Prison Term MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Prison Term allows for card advantage by locking down opponents’ threats without tapping into your hand.
  2. It’s an aura with instant-speed-like flexibility, adapting to new threats as they appear on the battlefield.
  3. Versatility and combo potential make Prison Term a must-have for enduring creature control strategies.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be played. Whenever a creature comes into play under an opponent's control, you may attach Prison Term to that creature.

Clear out the cell. Bring in the next prisoner.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Prison Term can help in gaining card advantage by essentially nullifying your opponent’s threats without using additional cards from hand. This increases your resources while potentially decreasing theirs, as they need to find an answer for the enchantment.

Resource Acceleration: Although Prison Term doesn’t directly contribute to resource acceleration in the form of mana or treasures, it indirectly accelerates your resources by keeping your existing board state unthreatened. It allows you to focus your mana and cards on advancing your game plan rather than dealing with your opponent’s creatures.

Instant Speed: Prison Term operates at the speed of an aura, imbuing it with the ability to catch creatures as they come into play. While it is not an instant itself, its ability to attach to new creatures your opponents control can give it instant speed-like flexibility, allowing adaptive responses to threats as they arise during the course of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ensnaring a creature with Prison Term could mean an opportunity loss as it doesn’t always guarantee discarding a more threatening target later on. Committing to a single creature can restrict your flexibility in responding to new threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both white mana can be restrictive, making it less versatile in multi-color decks that might not always have the necessary mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, there are instances where this investment might not align with your deck’s tempo, especially considering that other removal options might offer immediate and more permanent solutions.


Reasons to Include Prison Term in Your Collection

Versatility: Prison Term offers a flexible removal option for white decks. Its ability to attach to new creatures that enter the battlefield ensures ongoing control, making it a staple in many Commander and casual decks.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with strategies involving the use of flicker or bounce effects. Manipulating Prison Term to shift between targets can effectively neutralize your opponent’s key creatures during critical phases of the game.

Meta-Relevance: As creature-based strategies pervade various formats, Prison Term’s relevance escalates. Its capacity to continuously address threats as they are deployed makes it an excellent choice for decks needing to stay ahead of the creature curve.


How to beat

Prison Term is a unique white enchantment from the plane of Lorwyn that shines in its ability to control opposing creatures. Unlike typical removal spells that dispatch threats permanently, Prison Term locks onto a creature, suppressing its abilities and preventing it from attacking or blocking. The real trickiness comes from its sneaky ability to attach to a newly summoned creature your opponent controls, making it a persistent nuisance.

Combatting Prison Term involves a few strategies. Hexproof or shroud-equipped creatures are impervious to its initial cast, slipping past Prison Term’s clutches. Artifact destruction or enchantment removal, staples in many sideboards, can dismantle it after it lands on the battlefield. Green’s abundant enchantment hate, through cards like Naturalize, or white’s own Disenchant, serve as clean escapes. Moreover, leveraging instant-speed spells to remove or sacrifice your creature in response to Prison Term’s cast can sidestep its confining effects, preserving your game plan and leaving your opponent’s enchantment without a target. Alternately, cards that bounce your own creatures back to your hand can outmaneuver Prison Term, freeing them from its chains and allowing for a recast with full capabilities next turn.

Ultimately, knowing its mechanics can turn the tide against Prison Term, proving that even the most solidly constructed cell has keys waiting to be discovered by savvy players.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unlocking the potential of Prison Term in your MTG collection can dramatically enhance your gameplay, offering a strategic edge that could turn the tides of battle in your favor. With its ability to thwart opponent strategies by neutralizing their key creatures, this enchantment is a piece of tactical weaponry every white deck commander should consider. Whether you’re refining your control deck or seeking to add another layer of depth to your gameplay, Prison Term’s persistent control makes it a card worth wielding. Delve deeper into deck-building strategies, find out how to outsmart your adversaries, and weave Prison Term into your winning formula. Join BurnMana for a deeper exploration of card synergy and deck optimization, and take your MTG prowess to new heights.


Cards like Prison Term

Prison Term stands out in the realm of creature control enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. It’s often measured against cards like Pacifism, which similarly restricts a creature’s ability to attack or block. Where Prison Term gains the edge is in its flexibility — the ability to transfer the enchantment onto a more powerful creature that enters the battlefield. While Pacifism is a one-and-done deal, Prison Term can adapt to the changing state of the game.

Another card worth mentioning is Darksteel Mutation, which also neutralizes threats by turning a creature into an ineffective 0/1 insect with indestructible. Although it doesn’t allow for transferring control like Prison Term, it ensures the creature remains a non-factor permanently, assuming it isn’t removed from the battlefield. Then there’s Faith’s Fetters, offering a similar lockdown effect with a lifegain bonus. However, Faith’s Fetters has a higher casting cost and lacks the dynamic reassignment ability that makes Prison Term so versatile in changing board states.

In essence, while there are several cards with comparable effects in MTG, Prison Term’s unique mechanism of controlling opponent creatures provides continuous tactical advantage, positioning it as a standout option for players who prioritize enduring detainment strategies.

Pacifism - MTG Card versions
Darksteel Mutation - MTG Card versions
Faith's Fetters - MTG Card versions
Pacifism - Mirage (MIR)
Darksteel Mutation - Commander 2013 (C13)
Faith's Fetters - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Cards similar to Prison Term by color, type and mana cost

Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
Aura of Silence - MTG Card versions
Empyrial Armor - MTG Card versions
Cessation - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
Samite Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Pariah - MTG Card versions
Tattoo Ward - MTG Card versions
Sparring Regimen - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Celestial Dawn - MTG Card versions
Damping Field - Antiquities (ATQ)
Farmstead - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Cooperation - Ice Age (ICE)
Noble Steeds - Alliances (ALL)
Aura of Silence - Commander 2015 (C15)
Empyrial Armor - Weatherlight (WTH)
Cessation - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Arrest - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Glorious Anthem - Junior Super Series (PSUS)
Samite Sanctuary - Prophecy (PCY)
Pariah - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Tattoo Ward - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparring Regimen - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Shielded by Faith - Signature Spellbook: Gideon (SS2)
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Oblivion Ring - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Cage of Hands - Commander Legends (CMR)
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - The List (PLST)
Guardian's Magemark - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Celestial Dawn - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prison Term MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor and Planechase, 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 Prison Term and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Prison Term Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2008-05-02 and 2011-06-17. Illustrated by 6 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-05-02ShadowmoorSHM 182003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
22009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 62003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
32010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A132003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
42011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 272003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai
52020-09-26The ListPLST SHM-182003normalblackZoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prison Term has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Prison Term 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 last ability works only if Prison Term is already on the battlefield. You may move it from the creature it’s currently enchanting onto the new creature.
2016-06-08 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keywords are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text.

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