Catapult Squad MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	11
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Brian Snõddy

Key Takeaways

Provides no-cost direct damage by utilizing your creatures, enhancing board influence and threat versatility.
Instant speed ability disrupts combat, turning passive soldiers into a proactive force against opponents.
Limited to Soldier synergy; requires a focused deck build to optimize its powerful tapping potential.

Text of card

Tap two untapped Soldiers you control: Catapult Squad deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.

Together they could hit anything between the heavens and the horizon.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Catapult Squad provides a tactical edge by transforming unused creatures into direct damage, effectively trading passive board presence for an active threat to your opponent’s life total or creature base.

Resource Acceleration: As it does not require mana to activate, this card supports resource acceleration by allowing you to utilize creatures as an alternate resource, giving you the flexibility to spend mana elsewhere and maintain pressure on multiple fronts.

Instant Speed: The ability to tap two untapped Soldiers you control and deal 2 damage to a target attacking or blocking creature, at instant speed, offers reactive utility. It can disrupt your opponent’s strategies mid-combat, which can be pivotal in the outcome of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Catapult Squad card mandates the tapping of two untapped soldiers you control to activate its ability. This can be a hefty price to pay, as it reduces the number of creatures you can use to defend or carry out attacks during your turn.

Specific Mana Cost: While Catapult Squad itself has a relatively low mana cost, assembling a battalion of soldiers to enable its ability might require a dedicated deck build, potentially limiting your strategy and deck versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In reality, the total cost of effectively using the Catapult Squad’s ability goes beyond just two mana. You need a sustained presence of other soldiers as ammunition for the Squad’s ability, essentially adding a hidden mana cost given that those creatures aren’t available for other actions. Other cards can deal direct damage or offer board control without such a conditional setup.

Reasons to Include Catapult Squad in Your Collection

Versatility: Catapult Squad offers a unique skill set that allows for defensive flexibility. This card can adapt to various situations, enabling you to remove troublesome creatures from the battlefield without resorting to traditional combat. Its ability to tap two untapped Soldiers you control to deal 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature, can be quite advantageous.

Combo Potential: With the right lineup of Soldiers in your deck, Catapult Squad becomes a recurring source of damage, disrupting your opponent’s strategies. Pairing it with cards that generate Soldier tokens or have effects that untap creatures can lead to powerful combinations that control the combat phase effectively.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where token strategies thrive or where the battlefield is dominated by key creatures, Catapult Squad gains significant relevance. Being able to tactically remove attackers or blockers can swing the game in your favor, making this card a clever choice for your collection.

How to beat

Effectively tackling Catapult Squad in the game of Magic: The Gathering requires strategic foresight. Players are drawn to this card for its unique tap ability, which allows the user to remove an opposing creature from play without expending any mana. Structurally reminiscent of famed creature-removal cards like Royal Assassin, the Squad differs in its communal mechanic—requiring you to control another creature of the same type to activate its ability.

Understanding the synergy within a Soldier deck can illuminate how to dismantle its efficacy. Unlike Royal Assassin, which acts independently, Catapult Squad’s power is directly linked to the presence of other Soldiers. This pinpoints a strategy – reducing the number of Soldier creatures on the board will inherently weaken the Squad’s utility. In game terms, this means that sweep effects or selective removal spells become particularly potent against this type of strategy. Tokens, which are often utilized alongside the Squad, also become a viable target for disruption, further mitigating the threat posed by this card.

By adopting a controlled, creature-light approach and maintaining a suite of removal spells, one can effectively bypass the disruptive potential of Catapult Squad and drive the game towards a favorable outcome.

Cards like Catapult Squad

Catapult Squad is a niche yet potent card in Magic: The Gathering when it comes to creature control. Falling within a similar category to cards like Azorius Arrester and Banisher Priest, Catapult Squad offers a unique tap ability to potentially remove multiple creatures from combat. Unlike the Arrester, which detains a single target for a turn, or the Priest that exiles one creature until it leaves the battlefield, Catapult Squad’s synergy with other Soldiers amplifies its impact on the game’s board state.

Considering its harmonization with Soldier tribal decks, cards like Preeminent Captain come to mind. The Captain allows for free soldier deployment, directly complementing Catapult Squad’s tap mechanic. While the Preeminent Captain focuses on field advantage and surprise tactics, Catapult Squad provides recurring defensive utility, illustrating the balance between offense and control found in these cards.

Ultimately, Catapult Squad holds its own within the realm of repeatable creature handling instruments. Its reliance on teaming up with fellow Soldiers for maximum efficacy presents an interactive playstyle that may resonate well with strategists who favor synergistic deck building and tactical maneuvers in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Catapult Squad by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Catapult Squad MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Catapult Squad and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Catapult Squad has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	It can tap itself but is not required to do so.
2004-10-04	Since the ability does not have the symbol, you can use the ability before this creature begins a turn under your control.