The release of Zendikar also brought the release of a new kind of card: Traps! A trap is a type of instant that can be played in response to something happening for a reduced cost. Traps can be cast as regular spells, but if played for their discounted cost, they are truly some of the strongest cards in the set!

#5 : Ravenous Trap – Uncommon

4 mana to empty a graveyard is not too steep of a price, but why pay 4 when you can do it for free!? Against a pesky deck that keeps bringing things back from the graveyard, this card is golden. The zero cost is great because it can double up storm counts and really come through in a tough situation.

#4 : Needlebite Trap – Uncommon

Possibly one of the most widely useful traps out there, Needlebite Trap is an awesome response to a life gain. 1 mana for a heavy bleed is nothing to scoff at. Double this guy up with a sanguine bond, and your opponents will think twice about ever trying to gain life again!

#3 : Summoning Trap – Rare

By far one of the strongest green spells in Zendikar, Summoning Trap is a very flavorful card that punishes your opponents for opposing your actions. It’s alternate cost of 0 makes it uber useful at any time in the game! Even with a mana cost of 6, it may be a good deal in the right situation to just hard cast this big guy!

#2 : Archive Trap – Rare

Situationaly, this card makes Glimpse the Unthinkable look bad. In other scenarios, Glimpse the Unthinkable makes this card look horrible. A 13 card mill can eliminate the majority of a small deck if played more than once. Being a very controversial pick for a mill deck, my vote is yes. Most likely this card won’t let you down.

#1 : Mindbreak Trap – Mythic Rare  

Undoubtedly one of the best cards in Zendikar (let alone the fact that it is the best trap), Mindbreak trap will most likely be ruining players days for years to come. With the ability to kill any card with “Storm” and possibility of eliminating an opponents entire turn for 0 mana, this card is truly a spectacle of power! Not only does it prevent opponents spells from resolving, it removes them from the game instead of countering them! Say good-bye Great Sable Stag, and all your non-counterable buddies too!

Only time will tell if the “Trap” type card will survive the test of time. My guess, it that much like the “Arcane” spells of the Kamigawa block, it will be a block specific ability. None the less, it is a clever unique and undoubtedly powerful ability that will be changing the face of the game for years to come!