In Bolas's Clutches MTG Card


In Bolas's Clutches - Dominaria
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Enchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released2018-04-27
Set symbol
Set nameDominaria
Set codeDOM
Number54
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byZack Stella

Key Takeaways

  1. In Bolas’s Clutches can decisively turn games by giving you control of key opponent permanents and altering strategies.
  2. Grabbing resource-generating permanents with this card accelerates your mana availability and strengthens board control.
  3. Despite its high cost and color specificity, the versatility makes it a potent addition to control-oriented decks.

Text of card

Enchant permanent You control enchanted permanent. Enchanted permanent is legendary.

"Your contract is in default. You belong to me now. Serve, or die." —Nicol Bolas


Card Pros

Card Advantage: In Bolas’s Clutches can skew the balance of a game by snatching the best permanents from your opponent’s side of the battlefield. By doing so, not only do you remove a key piece from their strategy, but you integrate it into yours, effectively creating a two-card swing in terms of board presence. The card advantage you gain here is not just in quantity but in significant quality as well.

Resource Acceleration: Though In Bolas’s Clutches doesn’t directly produce mana or treasure tokens, gaining control of mana-generating permanents, such as lands or artifacts, accelerates your resources. By seizing an opponent’s Sol Ring or a Gilded Lotus, for instance, you expand your capacity to cast spells more quickly and bolster your commanding position in the game.

Instant Speed: Despite being a sorcery speed enchantment, In Bolas’s Clutches plays into the strategy of keeping mana open and reacting at just the right moment. Because it takes control of any permanent, you can strategically wait until the optimal target presents itself, even if it’s a land untapped during the opponent’s end step, giving you the same sort of flexibility enjoyed when using instant speed spells.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While In Bolas’s Clutches offers control over any target permanent, it necessitates a careful hand management strategy to account for the loss of potential alternatives or responses you may need to hold onto for later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for this card is notably color-weighted, requiring two blue mana, which may not be easily attainable for decks that aren’t heavily invested in blue or that run multiple colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an investment of six mana to cast In Bolas’s Clutches, players may find it challenging to include in a fast-paced match where mana efficiency and curve are crucial. Its cost might also compete with other impactful plays available in the same mana range.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: In Bolas’s Clutches offers a unique flexibility by allowing you to take control of any permanent, not just creatures. This adaptability makes it a fitting addition in various control decks and can serve as a surprise element against any type of opponent’s asset.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly within strategies that capitalize on controlling your opponent’s cards. It can turn the tide by stealing crucial pieces of your opponent’s combo or key creatures, potentially disrupting their game plan while enhancing your own.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to target any permanent, In Bolas’s Clutches remains relevant in different MTG metas. It’s particularly potent in environments where planeswalkers or other non-creature permanents play a significant role, providing an immediate answer to otherwise daunting threats.


How to beat

In Bolas’s Clutches can be an intimidating presence on the board, given its ability to take control of any permanent, not just creatures. With its Legendary enchantment status and the formidable Lair of Behemoths set, overcoming this card can seem daunting. The key is to prioritize removing the enchantment or the enchanted permanent to render In Bolas’s Clutches ineffective. Naturalize or Disenchant are solid options for direct removal, while countering it with Negate or similar counter spells ensures it never hits the field. When In Bolas’s Clutches has already taken something of value, remember that board wipes like Shatter the Sky can reset conditions and offer a fresh start. Observing and maintaining open mana for these reactions is critical when facing the cunning strategy of decks utilizing In Bolas’s Clutches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Adept MTG players know the art of turning a game on its head with a single well-placed spell. In Bolas’s Clutches can be that game-changer, providing control over any permanent and integrating it effortlessly into your strategy. Whether it’s for gaining the upper hand with significant card advantage, seizing a vital mana source for resource acceleration, or flexing strategic muscle by holding mana for the perfect moment to cast, this card offers a versatile edge in many scenarios. We encourage you to delve deeper into our selection of strategies, deck building tips, and guides that could harness the full potential of In Bolas’s Clutches, enhancing your arsenal and elevating your MTG gameplay. Dive into our resources and capitalize on the diverse applications of this formidable enchantment to control the battlefield.


Cards like In Bolas's Clutches

In Bolas’s Clutches offers MTG players a means to control the battlefield by taking over any nonland permanent. This includes creatures, artifacts, and even planeswalkers, making it formidable in long games. As with Control Magic, it grants you the ability to turn an opponent’s threat into your own asset, but with a broader range of targets. Both enchantments share the trait of potentially swinging the tide of a match, yet In Bolas’s Clutches stands out with its legendary status and ability to latch onto more than just creatures.

When we look at Confiscate, a card with a similar effect, In Bolas’s Clutches seems more advantageous in multicolor decks due to its single blue color requirement. However, Confiscate does have the edge in mana cost, coming in cheaper. Mind Control is another counterpart with a narrower focus, being restricted to creatures only. Although at a lower casting cost, its application is more limited compared to the wider net that In Bolas’s Clutches casts.

Assessing the utility across various scenarios, In Bolas’s Clutches is an attractive choice for decks looking to leverage the power of the board’s most potent permanents in their favor, providing a strategic edge in stretching the limits of control in a game.

Control Magic - MTG Card versions
Confiscate - MTG Card versions
Mind Control - MTG Card versions
Control Magic - MTG Card versions
Confiscate - MTG Card versions
Mind Control - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase In Bolas's Clutches MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria, 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 In Bolas's Clutches and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where In Bolas's Clutches has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-04-27 Gaining control of a permanent doesn’t cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it. They’ll remain attached, but an Aura’s effect that affects “you” still affects its controller rather than you, the controller of an Equipment can move it during their next main phase, and so on.
2018-04-27 If you control two In Bolas’s Clutches attached to two permanents with the same name, the “legend rule” applies to the enchanted permanents and to In Bolas’s Clutches at once. You can choose to keep the In Bolas’s Clutches that enchants the permanent you wish to keep.
2018-04-27 If you control two or more permanents with the same name but only one is legendary, the “legend rule” doesn’t apply.

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