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Enchanted River's Grasp

common Enchantment — Aura

Enchant creature

When this enters, enchanted creature and remove all counters from it.

Enchanted creature loses all abilities and doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.

C+ Grade from the win rate

Win rate when drawn 55.6% −0.6 vs average 41,489 games

Win rates and picks

54.2% 68,410 games
Average pick ()
6.7

By deck

  • Draw Two 57.1% 23,824 games
  • Elf Landfall 53.4% 8,422 games
  • Removal Control 53.6% 3,350 games
  • Burn and Draw 55.8% 1,737 games

Win rates from , 323,114 games. This card is compared with the set average (56.2%).

Reviews

Just like Frozen in Ice in MSH, Enchanted River's Grasp is a very strong 3-mana spell in a color that doesn't always get strong removal. This ought to be a high priority when you're drafting blue.

Its spells (Uneasy Partings, Enchanted River's Grasp) aren't too bad, but it tends to play best when another color is providing cheap, reliable removal.

How to draft it

Roles in each deck

  • Draw Two Removal

    The creature is , loses all its counters and abilities, and doesn't untap during its controller's untap step, so the works as on any size of creature. Against Goblin Army it kills the outright, because the Army is 0/0 without its counters.

    How to play it

    Their best creature with counters or a strong ability is the target, since it loses both. The creature stays on the battlefield, so they can still it or it to get rid of the . Keep Celebrate the Mountain-king for what this can't touch, like and .

    Learn the Draw Two deck

  • Elf Landfall Removal

    For 3 mana this taps their creature, strips its counters and abilities and keeps it from untapping, which handles most threats. Removing every counter as it enters also makes it the cleanest answer in these colors to an or a creature grown with +1/+1 counters .

    How to play it

    Save it for their biggest threat or a creature whose ability hurts you, and cast it before combat on your turn so the creature can't block your attack. The creature stays on the battlefield, so their cards that count creatures still count it, and they can still it.

    Learn the Elf Landfall deck

  • Removal Control Removal

    It's backup that leaves the creature on the battlefield, and without its abilities. Against Goblin Army and Ferocious Wolves it kills an outright, because an Army has no toughness of its own once its counters are gone.

    How to play it

    Cast Crude Bent Blade before the Grasp, never after, or they'll the creature you already locked down. Behind black's other it's a .

    Learn the Removal Control deck

  • Burn and Draw Removal

    The taps a creature of any size, strips its abilities and keeps it from untapping during its controller's untap step. Removing all counters as it enters also kills an outright, since an Army is nothing but its counters.

    How to play it

    Aim it at their biggest creature or an . The creature stays on the battlefield, so they can still it, it counts for their other cards, it blocks again if something untaps it, and it gets its abilities back if the leaves (the counters stay gone). Against a creature they would happily sacrifice, use Pinecone Strike or Burn, Burn, Tree and Fern.

    Learn the Burn and Draw deck