Inquisitor's Snare MTG Card


Inquisitor's Snare - Shadowmoor
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameShadowmoor
Set codeSHM
Number8
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMichael Sutfin

Key Takeaways

  1. Instant speed allows strategic responses, disrupting opponent turns and protecting against surprise threats.
  2. Demands strategic hand resource management, leveraging card advantage for controlling game pace.
  3. Exemplary for its versatility and meta relevance, a robust sideboard card against targeted removal or combos.

Text of card

Prevent all damage target attacking or blocking creature would deal this turn. If that creature is black or red, destroy it.

Driven by their paranoia, kithkin inflict on their foes all the agonies they believe would have been inflicted on them.


Card Pros

When it comes to analyzing the strengths of Inquisitor’s Snare, there are several key areas to highlight that make it a viable option for decks seeking control and tempo plays.

Card Advantage: Inquisitor’s Snare can put you in the favorable position of outpacing your opponent. By potentially disrupting a multi-card combo or removing a cornerstone creature from the battlefield, Inquisitor’s Snare can drastically shift the balance of cards in play to your advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although Inquisitor’s Snare itself doesn’t directly produce additional resources, the advantage gained by its effect can allow you to maximize the use of your existing mana and resources. By preventing your opponent’s plays, you effectively set the stage for accelerated deployment of your own threats and strategies.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Inquisitor’s Snare at instant speed is immensely beneficial. It offers the flexibility to react to your opponent’s actions during their turn, which can be critical in maintaining a lead or stabilizing the board. This timing aspect is particularly useful when navigating complex standoffs or responding to surprise threats.

In conclusion, Inquisitor’s Snare is adept at offering strategic control and can serve as a pivotal piece in the complex chess match that is a game of MTG.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Inquisitor’s Snare tasks players with the challenging condition of discarding another card upon its activation. This prerequisite can be particularly taxing when card advantage is crucial, necessitating a strategic assessment of resources in one’s hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both white mana and another color can be restrictive when building a deck. Players may find this composition less compatible with multi-colored decks that rely on a diverse mana base to optimize card synergy and flow.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a more demanding mana cost relative to similar cards in its category, Inquisitor’s Snare might not be the most economical choice. Adventurers must contemplate their mana curve carefully, as other options may provide similar benefits without such a steep expenditure of mana resources.


Reasons to Include Inquisitor’s Snare in Your Collection

Versatility: Inquisitor’s Snare offers a unique ability to disrupt opponent plays. Its ability to prevent spells or abilities from targeting you or a creature you control can be a game-changer across various deck types, providing protection and tactical advantages.

Combo Potential: Utilizing Inquisitor’s Snare’s preventive measures can enhance decks that bank on creature synergies or combos. By safeguarding key combo pieces, it ensures you can execute your strategy without interruption.

Meta-Relevance: As the meta evolves with new sets, the card’s importance fluctuates. Nonetheless, it remains a solid sideboard option, particularly in metas heavy with targeted removal or combo decks where an unexpected Snare can mean the difference between victory and defeat.


How to Beat Inquisitor’s Snare

In the complex world of Magic: The Gathering, Inquisitor’s Snare has emerged as a nuanced option for players aiming to disrupt opponents’ strategies. At its core, the card is a defensive trap that can be sprung to thwart enemy creatures during crucial phases of gameplay. Players seeking to outmaneuver this card must employ astuteness, particularly in managing the pacing and sequencing of spells and creature deployment.

Adapting to an environment where Inquisitor’s Snare is present calls for strategic baiting. Introducing low-cost creatures or less critical spells prior to deploying key assets encourages opponents to prematurely activate their Snare. Once expended, the path clears for high-impact creatures and spells to be played with reduced risk. Furthermore, maintaining an array of instant-speed interactions and abilities that can be used outside of your own turn adds an unpredictable element that can destabilize an Inquisitor’s Snare plan.

To summarize, overcoming Inquisitor’s Snare in MTG requires a mixture of foresight, decoy tactics, and maintaining a diverse suite of responsive plays. By carefully arranging game moves and withholding pivotal creatures and spells until the opponent’s defenses are down, a player can effectively navigate around the constraints imposed by Inquisitor’s Snare.


Cards like Inquisitor's Snare

Inquisitor’s Snare adds another layer to the set of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives are counter-based removals like Abolish. Both cards can thwart an opponent’s strategy, but Inquisitor’s Snare is standout for its ability to potentially catch an opponent by surprise with its untap feature. Abolish doesn’t share this characteristic, though it does have the benefit of being able to destroy artifacts as well as enchantments.

Moving to a more specific comparison, there’s Sunlance, offering simple and efficient targeted removal, demanding only one mana for its casting. Inquisitor’s Snare, in contrast, costs more but comes with the upside of not being color-restricted which Sunlance is, being a white spell. Additionally, comparing it to trap cards like Trapjaw Tap offers insight into its place within the MTG universe. While Trapjaw Tap requires a condition to be met for a reduced cost, Inquisitor’s Snare maintains a consistent mana cost and effect, ensuring its viability in varied gameplay situations.

Each card plays its role in the world of MTG, but Inquisitor’s Snare has its unique conveniences, making it a versatile tool that should be considered when assembling a deck aimed at control and unexpected ploys against an adversary.

Abolish - MTG Card versions
Sunlance - MTG Card versions
Abolish - Prophecy (PCY)
Sunlance - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Cards similar to Inquisitor's Snare by color, type and mana cost

Disenchant - MTG Card versions
Lightning Blow - MTG Card versions
Divine Offering - MTG Card versions
Alabaster Potion - MTG Card versions
Invulnerability - MTG Card versions
Remedy - MTG Card versions
Rhystic Shield - MTG Card versions
Samite Ministration - MTG Card versions
Shield Wall - MTG Card versions
Life Burst - MTG Card versions
Shelter - MTG Card versions
Equal Treatment - MTG Card versions
Aura Extraction - MTG Card versions
Raise the Alarm - MTG Card versions
Test of Faith - MTG Card versions
Echoing Calm - MTG Card versions
Dawn Charm - MTG Card versions
Graceful Reprieve - MTG Card versions
Last Breath - MTG Card versions
Angelsong - MTG Card versions
Disenchant - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Lightning Blow - Ice Age (ICE)
Divine Offering - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Alabaster Potion - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Invulnerability - Tempest (TMP)
Remedy - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Rhystic Shield - Prophecy (PCY)
Samite Ministration - Invasion (INV)
Shield Wall - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Life Burst - Odyssey (ODY)
Shelter - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Equal Treatment - Torment (TOR)
Aura Extraction - Onslaught (ONS)
Raise the Alarm - Mirrodin (MRD)
Test of Faith - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Echoing Calm - Darksteel (DST)
Dawn Charm - Commander Legends (CMR)
Graceful Reprieve - Morningtide (MOR)
Last Breath - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Angelsong - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Inquisitor's Snare MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Inquisitor's Snare and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Inquisitor's Snare has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2008-05-01 The prevention effect applies even after the creature leaves the battlefield.

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