Paralyzing Grasp MTG Card
2009-10-02 - Number 58
2012-10-05 - Number 46
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage by controlling without a loss to your hand, constraining opponents effectively.
- Indirectly accelerates resources, enabling strategic board advancement while opponents are limited.
- Despite its sorcery speed, Paralyzing Grasp’s persistent effect mimics instant speed’s game influence.
Text of card
Enchant creature Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
The Halimar Sea Caves are both the breeding ground of giant squids and the dumping ground of hardened criminals.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Paralyzing Grasp allows for control over an opponent’s creature, effectively reducing their available resources without sacrificing your own card count. This means you maintain your hand while potentially negating one of your opponent’s threats.
Resource Acceleration: By neutralizing a key creature, you indirectly accelerate your own resources since you can allocate mana and other resources towards advancing your board while your opponent’s options are constrained.
Instant Speed: Although Paralyzing Grasp is played at sorcery speed, its lasting effect on the battlefield continues to impact the game at the pace of an instant. Once in place, its influence on the board is ongoing, allowing you to efficiently time your subsequent plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Paralyzing Grasp does not force a discard, but its setup can make you wish you had those extra cards in hand to deal with what’s untapped on the other side of the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires two blue and one other mana to cast. If your deck doesn’t generate blue mana consistently, Paralyzing Grasp may be a dead card in your hand more often than not.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana to cast, Paralyzing Grasp takes a significant portion of your resources in the early game and may not impact the board as immediately as other removals or control spells which can swing the game for less.
Reasons to Include Paralyzing Grasp in Your Collection
Versatility: Paralyzing Grasp offers a straightforward yet effective way to neutralize potent threats in a variety of decks. The ability to lock down a creature indefinitely can be pivotal in games where combat is key, making it a flexible option for control and tempo strategies.
Combo Potential: This enchantment can combine with cards that capitalize on tapped creatures, further enforcing your board presence. Its synergy with mechanics such as tap/untap shenanigans or cards that assess the number of tapped creatures an opponent controls offers intriguing combo avenues.
Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, having access to a card like Paralyzing Grasp can swing matchups in your favor. The threat of keeping a pivotal creature in a constant state of paralysis can disrupt opponent’s plans and make them reassess their approach.
How to beat Paralyzing Grasp
Paralyzing Grasp places a stranglehold on our creatures, denying us the chance to untap and utilize them in combat or for their abilities. This quiet but significant disruption can be unsettling, but overcoming it is not impossible. Just as every lock has a key, there are strategies to unlock our creatures from this icy embrace.
Simply removing Paralyzing Grasp with enchantment destruction like Naturalize or Disenchant can liberate our creatures. Alternatively, countering it before it lands with spells such as Negate offers preemptive protection. Diving deeper, effects like hexproof or shroud can safeguard our creatures from being targeted in the first place. Offering to sacrifice the affected creature for a greater advantage is also a tactic—whether it’s in a trade-off or fueling graveyard synergies.
Understanding the variety of options within the colors we play enables us to minimize the impact of Paralyzing Grasp. Thus, despite the initial setback it presents, savvy players can recover and assert control, ensuring the flow of the game remains in their favor.
Cards like Paralyzing Grasp
Paralyzing Grasp is an intriguing control magic card, holding similarities with other aura spells that aim to neutralize threats on the battlefield. A card like Claustrophobia delivers a similar outcome, locking down creatures without giving them a chance to untap. While Paralyzing Grasp allows opponents to finish their turn before it takes effect, Claustrophobia clamps down as soon as it’s played, potentially providing a quicker response cycle.
Looking to the card Ice Over, we find another comparable effect. Ice Over likewise prevents a creature from untapping, but it also has the added benefit of targeting artifacts, broadening its utility against various decks. Both Paralyzing Grasp and Ice Over are effective at immobilizing opponents’ assets, albeit at different mana costs and flexibility.
In the realm of disabling enemy forces, Paralyzing Grasp stands its ground with its simplicity and reliability. While it may not boast additional functionalities like some other similar spells, its single-minded focus on incapacitating creatures makes it a staple in its category for players looking to control the pace and flow of the game.
Cards similar to Paralyzing Grasp by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Paralyzing Grasp MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Return to Ravnica, 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 Paralyzing Grasp and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Paralyzing Grasp Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2012-10-05. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 58 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Izzy | |
| 2 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 46 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Scott Chou |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Paralyzing Grasp has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Paralyzing Grasp card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Paralyzing Grasp may target, and may enchant, an untapped creature. If it does, it will have no effect unless that creature becomes tapped somehow. |
| 2012-10-01 | The enchanted creature can still be untapped by a spell or ability at other times. |
