Deadlock Trap
Artifact
This artifact enters tapped.
When this artifact enters, you get 
(two energy counters).
, Pay : Tap target creature or planeswalker. Its activated abilities can't be activated this turn.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Kaladesh
- Price
- $0.17
- EDHREC rank
- #18060
Deadlock Trap locks down any nonland permanent for three energy — tap it, keep it tapped, repeat every turn. The setup cost is real, but once you have a consistent energy source, it becomes a repeatable answer to commanders and problem permanents that laughs at summoning sickness.
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 |
Deadlock Trap lives almost entirely in Commander, where repeatable tap effects on commanders and engines are worth the energy investment. In 1v1 formats like Modern or Legacy, paying three energy per activation to tap one permanent is far too slow and resource-intensive when cheaper, more permanent removal exists. Oathbreaker shares Commander's multiplayer texture, so the card functions similarly there — particularly if your planeswalker generates energy or your signature spell enables it. Outside of dedicated energy strategies, Deadlock Trap is a Commander-only consideration.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.17 bulk tier
At $0.17, Deadlock Trap is deep bulk — you're paying almost nothing for a potentially back-breaking lock piece. The price reflects its narrow energy dependency, not its ceiling in the right shell.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.