Spectral Prison MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Number	75
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Vincent Proce

Key Takeaways

Card advantage through deterring use of additional removal spells, easing resource management.
Can impede deck flexibility due to color-specific mana cost and possible discard requirement.
Offers strategic control in certain meta environments, fitting well in tempo-focused decks.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step. When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell, sacrifice Spectral Prison.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spectral Prison ensures that when it enchants an opponent’s creature, it effectively keeps that creature out of the game until the enchantment is removed. This can result in card advantage as it negates the need to use another removal spell on the targeted creature, therefore saving your resources.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting resource acceleration, the use of Spectral Prison can indirectly influence your mana allocation. By locking down a potential threat, you are free to allocate mana to other actions, such as developing your board, rather than holding mana back for reactive plays.

Instant Speed: Although Spectral Prison is not an instant, its impact is like that of an instant-speed removal in that it can immediately neutralize an attacking or blocking creature. The swift change in board state can be pivotal in maintaining pressure or stabilizing against aggression from your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Spectral Prison is that it may require the player to discard a card. This can be particularly disadvantageous during the late game or in situations where card advantage is crucial to maintaining control over the match.

Specific Mana Cost: Spectral Prison’s mana cost is color-specific, demanding a commitment to blue mana. This can restrict the card’s integration into multi-color decks that may have a diverse mana base, possibly requiring additional mana-fixing to accommodate it efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost of Spectral Prison is considered high for its effect. When evaluating the card’s utility, players often compare it to other available options. Less expensive spells might provide similar or better effects, making Spectral Prison a less attractive choice in a tightly-constructed deck.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spectral Prison can serve as a flexible piece in decks that thrive on managing opponents’ creatures. Its ability to lockdown a target creature until a spell is cast aligns with strategies aimed at tempo control.

Combo Potential: It works well within decks centered around non-creature spell synergies. Its enchantment nature enables synergy with cards that benefit from enchantments entering and leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies prevail, its ability to neutralize key creatures can significantly shift the pace of the game, making it a timely addition against aggressive decks.

How to Beat Spectral Prison

Spectral Prison is an enchantment that can throw a wrench into your game plan, as it locks down a creature until its controller casts a noncreature spell. It’s a tactical card often seen in control decks, freezing threats on board and compelling opponents to shift their strategy to reclaim their creature’s abilities.

To navigate around this card, focus on having a diversified deck. Include flexible spells that can counteract the freezing effect of Spectral Prison. Instants and sorceries that can remove enchantments, like Disenchant or Naturalize, are excellent ways to free your creature and continue pressuring your opponent. Alternatively, plan your deck to have a variety of noncreature spells to trigger the condition of Spectral Prison without hurting your own game progression.

Remember that Spectral Prison loses its grip when you cast that noncreature spell. Therefore, maintaining a hand with a balance of creature and noncreature spells will keep you prepared to answer this particular challenge, ensuring your gameplay remains fluid and aggressive, even when facing such confining enchantments.

Cards like Spectral Prison

Spectral Prison stands out in the enchantment pool with its ability to lockdown creatures on the battlefield. It draws a parallel to cards like Claustrophobia, which similarly incapacitates a target creature by tapping it and preventing its untap during the controller’s untap phase. Spectral Prison, however, offers a different dynamic as it becomes sacrificed when the enchanted creature is targeted by a spell or ability, giving the opponent a chance to free their creature with clever play.

There’s also Ice Cage, another comparable card in terms of creature control through an enchantment. Like Spectral Prison, Ice Cage keeps the creature from attacking or blocking but has a similar clause that breaks the enchantment if the creature becomes the target of a spell or ability. The benefit of Ice Cage is its broader restriction, but Spectral Prison’s color flexibility in a multicolored deck gives it an edge for many players.

When weighing their options in creature control enchantments, players may find Spectral Prison a valuable tool. Its potential to be a temporary yet flexible solution makes it a strategic choice in various MTG gameplay scenarios, particularly in decks that support multicolor synergies.

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

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spectral Prison MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored, 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 Spectral Prison and other MTG cards: