Moat MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Moat offers a considerable shift in card advantage, making non-flying creatures significantly less effective.
  2. While it doesn’t directly accelerate resources, Moat allows for more strategic board development.
  3. It demands specific mana commitments and careful deck construction to compensate for its cost.

Text of card

Non-flying creatures cannot attack.

The purpose of any moat is to impede attack. Some are filled with water, some with thistles. Some are filled with things best left unseen.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Employing Moat in a deck grants a significant edge in card efficiency. By restricting creatures from attacking, you force an opponent to find alternative methods to remove it or to potentially waste cards in hand that are now ineffective, tipping the balance of card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Moat may not directly contribute to traditional resource acceleration, but by effectively negating an opponent’s creature-based offense, it allows you to commit resources to developing your board and hand without needing to hold back for defensive concerns.

Instant Speed: Though Moat operates at sorcery speed, its permanent effect on the battlefield functions at all times, providing a constant deterrent against any onslaught. The peace of mind knowing your defenses are up can influence your decisions on when to play other spells, perhaps at a time when instant-speed responses are optimal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not relevant to Moat itself, building a deck around such high-cost cards often forces players to make difficult choices, which sometimes includes discarding valuable cards in the early game to ensure a smooth mana curve.

Specific Mana Cost: Moat requires two white mana to cast. This specific color requirement can restrict its integration into multi-colored decks, especially those that are mana-intensive in other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Moat’s casting cost of four mana, which includes two color-specific requirements, can be a heavy investment in the early to mid-game. Given this cost, decks must be structured with a strategy that justifies such an expenditure, especially when facing faster, more aggressive decks.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Moat is a powerful card that can seamlessly integrate into various control or pillow fort decks. Its ability to prevent creatures without flying from attacking ensures that it serves as a universal defense mechanism, suitable for a multitude of game plans.

Combo Potential: As a high-impact enchantment, it pairs well with cards that benefit from limiting ground assaults. Combining Moat with cards like Humility can lock opponents out from attacking entirely, establishing a near-impenetrable defense.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta dominated by aggressive creature-based strategies, Moat turns the tide by halting ground forces in their tracks. It’s especially relevant in metas where flying creatures are less prevalent, therefore, investing in Moat can give you a significant edge over ground-centric decks.


How to Beat

Moat is a unique and powerful card that can be a real challenge to overcome in MTG. It prevents all creatures without flying from attacking, shaping the battlefield to its controller’s advantage. To successfully navigate around this obstacle, it’s essential to adapt your strategy effectively. Cards that can grant creatures flying temporarily, such as Jump or Levitate, can provide a temporary bypass to Moat’s restrictions.

Alternatively, removal spells that specifically target enchantments are a solid answer. Disenchant and Naturalize are both great examples, allowing you to destroy Moat and clear the path for your creatures to attack. Other options include using direct damage spells or abilities to whittle down your opponent’s life total outside of combat. Cards like Lightning Bolt or Fireball can be used to deal damage directly to the opponent, making Moat’s defensive ability irrelevant.

In summary, while Moat can be a daunting card to face, there are various ways to beat it. Flexibility in card choices and a readiness to adjust your in-game tactics are key to outmaneuver such hindrances and secure your path to victory.


Cards like Moat

Moat stands out as a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, creating an impregnable defense by preventing creatures without flying from attacking. Its contemporaries, such as Magus of the Moat and Ghostly Prison, present similar defensive strategies but with distinct nuances. Magus of the Moat shares the same flying restriction but as a creature, it’s more vulnerable to removal spells compared to Moat’s enchantment resilience. On the other hand, Ghostly Prison doesn’t block creatures outright; instead, it imposes a cost on attacks, which can be circumvented with ample mana.

Another counterpart, Propaganda, takes a page from Ghostly Prison’s approach, taxing opponents’ resources in blue. It’s a softer control compared to Moat’s absolute aerial dominion. Teferi’s Moat also commands attention with its ability to choose a color and restrict only those creatures from attacking, offering versatility based on what you’re facing across the table. Although each card has its advantages, none offers the complete shutdown of ground-based combat systems like Moat does, solidifying its position as a potent defensive staple in many control decks within Magic: The Gathering.

Ultimately, while there are other cards that aim to fortify a player’s defenses, Moat’s uncompromising barrier against non-flying creatures positions it as a premier choice for players seeking to establish a formidable line of defense in their MTG battles.

Magus of the Moat - MTG Card versions
Ghostly Prison - MTG Card versions
Propaganda - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Moat - MTG Card versions
Magus of the Moat - Future Sight (FUT)
Ghostly Prison - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Propaganda - Tempest (TMP)
Teferi's Moat - Invasion (INV)

Cards similar to Moat by color, type and mana cost

Castle - MTG Card versions
Karma - MTG Card versions
Conversion - MTG Card versions
Angelic Voices - MTG Card versions
Seeker - MTG Card versions
Drought - MTG Card versions
Justice - MTG Card versions
Divine Transformation - MTG Card versions
Field of Souls - MTG Card versions
Light of Day - MTG Card versions
Opal Titan - MTG Card versions
Ivory Mask - MTG Card versions
Parallax Wave - MTG Card versions
Worship - MTG Card versions
Diversionary Tactics - MTG Card versions
Teleportation Circle - MTG Card versions
Hallowed Haunting - MTG Card versions
Drawn Together - MTG Card versions
Proper Burial - MTG Card versions
Armored Ascension - MTG Card versions
Castle - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Karma - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Conversion - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Angelic Voices - Legends (LEG)
Seeker - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Drought - Ice Age (ICE)
Justice - Ice Age (ICE)
Divine Transformation - Renaissance (REN)
Field of Souls - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Light of Day - The List (PLST)
Opal Titan - Urza's Saga (USG)
Ivory Mask - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Parallax Wave - The List (PLST)
Worship - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Diversionary Tactics - Apocalypse (APC)
Teleportation Circle - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Hallowed Haunting - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Drawn Together - Unhinged (UNH)
Proper Burial - Dissension (DIS)
Armored Ascension - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Moat MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Magic Online Promos, 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 Moat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Moat Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-06-01LegendsLEG 281993normalblackJeff A. Menges
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 469482003normalblackNoah Bradley
32007-09-10Masters EditionME1 211997normalblackJeff A. Menges

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Moat has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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