Creeping Tar Pit MTG Card


Provides card advantage and resource acceleration without using extra cards, perfect for blue and black mana decks. Instant speed transformation to unblockable creature applies pressure during critical match moments. Requires specific mana and higher activation cost, which could be seen as less efficient in some scenarios.
Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeLand

Text of card

Creeping Tar Pit enters the battlefield tapped. : Add or to your mana pool. : Until end of turn, Creeping Tar Pit becomes a 3/2 blue and black Elemental creature and is unblockable. It's still a land.


Cards like Creeping Tar Pit

Creeping Tar Pit holds a unique position in the landscape of land cards in MTG, particularly among those that can transform into creatures. Its closest relatives in function are cards like Faerie Conclave and Lavaclaw Reaches. Like Creeping Tar Pit, these lands share the ability to morph into creatures, with Faerie Conclave turning into a flyer and Lavaclaw Reaches gaining power through its spend mana ability.

Another card worth mentioning is Celestial Colonnade, which also swings as a flying vigilant beater. However, what sets Creeping Tar Pit apart is its unblockable nature when activated, ensuring its damage potential against opponents. On the mana cost aspect, all these cards require an investment to come alive, with Faerie Conclave being the least expensive but also the most fragile in combat.

Delving deeper, each card aligns with a different strategic approach, catering to various deck types. Yet, when it comes to reliability in landing blows, the stealthy Creeping Tar Pit excels by paving an unblockable path to victory, a trait its kin cannot claim. With this advantage, it’s no wonder that Creeping Tar Pit enjoys a solid reputation for delivering consistent pressure in MTG matchups.

Faerie Conclave - MTG Card versions
Lavaclaw Reaches - MTG Card versions
Celestial Colonnade - MTG Card versions
Faerie Conclave - MTG Card versions
Lavaclaw Reaches - MTG Card versions
Celestial Colonnade - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Creeping Tar Pit by color, type and mana cost

Underground Sea - MTG Card versions
River Delta - MTG Card versions
Underground River - MTG Card versions
Salt Marsh - MTG Card versions
Dimir Aqueduct - MTG Card versions
Temple of Deceit - MTG Card versions
Watery Grave - MTG Card versions
Darkwater Catacombs - MTG Card versions
Dreadship Reef - MTG Card versions
Secluded Glen - MTG Card versions
Jwar Isle Refuge - MTG Card versions
Drowned Catacomb - MTG Card versions
Darkslick Shores - MTG Card versions
Tainted Isle - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Depths - MTG Card versions
Sunken Hollow - MTG Card versions
Submerged Boneyard - MTG Card versions
Dismal Backwater - MTG Card versions
Choked Estuary - MTG Card versions
Dimir Guildgate - MTG Card versions
Underground Sea - MTG Card versions
River Delta - MTG Card versions
Underground River - MTG Card versions
Salt Marsh - MTG Card versions
Dimir Aqueduct - MTG Card versions
Temple of Deceit - MTG Card versions
Watery Grave - MTG Card versions
Darkwater Catacombs - MTG Card versions
Dreadship Reef - MTG Card versions
Secluded Glen - MTG Card versions
Jwar Isle Refuge - MTG Card versions
Drowned Catacomb - MTG Card versions
Darkslick Shores - MTG Card versions
Tainted Isle - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Depths - MTG Card versions
Sunken Hollow - MTG Card versions
Submerged Boneyard - MTG Card versions
Dismal Backwater - MTG Card versions
Choked Estuary - MTG Card versions
Dimir Guildgate - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Creeping Tar Pit. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
UBUB VintageVintage Preliminary 2024-04-30
Dimir MidrangeDimir Midrange ModernSultai ControlDEN24 Sat 9:00 - U.S. Regional Championship - presented by Laughing Dragon
Grixis FaeriesGrixis Faeries ModernGrixis FaeriesModern Challenge 96 2024-03-30
Grixis MidrangeGrixis Midrange ModernGrixis Control4 Torneio - 10 Liga Arena Guardians
Esper ControlEsper Control ModernEsper Control22Champions Cup Final Season 2 Round 2
Dimir ControlDimir Control ModernDimir ControlModern League 2023-12-08 (1)
Grixis ControlGrixis Control ModernGrixis ControlModern Challenge 64 2023-12-31
Four-color MidrangeFour-color Midrange Modern4c Midrange2 Torneio - 10 Liga Arena Guardians
Dimir FaeriesDimir Faeries ModernDimir FaeriesModern League 2023-11-21

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Creeping Tar Pit strengthens your board presence by transforming from land to creature, effectively serving dual purposes without using an extra card.

Resource Acceleration: As a land, it provides mana fixing for blue and black mana-decks, ensuring you have the resources you need at the right time.

Instant Speed: Being able to turn into a creature at instant speed means it can become unblockable when least expected, applying pressure at critical moments during a match.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Creeping Tar Pit has a mana requirement that includes both blue and black, making it less flexible than a generic mana land. This means it’s often relegated to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana, potentially limiting its inclusion in multi-colored decks where mana fixing is essential.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To activate Creeping Tar Pit’s ability to become a creature, you must invest three mana, which is no small commitment, especially in the early stages of the game. Other utility lands offer similar creature transformation abilities at a lower cost, making Creeping Tar Pit less appealing from a mana efficiency perspective.

Discard Requirement: While not directly requiring a discard, using Creeping Tar Pit’s ability necessitates tapping it, and therefore not having that mana available might force you to choose between playing other cards from your hand or activating the Tar Pit. In some scenarios, this creates an indirect discard situation as you may have to forgo casting a potentially useful spell to capitalize on the Tar Pit’s abilities.


Reasons to Include Creeping Tar Pit in Your Collection

Versatility: Creeping Tar Pit serves dual purposes as a land card. It provides both blue and black mana for mana fixing and can transform into an unblockable creature, perfect for any control or midrange deck seeking reliable damage output.

Combo Potential: Its ability to become a creature with unblockability makes it a threat that can be enhanced with various equipment or auras. It also plays well with cards that benefit from creature presence or land synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where control decks often dominate, Creeping Tar Pit offers a win condition that is difficult for many decks to interact with, making it a must-have in formats where evasion is key to victory.


How to beat

Creeping Tar Pit serves as a formidable component in MTG, known for its stealthy feature of turning into an unblockable 3/2 creature. This transformative ability makes it a challenge to counteract once activated. However, there are strategies one can employ to neutralize this lurking threat. Land destruction cards, such as Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin, can directly deal with Creeping Tar Pit, removing it from the battlefield before it can launch an attack. Additionally, effects that restrict the opponent from activating abilities or spells, like Damping Sphere or Linvala, Keeper of Silence, can effectively prevent the Tar Pit from ever becoming a tangible threat. Paying attention to land interaction and keeping up pressure on your opponent’s mana resources also diminishes the opportunity for them to successfully utilize Creeping Tar Pit’s transformation. Timing is key, and with vigilant play and the right answers in your deck, this elusive land card can be rendered ineffective, keeping you firmly in command of the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Creeping Tar Pit MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Ultimate Masters, 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 Creeping Tar Pit and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Creeping Tar Pit Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 1342003NormalBlackJason Felix
22018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 2392015NormalBlackJason Felix
32020-09-25Zendikar Rising ExpeditionsZNE 242015NormalBlackAdam Paquette
42022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3962015NormalBlackJason Felix
52022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8882015NormalBlackJason Felix
62023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8582015NormalBlackNino Is
72023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 4862015NormalBlackNino Is
82023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2672015NormalBlackNino Is
92023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 10772015NormalBlackNino Is

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Creeping Tar Pit has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2010-03-01 A land that becomes a creature may be affected by "summoning sickness." You can't attack with it or use any of its abilities (including its mana abilities) unless it began your most recent turn on the battlefield under your control. Note that summoning sickness cares about when that permanent came under your control, not when it became a creature.
2010-03-01 When a land becomes a creature, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. The permanent was already on the battlefield; it only changed its types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger.