Kagemaro's Clutch MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Saviors of Kamigawa
Set code	SOK
Number	74
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Pat Lee

Key Takeaways

Strengthens your control by forcing opponents to part with their crucial cards at instant speed.
Limits its own use with demanding card discards, potentially stifling your strategic flow.
Empowers decks against meta trends, synergizing in control tactics for critical board impacts.

Text of card

Enchanted creature gets -X/-X, where X is the number of cards in your hand.

The mist was thick, cloying, and constricting. Shiro fought his way to fresh air only to look back and see his comrades fallen on the battlefield behind him.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kagemaro’s Clutch works to disrupt your opponent’s hand by compelling them to discard cards, effectively tipping the scales in your favor by depriving them of strategic resources.

Resource Acceleration: This card plays a pivotal role not in creating mana but in safeguarding your own resources. By forcing an opponent to discard, it preserves the integrity of your plays, enabling you to press forward without the threat of certain spells or creatures.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Kagemaro’s Clutch at instant speed grants you considerable flexibility during a match. You can wait until the most opportune moment, perhaps when your opponent least expects it, to force them to discard, thereby maximizing the impact of the card and possibly disrupting your opponent’s planned moves without compromising your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kagemaro’s Clutch demands that players discard a card as an added cost to cast it. This prerequisite can be particularly challenging when hand sizes are small or key cards are needed to maintain strategic momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Kagemaro’s Clutch highlights the need for black mana. This specific mana requirement can limit the card’s flexibility, making it a potentially awkward fit in decks that aren’t heavily invested in black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: This card carries a not insignificant cost to summon its effects to the battlefield. There exist alternatives in the realm of removal or creature control that may offer similar outcomes for less mana, impacting the efficiency of deck construction and gameplay decisions.

Reasons to Include Kagemaro’s Clutch in Your Collection

Versatility: Kagemaro’s Clutch is a flexible card that can be included in various deck types, particularly those that aim to control the board or protect vital creatures. Its ability to disrupt opponents’ plans by clearing the battlefield of enchantments and tapped creatures makes it an asset in multiple tactical scenarios.

Combo Potential: As a card with the potential to turn the tides, Kagemaro’s Clutch works well with strategies that capitalize on creature and enchantment removal. It can help set up the board for game-winning combos by clearing away potential blockers or disrupting opponent synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Tailored for a meta crowded with enchantment-heavy decks or those relying heavily on tapping creatures for their engine, Kagemaro’s Clutch could become an essential tool for gaining an edge. Employing it smartly can offer crucial advantages against current popular deck builds.

How to beat

Kagemaro’s Clutch is a compelling card within the arsenal of control tools in MTG. Wielding the ability to lock down an opponent’s key creature, this often shifts the tide in a matchup. Just like other control cards, such as Pacifism or Arrest, Kagemaro’s Clutch brings to the table a strategic edge, deterring the utility of target creatures without removing them completely from the game.

What sets Kagemaro’s Clutch apart is its “until end of turn” clause that can surprise unwary opponents during combat. Unlike other control spells that provide a more permanent solution, like Oblivion Ring or Banishing Light, Kagemaro’s Clutch presents a temporary impediment. Thus, the savvy player would do well to be prepared with a plan for when the creature regains its abilities.

Overcoming the drawback of Kagemaro’s Clutch requires focusing on permanents that provide lasting control or seeking alternatives that remove threats entirely. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile could be considered more definitive answers than the temporary disruption Kagemaro’s Clutch offers. As players weigh their options, it’s paramount to assess each card’s impact not just in the moment but across the expanse of the game.

Similar Cards to Kagemaro’s Clutch

Kagemaro’s Clutch is an intriguing tool for control strategies in Magic: The Gathering, with similarities to cards that also aim to disrupt enemy creatures. Comparable to Chainer’s Edict, both provide a means to tackle an opponent’s creatures and manipulate the battlefield. Chainer’s Edict forces the opponent to sacrifice a creature, while Kagemaro’s Clutch targets a single creature, weakening it to aid in its potential removal.

Another card that echoes the disruption theme is Last Gasp. This card outright destroys a targeted creature with a reduction in power and toughness, similar to the effect of Kagemaro’s Clutch. But Last Gasp does this in a more definitive manner, ensuring the creature’s end on the spot. The clutch, with its lower cost and -X/-X based on your hand size, offers flexibility in terms of scaling its effect’s potency.

Kagemaro’s Clutch fits neatly within the suite of creature management spells in Magic: The Gathering. It’s an adaptable choice that can become more potent as your hand size grows throughout the game, making it a strategically valuable pick for players favoring a more reactive and adaptable approach to maintaining control on the board.

Cards similar to Kagemaro's Clutch by color, type and mana cost

Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions

Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kagemaro's Clutch MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Kagemaro's Clutch and other MTG cards: