Lifetap MTG Card


Lifetap transforms blue mana taps into life, bolstering player endurance throughout the game. Requires discarding which, while competing with other cards, can limit its application. While mana-specific and somewhat costly, Lifetap’s utility against certain deck types is notable.
Card setsReleased in 13 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Text of card

You gain 1 life each time any forest of opponent's becomes tapped.


Cards like Lifetap

Lifetap is an intriguing card within the arsenal of blue spells in Magic: The Gathering, sharing characteristics with other life-gaining enchantments. A notable parallel can be drawn to the card Psychic Leech. While Lifetap grants you life whenever a Forest is tapped by an opponent, Psychic Leech also hinges on your opponent’s actions, providing life whenever an opponent’s card ability causes them to draw. However, Lifetap’s potential can be seen when facing decks heavy with Forests, giving it a more situational edge.

Another card that comes to mind is Spirit Link, which attaches to a creature and grants life equal to the damage it deals. Though not an enchantment affecting lands like Lifetap, the concept of gaining life from common gameplay actions connects them. Lifetap’s advantage lies in its ability to affect multiple Forests rather than being limited to one creature’s activity.

Through comparison, Lifetap has a distinct place among life-gaining MTG cards. Its efficacy is context-dependent but can prove to be a persistent source of life advantage against green-heavy decks. This strategic aspect earns Lifetap a considered spot in decks looking to capitalize on the landscape of an opponent’s mana resources.

Spirit Link - MTG Card versions
Spirit Link - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Lifetap by color, type and mana cost

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Copy Artifact - MTG Card versions
Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Power Leak - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Terrain - MTG Card versions
Creature Bond - MTG Card versions
Stasis - MTG Card versions
Power Artifact - MTG Card versions
Psychic Venom - MTG Card versions
Venarian Gold - MTG Card versions
Homarid Spawning Bed - MTG Card versions
Soar - MTG Card versions
Flooded Shoreline - MTG Card versions
Dance of Many - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Veil - MTG Card versions
Legacy's Allure - MTG Card versions
Chill - MTG Card versions
Buoyancy - MTG Card versions
Mana Maze - MTG Card versions
Psionic Gift - MTG Card versions
Immobilizing Ink - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lifetap offers players the ability to benefit each time they tap a land for blue mana, effectively turning each land into a potential source of incremental advantage over the course of the game. This can lead to a powerful snowball effect, maintaining the player’s momentum and putting opponents under pressure to respond.

Resource Acceleration: With each blue mana tapped, Lifetap provides users with extra life, which can be a form of resource acceleration. This additional life can effectively increase the player’s staying power in the game, helping them survive longer and providing more opportunities to leverage other cards and strategies.

Instant Speed: While Lifetap itself is not an instant, the benefit it provides synergizes well with instant-speed actions. Having Lifetap on the battlefield allows players to cast instants and still obtain the life-gaining effect during the opponent’s turn, optimizing both their offense and defense strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: With Lifetap, a distinct disadvantage players face is the necessity to discard a card as part of its utilization. This downside can pose significant strategic challenges, especially when a player’s hand is running on empty or when every card is pivotal to maintaining game momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Lifetap’s requirement for specific mana alignment necessitates blue mana for activation. This requisite narrows its compatibility, confining it to blue-inclusive decks and potentially excluding it from a wider range of deck builds that could benefit from its ability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a somewhat steep mana investment, Lifetap may not be the foremost choice for players seeking to optimize their mana expenditure. With alternative options available that incur lower costs for similar or even more potent effects, the cost efficiency of Lifetap comes into question within the competitive landscape.


Reasons to Include Lifetap in Your Collection

Versatility: Lifetap shines in decks that focus on gaining life as a resource. Its ability to turn life gain into card advantage makes it flexible enough to include in a variety of deck archetypes, ranging from control to combo-based strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can become a cornerstone in synergistic playstyles. For instance, pairing it with cards that allow you to gain life each turn creates a consistent draw mechanism, fueling your hand and giving you more options each round.

Meta-Relevance: Against aggressive decks, Lifetap’s utility can be a game-changer. In an environment where quick plays and combat tricks dominate, sustaining your life total while drawing more answers helps tilt the game in your favor.


How to beat

Lifetap, a unique card in the Magic: The Gathering arsenal, attracts players keen on gaining an edge through life gain strategies. It truly shines against decks that heavily rely on Islands or blue mana. To effectively counter Lifetap, the strategy is straightforward – avoid playing into its strength. Sideboarding cards that can remove enchantments, such as Disenchant, offers direct removal and swings the momentum back in your favor. It’s essential to diversify your mana base to minimize the impact of Lifetap’s ability if blue is a significant component of your deck.

Additionally, decks that operate on an alternate resource, like using artifacts or creatures with abilities that tap for mana, can bypass Lifetap’s influence entirely. Employing land destruction tactics or land type changing cards such as Blood Moon or Spreading Seas can neutralize the advantage gained by a Lifetap user, simultaneously disrupting their strategy. In a pinch, accelerating your game plan to close out the game quickly before Lifetap can significantly tip the scales is also a viable approach. The key is to remain adaptable and have a well-prepared sideboard to counteract enchantment-oriented strategies.

With the right tactical adjustments and reactive plays, Lifetap can be transformed from a potential threat to a mere hiccup in your path to victory. In competitive MTG play, understanding how to dismantle key cards of opposing decks is as crucial as executing your strategy.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lifetap MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Lifetap and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lifetap Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 611993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 621993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 621993NormalWhiteAnson Maddocks
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 621993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 621993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 631993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 631993NormalWhiteAnson Maddocks
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 631993NormalWhiteAnson Maddocks
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 811993NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 811993NormalWhiteAnson Maddocks
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 991997NormalWhiteMike Dringenberg
122022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 612015NormalBlackAnson Maddocks
132022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 3581997NormalBlackAnson Maddocks

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lifetap has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Gives one life for each and every Forest tapped.
2004-10-04 In multi-player games it affects all opponents.