Ravenous Trap MTG Card


Zero mana cost under conditions offers significant tempo and resource advantages, disrupting opponent strategies. Instant speed allows for flexibility and surprise, pivotal in games where graveyard tactics are key. It’s essential for sideboards, versatile against various metagame scenarios involving graveyard interactions.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant — Trap

Text of card

If an opponent had three or more cards put into his or her graveyard from anywhere this turn, you may pay rather than pay Ravenous Trap's mana cost. Exile all cards from target player's graveyard.


Cards like Ravenous Trap

Ravenous Trap is a powerful tool for players looking to counter graveyard-based strategies in MTG. Compared to cards like Tormod’s Crypt, Ravenous Trap offers an instant-speed response, allowing players to react on the fly. While Tormod’s Crypt doesn’t require mana investment, it lacks the element of surprise and the ability to exile multiple cards simultaneously that Ravenous Trap provides.

Another comparison points to Leyline of the Void, which also exiles cards that go to the graveyard but from the game’s start if it’s in the opening hand. However, Ravenous Trap shines in its potential to be costless under the right conditions, a boon Leyline cannot claim. There’s also Nihil Spellbomb, which can target a single graveyard and potentially draw a card. Yet, it’s the sweeping effect of Ravenous Trap, clearing all cards from an opponent’s graveyard without cost, that sets it apart in sudden tempo shifts.

Evaluating the effectiveness of graveyard hate options, Ravenous Trap stands out with these distinguishing features. It’s a card that can catch opponents off guard and drastically shift the momentum of the game in a player’s favor.

Tormod's Crypt - MTG Card versions
Leyline of the Void - MTG Card versions
Nihil Spellbomb - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Crypt - MTG Card versions
Leyline of the Void - MTG Card versions
Nihil Spellbomb - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ravenous Trap by color, type and mana cost

Sewers of Estark - MTG Card versions
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Slaughter - MTG Card versions
Nocturnal Raid - MTG Card versions
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Insidious Dreams - MTG Card versions
Hagra Mauling // Hagra Broodpit - MTG Card versions
Death Pulse - MTG Card versions
Irradiate - MTG Card versions
Burden of Greed - MTG Card versions
Shriveling Rot - MTG Card versions
Hideous Laughter - MTG Card versions
When Fluffy Bunnies Attack - MTG Card versions
Chill to the Bone - MTG Card versions
Snuff Out - MTG Card versions
Tendrils of Corruption - MTG Card versions
Instill Infection - MTG Card versions
Launch Party - MTG Card versions
Grisly Spectacle - MTG Card versions
Fatal Fumes - MTG Card versions
Sewers of Estark - MTG Card versions
Feast or Famine - MTG Card versions
Slaughter - MTG Card versions
Nocturnal Raid - MTG Card versions
Psychotic Haze - MTG Card versions
Insidious Dreams - MTG Card versions
Hagra Mauling // Hagra Broodpit - MTG Card versions
Death Pulse - MTG Card versions
Irradiate - MTG Card versions
Burden of Greed - MTG Card versions
Shriveling Rot - MTG Card versions
Hideous Laughter - MTG Card versions
When Fluffy Bunnies Attack - MTG Card versions
Chill to the Bone - MTG Card versions
Snuff Out - MTG Card versions
Tendrils of Corruption - MTG Card versions
Instill Infection - MTG Card versions
Launch Party - MTG Card versions
Grisly Spectacle - MTG Card versions
Fatal Fumes - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ravenous Trap offers a significant boost in card advantage by exiling all cards from an opponent’s graveyard. This can negate combo pieces and gradually accumulated value, leaving them at a strategic loss.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly provide mana or acceleration, the ability to cast it for zero cost under the right conditions is a clear win in terms of resource management. This allows you to maintain tempo and keep mana available for other crucial plays.

Instant Speed: Its status as an instant gives you the flexibility to respond to graveyard strategies at a moment’s notice. By disrupting your opponent’s plan on their turn, Ravenous Trap can swing the momentum of the game in your favor without committing resources on your own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To activate its alternative cost, Ravenous Trap requires an opponent to have three or more cards sent to their graveyard from anywhere this turn. This condition, while sometimes easily met in formats like Modern or Legacy where graveyard strategies are common, might not trigger in games against decks that don’t heavily utilize the graveyard, thus limiting its effectiveness and potential as a surprise play.

Specific Mana Cost: Ravenous Trap has a specific mana cost that requires a single black mana. While this may seem minimal, it can be a challenge to cast in a multicolored deck if the necessary mana isn’t available, limiting its integration into some strategies that can’t always guarantee the black mana source on demand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its regular mana cost is set at three generic mana and one black mana, which could be considered steep for an instant-speed graveyard removal spell, particularly when alternatives like Tormod’s Crypt exist without any cost. This makes it less appealing for decks that require a lower curve or when the game’s state does not allow for that much mana to be held up in anticipation of its use.


Reasons to Include Ravenous Trap in Your Collection

Versatility: Ravenous Trap provides instant-speed graveyard interaction, which is vital in a wide range of formats where graveyard strategies are prevalent. It fits seamlessly into sideboards for both controlling and aggressive builds.

Combo Potential: As a free cast under certain conditions, the card synergizes with spell-based strategies that aim to cast multiple spells in a single turn or seek ways to disrupt opponent’s combos without expending resources.

Meta-Relevance: With the ever-present threat of graveyard-based decks in various MTG metagames, Ravenous Trap is a crucial card to have on hand. Its ability to exile an opponent’s graveyard at no cost, under the right conditions, makes it exceptionally powerful and relevant.


How to beat

Ravenous Trap is a potent instant in Magic: The Gathering, designed as a silver bullet against graveyard strategies. Landing on the battlefield abruptly, it exiles an opponent’s graveyard, a knockout move against decks reliant on graveyard interactions. To tackle Ravenous Trap, preemptive action is key. Prioritize cards with graveyard shuffling abilities, like the Eldrazi Titans or Gaea’s Blessing, to keep your graveyard protected from disparagement.

Having counter magic on standby can also be a lifesaver, allowing you to negate Ravenous Trap before it disrupts your strategy. Moreover, employing card types less reliant on the graveyard, such diversifying your deck can mean Ravenous Trap becomes less of a threat. Some players lean towards enchantment and artifact-heavy compositions, which Ravenous Trap cannot touch. Planning out your plays to avoid triggering its alternative free casting cost is also vital; by not casting multiple spells in one turn, you can avoid stepping right into the trap.

Indeed, while Ravenous Trap can be a formidable card to face, a well-thought-out approach that includes variations in deck construction, strategic play, and ready counters can ensure that this trap doesn’t catch you unawares in Magic: The Gathering.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ravenous Trap MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Ravenous Trap and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ravenous Trap Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by Cyril Van Der Haegen.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 1092003NormalBlackCyril Van Der Haegen
22020-03-08Mystery Booster Retail Edition FoilsFMB1 422003NormalBlackCyril Van Der Haegen
32020-08-07Double Masters2XM 1032015NormalBlackCyril Van Der Haegen
42020-09-26The ListPLST ZEN-1092003NormalBlackCyril Van Der Haegen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ravenous Trap has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-08-07 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as Ravenous Trap's alternative cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.