Inquisitor's Snare
Instant
Prevent all damage target attacking or blocking creature would deal this turn. If that creature is black or red, destroy it.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Shadowmoor
- Price
- $0.14
- EDHREC rank
- #26901
Inquisitor's Snare is a one-mana instant that prevents all damage from a creature and gains you life equal to its power — at sorcery speed it would be marginal, but at instant speed it doubles as a combat trick and a life-cushion. The catch is real: it requires two white mana in its cost, making it a liability in any deck that isn't heavily white.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Inquisitor's Snare occupies the low end of white interaction — it stops one attacker cold and pads your life total, which matters when you're absorbing hits from three opponents, but it does nothing to remove the threat permanently. In Pauper, where white weenie and life-gain decks are actual archetypes, the card is more at home: blocking math is tighter and one mana at instant speed is a real tempo swing. Legacy and Vintage are non-starters — the power floor is too high for a single-combat-trick to earn a slot. The double-white pip makes Inquisitor's Snare a dedicated white-heavy card in every format; splash it at your own risk.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.14 bulk tier
At $0.14, Inquisitor's Snare is deep bulk — the price reflects its narrow playability rather than any supply constraint. It won't rise; pick it up if you need it and forget about it otherwise.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.