger the enter-the-battlefield effect can catch opponents off-guard, akin to instant-speed interactions, giving you the edge by disrupting their strategies during critical phases of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grasping Giant’s unique mechanic, while advantageous in certain situations, necessitates a card discard upon resolution of its ability. For players with a dwindling hand, this may be counterproductive, potentially losing vital components needed for late-game strategies or allowing opponents to exploit this weakness.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement of five colorless and one white mana, Grasping Giant aligns with decks that can reliably produce white mana. This mana-specific need can make the giant a cumbersome addition to more flexible or multicolored mana bases, limiting its inclusion to primarily white-centric builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Barring the benefits of its considerable presence on the board, Grasping Giant’s six-total-mana demand is relatively steep. There are creatures of a lower mana value that can apply similar levels of pressure or utility. Players may find this mana investment substantial, contemplating whether a six-cost creature aligns with their deck’s tempo or if they’re better off with more synergistic, lower-cost alternatives.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Grasping Giant seamlessly adapts to different gameplay styles, shining in decks that capitalize on its unique ability to remove opponents’ creatures from combat while setting up for powerful defensive or offensive board states.

Combo Potential: Leveraging this behemoth’s capacity to hold onto creatures creates opportunities for interesting interactions with cards that play off the tapped or detained status of your foes’ minions.

Meta-Relevance: As the battlefield often becomes cluttered with creatures, Grasping Giant’s ability to selectively neutralize threats can swing games in your favor, making it a key player in numerous matchups.

How to beat

Grasping Giant presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This formidable creature not only boasts impressive stats but also has the ability to remove an opponent’s creature from combat. When it enters the fray, it removes a non-Giant attacker you might have, effectively disrupting your assault.

To overcome Grasping Giant, consider using instant-speed removal spells that can target and eliminate it before its ability triggers. Options like Murder or Hero’s Downfall allow you to sidestep its grasping effect altogether. Engaging in combat with the Giant isn’t always the best strategy, so alternatively, spells that can exile it or bounce it back to the owner’s hand can prove to be effective. Displacement effects like Seal Away or Cast Out can neutralize the threat without having to engage it directly.

Adjusting your deck to include answers to such creatures is crucial for maintaining control over the game’s pace. Grasping Giant can shift the tides, but with the right preparation, you can ensure it’s nothing more than a minor hurdle in your path to victory.

Cards like Grasping Giant

Grasping Giant makes a notable impression in the realm of unique creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its notable comparison might be with Conquering Manticore. Both creatures have the capability to seize control of an opponent’s creature, albeit temporarily. Grasping Giant’s ability triggers upon attacking, allowing it to remove a potential blocker from the opponent’s defense. Conquering Manticore, conversely, snatches a creature right when it enters the battlefield.

Another akin card in the MTG universe is Zealous Conscripts. The Conscripts have the flexibility to target not just creatures but also artifacts, enchantments, and even planeswalkers upon entering the battlefield. However, Grasping Giant boasts a stronger defensive body, capable of enduring more damage.

Looking at the broader spectrum of similar mechanics, one can’t miss Roil Elemental, whose landfall ability continuously poses a threat by stealing creatures. However, Roil Elemental requires a specific land-based strategy and is more susceptible to removal than the sturdier Grasping Giant.

Ultimately, Grasping Giant brings unique tactical advantages to the table. Its ability to disrupt opponent strategies while providing a considerable defensive presence makes it a distinguished addition to any MTG deck with a similar strategy focus.

Conquering Manticore - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grasping Giant MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Grasping Giant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grasping Giant has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Commander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grasping Giant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2020-01-24	Auras attached to the exiled creature will be put into their owners’ graveyards. Any Equipment will become unattached and remain on the battlefield. Any counters on the exiled creature will cease to exist. When the card returns to the battlefield, it will be a new object with no connection to the card that was exiled.
2020-01-24	Grasping Giant doesn’t become unblocked when the creatures blocking it are exiled. Unless it gains trample, it won’t deal combat damage.
2020-01-24	If Grasping Giant leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the blocking creature won’t be exiled.
2020-01-24	If a token is exiled this way, it will cease to exist and won’t return to the battlefield.
2020-01-24	If more than one creature blocks Grasping Giant, its ability triggers once for each of those creatures.