Check for Traps
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it. Exile that card. If an instant card or a card with flash is exiled this way, they lose 1 life. Otherwise, you lose 1 life.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- B
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
- Price
- $0.11
- EDHREC rank
- #22842
Check for Traps makes an opponent reveal their entire hand if they control more lands than you — a punishing information grab that also strips the most threatening spell from their grip. At one mana with kicker, it's cheap enough to hold up without sacrificing your turn, and the upside in a behind-on-lands spot is real.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Check for Traps hits its ceiling: four opponents means someone almost always has more lands than you, especially in the midgame when you actually need the information. The kicker cost of two more mana is trivially payable by turn four, turning this into a one-mana discard spell with full hand-reveal attached. In Legacy and Vintage the condition is too unreliable — aggressive and combo decks contest land counts frequently, and dedicated discard like Thoughtseize doesn't ask questions. Modern and Pioneer sit in the middle; it's playable in specific control mirrors but gets outclassed by unconditional options. Commander is where Check for Traps actually earns a slot.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.11 bulk tier
At $0.11, Check for Traps is deep bulk — you'll find it in a commons box, not a trade binder. The price reflects niche playability rather than low power; Commander demand keeps it from going completely unnoticed, but don't expect movement.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.