Praetor's Grasp MTG Card


Praetor’s Grasp can disrupt opponents by using their strategies against them. Specific mana requirements and higher casting cost can limit its use. Counterplay options include graveyard interaction and play restrictions.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Search target opponent's library for a card and exile it face down. Then that player shuffles his or her library. You may look at and play that card for as long as it remains exiled.

Sheoldred weaves every thread of information into a noose to hang her enemies.


Cards like Praetor's Grasp

Praetor’s Grasp is a unique spell weaving across Magic: The Gathering, belonging to a niche category of cards that allow players to manipulate opponents’ libraries. Its closest cousin is Gonti, Lord of Luxury, which lets you look at the top four cards of an opponent’s library and exile one of them. However, Praetor’s Grasp gives a broader access by not limiting the search to the top cards and has the advantage of potentially using any card exiled, at the cost of revealing it, adding a layer of strategy and surprise.

Then there is Sadistic Sacrament, which targets the strategy of an opponent by exiling up to three cards from an opponent’s library for a smaller mana investment. The kicker ability to exile fifteen cards could be a game-ender against combo decks, although that comes with a significant mana investment. However, unlike Praetor’s Grasp, you cannot use the exiled cards yourself.

Considering these factors, Praetor’s Grasp is seen as a versatile tool for disruption and opportunity. It competes by not only disrupting an opponent’s plans but also by potentially harnessing their strengths, making it a distinctive card in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering. This adds strategic depth to the games where it’s played, as it blends elements of control, theft, and surprise, securing its position within its own peculiar slice of the lexicon of spells.

Gonti, Lord of Luxury - MTG Card versions
Sadistic Sacrament - MTG Card versions
Gonti, Lord of Luxury - MTG Card versions
Sadistic Sacrament - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Praetor's Grasp by color, type and mana cost

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Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Inquisition - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Praetor’s Grasp gives you the unique ability to reach into your opponent’s library and snatch any card of your choosing. This action essentially nets you an extra card and simultaneously denies your opponent access to a key piece of their strategy, which can be enormously advantageous in the flow of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly producing additional mana, being able to cast any nonland card from your opponent’s deck can provide you with unexpected forms of acceleration. Whether it’s a ramp spell, creature with a mana ability, or artifact that produces mana, Praetor’s Grasp can essentially morph into whatever resource acceleration you need based on the current board state.

Instant Speed: Although Praetor’s Grasp is a sorcery, its effect can serve a similar purpose to an instant by offering strategic versatility. Playing it at the right moment allows you to adapt to the evolving game, securing the exact card that best confronts the situation at hand, be it a counterspell, removal, or game-changing threat—an adaptability usually seen at instant speed plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Praetor’s Grasp does not require a direct card discard, its use necessitates a clear strategy for the stolen card, which might not synergize with your existing hand or deck, effectively becoming a “dead” card if not leveraged properly.

Specific Mana Cost: Praetor’s Grasp has a very specific mana requirement, needing two black mana in its total cost. This can prove limiting as it requires commitment to black mana sources, making it less versatile for multicolor decks that aren’t heavily weighted towards black.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Praetor’s Grasp is on the higher side for a targeted search effect. This can be especially taxing in the early game where mana efficiency is paramount, and other cards might offer more immediate board presence or disruption.


Reasons to Include Praetor’s Grasp in Your Collection

Versatility: Praetor’s Grasp is a unique card that allows you to search an opponent’s library for any card and play it using your own mana. This flexibility makes it a valuable asset to control decks, enabling you to adapt to diverse situations by accessing your opponents’ strategies.

Combo Potential: With the ability to snag key pieces from your opponent’s deck, Praetor’s Grasp can disrupt combos or even create new ones in your favor. It finds a natural home in decks looking to exploit synergies and gain an edge by foreseeing and preempting the opponent’s moves.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-changing nature of the MTG landscape, having a card that provides insight into an opponent’s game plan is incredibly useful. Praetor’s Grasp gains relevance in a meta with high-powered singleton cards, giving you the chance to utilize those powerhouses against their original owners.


How to beat

Praetor’s Grasp is a unique spell in Magic: The Gathering that allows a player to delve into an opponent’s library, snatch any card, and potentially cast it using its mana cost. To counter this disruptive strategy, consider employing graveyard interaction tactics or shuffling effects. Playing cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Bojuka Bog can exile your graveyard in response, nullifying the Grasp’s advantage if the chosen card gets placed there. Similarly, instant-speed library shuffling with effects from cards like Feldon’s Cane can protect your critical spells from being snatched.

Another practical method is to make use of cards that restrict opponents from playing cards outside their own decks, like Drannith Magistrate. This effectively renders the ability of Praetor’s Grasp null, as your opponent cannot legally cast the stolen card. Moreover, proactive hand disruption like Thoughtseize can be used to remove Praetor’s Grasp from your opponent’s hand before they have the opportunity to cast it, ensuring your valuable pieces remain safe in your library.

Overall, while Praetor’s Grasp can swing momentum by using your own spells against you, incorporating strategic counters and preventative cards into your deck can safeguard your game plan against such invasive tactics.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the art of deck synergy and disruption is central to any MTG strategy. Praetor’s Grasp stands out as a card that can shift the tides of a match by offering card advantage, resource acceleration, and a gateway to your opponent’s key strategies. Whether you’re looking to enhance your control deck or add an element of surprise to your gameplay, incorporating this card could be your next strategic move. Invigorate your deck-building approach and discover tactics that resonate with the dynamic nature of MTG. Keen to delve deeper and refine your deck? Connect with us to further unlock the potential of your collection and outplay your opponents.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Praetor's Grasp MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Praetor's Grasp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Praetor's Grasp Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-05-13New PhyrexiaNPH 712003NormalBlackSteve Argyle
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 10232015NormalBlackRyo Kamei

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Praetor's Grasp has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-06-01 Other players, including the card’s owner, can’t look at the card while it remains exiled.
2011-06-01 Playing a card exiled with Praetor’s Grasp follows all the normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its costs, and you must follow all timing restrictions, for example.