Last updated on March 31, 2025
Mr. Krabs, Penny Pincher | Illustration by Gregg Schigiel
Buyers of the SpongeBob SquarePant’s Secret Lair are starting to receive their purchases this week, finding a pleasant surprise when opening their bundles. Like all Secret Lairs, your purchases come with a bonus card – and this time around, some of the extra loot is quite valuable.
SpongeBob’s Secret Lair went on sale last week, selling out in a matter of days…
Source: Wizards of the Coast, Secret Lair
As buyers started opening their purchases (which started to arrive a couple of days ago for US buyers; in the Euro zone, delivery is expected for later in April), they found some rather cool extra goodies: SpongeBob-ified versions of Command Tower, Dismember, Counterspell, and a bonkers chase card: Smothering Tithe.
Random Loot
Smothering Tithe | Illustration by Aurore Folny
According to several reddit threads, the bonus card you get is random from between these four. SpongeBob has three different Secret Lairs:
- Legends of Bikini Bottom
- Lands Under the Sea
- Internet Sensation
Some posters originally thought that each lair had a specific bonus card (for example, the Command Tower in the Lands lair), but it seems clear that the four bonus cards are distributed randomly across the three Lairs.
Command Tower
Source: Reddit
An underwater pineapple is this drop’s Command Tower. While this is one of the most-reprinted cards in MTG, the Secret Lair versions can fetch a pretty penny (Hatsune Miku‘s is close to $20), so you can probably consider yourself lucky if you find this one.
Dismember
Source: Reddit
Dismember is an interesting choice, as a black instant that sees quite a bit of play in Vintage, Legacy, and Modern. This card’s art has received a rabidly positive reception among redditors, and the previous Secret Lair version fetches about $8.
Counterspell
Source: Reddit
This is the one bonus card that, by and large, players are not happy with.
The Internet Sensation Secret Lair, which has alternate art using well-known SpongeBob memes, already has a Counterspell with the exact same art. What’s different in the bonus card is the text on the card, and it was exactly what players wanted.
“That’s malicious!” notes u/12DollarsHighFive. “People wanted this version specifically and they made it a bonus card.”
“They understood what everyone wanted the counterspell to look like but decided they’re going to make it a GAMBLE if you get it,” notes u/Apprehensive_Debate3 in one of the most upvoted comments “My god, and you know this thing is gonna be like 10 times the price of the normal one.”
“They don’t want to lose reprint equity by putting a $30 print in a $30 lair, but they want to turn the drops into a lottery to create future FOMO a la Fallout Mana Vault or Miku Snapcaster Mage,” says u/easchner. “In the words of Mr. Krabs, ‘I like money.'”
Smothering Tithe
Source: Reddit
As was written three years ago (seriously!), Mr. Krabs features in the alternate art of one of the most popular Commander staples, and Bob’s Lairs’ chase card: Smothering Tithe.
The Enchanted Tales anime version from Wilds of Eldraine costs well over $100, so there’s no way of knowing how much Mr. Krabs will cost. Just to drive home how expensive this could end up being, there’s an eBay listing with the current bid at $905!
When Will SpongeBob’s Secret Lairs be Delivered?
Smothering Tithe | Illustration by Daisuke Tatsuma
If you bought one of these, but haven’t heard from WotC just yet, don’t get anxious. Delivery started in the US last week, but the majority of posters on reddit mention they haven’t got theirs yet, and expect to do so in the next few days.
In the Euro zone, deliveries are expected for later in the April. Best of luck pulling the bonus card you’re looking for!
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