Haazda Snare Squad MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	Dragon's Maze
Set code	DGM
Power	1
Toughness	4
Number	2
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	David Palumbo

Key Takeaways

Haazda Snare Squad can decisively alter combat, easily fitting into early game plans with a low casting cost.
While versatile, its white mana specificity and comparatively higher cost may limit deck integration options.
Fits well in control strategies, deterring enemy attacks and synergizing with tap/untap mechanics in MTG.

Text of card

Whenever Haazda Snare Squad attacks, you may pay . If you do, tap target creature an opponent controls.

They've been probation officers, army grunts, bounty hunters—anything to make their district safer.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Haazda Snare Squad offers players the advantage of dictating combat interactions by selecting which creature an opponent can attack with. This could potentially deprive the opponent of beneficial attack triggers, turning the tables in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly provide mana or acceleration, its low casting cost means that it easily slips into your early game plan, leaving mana available for other spells and abilities to help you control the board.

Instant Speed: Although the card itself isn’t an instant, its tap ability can be engaged at instant speed which allows you flexibility during your opponent’s turn. This adaptability can surprise opponents and disrupt their planned attacks significantly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Haazda Snare Squad doesn’t necessitate a discard when casting, it’s important to remember that supporting cards that complement its ability can demand discarding as a trade-off. This could potentially leave you at a disadvantage, particularly when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a white card, Haazda Snare Squad requires white mana for casting. This specificity might restrict its integration into multicolored decks, especially those that are mana-hungry and where ensuring the right color mana availability can be challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: As a 1/4 creature card for three mana, the Haazda Snare Squad seems steep with what it brings to the battlefield. For its main function to lock down opposing creatures, there are other options in the game that could do similar or better for less mana, positioning the squad at a less favorable spot for competitive play.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Haazda Snare Squad offers a cost-effective way to control combat dynamics, fitting snugly into decks that aim to manipulate the battlefield on a tight mana curve.

Combo Potential: This card allows for synergistic plays with tap and untap mechanics, creating opportunities to repeatedly utilize its ability within a turn cycle or during your opponent’s combat phase.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that favors aggressive creature-based strategies, having the Haazda Snare Squad could prove instrumental in deterring attacks and preserving your life total while setting up your own board position.

How to beat

The Haazda Snare Squad offers a unique utility in Magic: The Gathering gameplay, providing players the ability to control combat by detaining opponents’ creatures. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategy, especially when they rely on combat damage to triumph.

To effectively neutralize the Haazda Snare Squad’s ability, consider using removal spells that can bypass its control effects. Cards like Murder, which allows you to destroy a target creature at instant speed, can quickly eliminate the threat of the Snare Squad. Additionally, enchantments like Pacifism can also render the card ineffective by preventing it from engaging in combat altogether, hence nullifying its ability.

Another strategy is to use counter spells to prevent the Haazda Snare Squad from entering the battlefield in the first place. Counters like Cancel or Mana Leak are excellent ways to ensure that your opponent’s plans are thwarted early on. Lastly, focusing on non-creature spells that can win the game or utilizing creatures with hexproof can minimize the impact of their detaining ability, maintaining the tempo and preserve your path to victory.

Cards like Haazda Snare Squad

Haazda Snare Squad stands as an interesting utility creature in the realm of MTG. This card allows players to leverage their available mana to control combat scenarios by detaining a single attacker per turn. Similar tactics can be seen in cards like Blinding Mummy, which also restricts opponent creatures, but does so through tapping. However, Haazda Snare Squad requires an active investment each turn for its ability to be utilized.

Examining further parallels, Lawmage’s Binding is akin to the Snare Squad’s detain ability but with a more static effect. It locks down a creature for as long as Lawmage’s Binding remains on the battlefield, offering a more permanent solution compared to the Snare Squad’s repeatable but mana-dependent ability. Conversely, cards like Martial Law offer a similar detain ability but at the beginning of your upkeep which can affect the opponent’s plan without a constant mana investment.

Ultimately, Haazda Snare Squad’s ability to control the battlefield with tactical detainment does come at the cost of continued mana expenditure but it also provides players with flexibility and choice each turn, making it a potentially strategic play within the MTG landscape.

Cards similar to Haazda Snare Squad by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Haazda Snare Squad MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Haazda Snare Squad and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Haazda Snare Squad has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	You choose the target creature when the ability triggers and goes on the stack. You choose whether to pay when that ability resolves. You may pay only once. The creature will be tapped before blockers are chosen.