Blade of Selves MTG Card


When attacking, Blade of Selves’ myriad ability can generate multiple creature copies, leveraging card advantage. It can rapidly enhance resource generation if tokens have mana-producing or land-fetching abilities. The blade’s synergy with flash creatures allows for unexpected plays and battlefield adaptability.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature has myriad. (Whenever it attacks, for each opponent other than defending player, you may put a token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker he or she controls. Exile the tokens at end of combat.) Equip


Cards like Blade of Selves

The Blade of Selves is a unique artifact equipment in Magic: The Gathering, offering significant value for players seeking widespread impact on the battlefield. Much like the renowned Sword of Fire and Ice, it elevates a creature’s capabilities. However, where Sword of Fire and Ice provides targeted damage and card draw, Blade of Selves has a different focus – it revolves around multiplying a creature’s presence through the myriad ability.

Another analog is Helm of the Host. Both cards are designed to clone creatures, yet Helm of the Host does not require the equipped creature to attack and avoids the legendary rule, allowing the copies to remain indefinitely. In contrast, Mimic Vat, while not an equipment, also copies creatures but instead captures opponents’ creatures that die. Blade of Selves is distinct in its ability to trigger enter-the-battlefield effects multiple times in a combat-centric approach.

Each card holds its niche in creating duplicate creatures, from the triggered abilities of Blade of Selves to the persistence of Helm of the Host’s copies. When evaluating options for clone effects in Magic: The Gathering, Blade of Selves stands out for its potential to vastly widen your board state in combative strategies.

Sword of Fire and Ice - MTG Card versions
Helm of the Host - MTG Card versions
Mimic Vat - MTG Card versions
Sword of Fire and Ice - MTG Card versions
Helm of the Host - MTG Card versions
Mimic Vat - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Blade of Selves by color, type and mana cost

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Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Blade of Selves excels in card efficiency for players by multiplying its effectiveness. When the equipped creature attacks, myriad triggers and for each opponent beyond the first, it creates a token copy that’s tapped and attacking that player or a planeswalker they control. This mechanic potentially generates significant card advantage by flooding the board with multiple copies of powerful creatures with enter-the-battlefield or on-attack abilities.

Resource Acceleration: By equipping a creature with the Blade of Selves, players can amplify their board presence rapidly. If the tokens have abilities that produce mana or allow you to fetch additional lands, this can result in considerable resource acceleration, bolstering your capacity to cast more spells or deploy formidable threats sooner than your opponents.

Instant Speed: While the Blade of Selves itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it interacts favorably with creatures that have flash, enabling surprise assaults and instant-speed shenanigans. The ability to equip at instant speed when combined with other cards, provides tactical flexibility, allowing you to adapt seamlessly to the shifting battlefield dynamics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Blade of Selves, as a powerful equipment, does not inherently require a discard. However, it’s often included in strategies that involve the graveyard or reanimation, which might indirectly pressure the player to discard other valuable cards to make the most of its potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Equipping the Blade of Selves requires a specific mana investment. While the mana cost to cast is generic, it does require two colorless and two mana of any color to equip. This means players have to manage their mana resources carefully, which could be particularly challenging in a multicolored deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana cost for casting and an additional four to equip, the Blade of Selves can be quite mana-intensive. In games where speed is crucial, this can put the player at a disadvantage as there are other equipment or creature enhancements that require less investment and can be activated faster.


Reasons to Include Blade of Selves in Your Collection

Versatility: Blade of Selves is a unique equipment that provides a myriad of tactical options. The ability to equip to different creatures means it can adapt to various board states and can be a game-changer in commander formats where multiple opponents can be faced simultaneously.

Combo Potential: With the Myriad mechanic, when the equipped creature attacks, you create a token copy for each opponent. These tokens can be used in conjunction with numerous ETB (enter the battlefield) or LTB (leave the battlefield) effects for powerful and sometimes game-ending combos.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the popularity of multiplayer formats and the prevalence of creature-based strategies, Blade of Selves is highly relevant. It’s a force multiplier that can amplify the impact of your most powerful creatures, thereby holding significant strategic value in the current meta.


How to beat

The Blade of Selves is a powerful arsenal in MTG, notorious for its ability to multiply creature impact by creating tokens that are copies of the equipped creature. It becomes a game-changing force during the myriad trigger in the attack phase. However, the blade can be dulled by smart play and strategic card use.

One effective method is countering the equip ability or the triggered ability that generates the tokens. Instant speed removal, such as Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy, can remove the equipped creature before it creates copies. Utilizing cards like Stony Silence or Null Rod can prevent the activation of artifacts, effectively neutralizing the Blade’s potential.

Furthermore, board wipes are a clean sweep against the myriad of tokens since the copies are only present until the end of combat. Timing a Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the board, leaving the Blade of Selves without a host. Control strategies can outpace and stifle the Blade’s impact by keeping the number of creatures on the battlefield to a minimum. Thus, equipping yourself with the right responses provides a strategic edge over the artifact’s formidable ability.


BurnMana Recommendations

With the Blade of Selves, MTG players gain a versatile tool, forging numerous paths to victory in multiplayer matchups. This artifact shines in strategies where duplicating creatures fuels overwhelming board states or combos. Crafting deck synergy around such equipment can be thrilling, but also challenging. Invigorate your gameplay and expand your MTG arsenal by embracing the tactical depth the Blade of Selves offers. Delve deeper into our guides for integrating this powerful piece into your collection, and maneuver the battlefield with enhanced prowess. Enhance your deck-building skills and strategy execution with us—every match is an opportunity to outshine the competition.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blade of Selves MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2015 and Legendary Cube Prize Pack, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Blade of Selves and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blade of Selves Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-11-13 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-11-13Commander 2015C15 512015NormalBlackAlan Pollack
22015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 1212015NormalBlackAlan Pollack
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1742015NormalBlackAlan Pollack
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 5962015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
52022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 3012015NormalBlackLie Setiawan
62022-06-10Battle for Baldur's Gate PromosPCLB 301s2015NormalBlackLie Setiawan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blade of Selves has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Blade of Selves card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2015-11-04 Although the tokens enter the battlefield attacking, they were never declared as attackers. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks won't trigger, including the myriad ability of the tokens. If there any costs to have a creature attack, those costs won't apply to the tokens.
2015-11-04 Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any “as
-his permanent] enters the battlefield” or “
-his permanent] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the copied creature will also work.
2015-11-04 Each token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else. It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, and so on.
2015-11-04 If a creature has multiple instances of myriad, each triggers separately. You'll get two tokens per opponent other than the defending player.
2015-11-04 If myriad creates more than one token for any given player (due to an effect such as the one Doubling Season creates), you may choose separately for each token whether it's attacking the player or a planeswalker they control.
2015-11-04 If the defending player is your only opponent, no tokens are put onto the battlefield.
2015-11-04 If the equipped creature is legendary, the tokens will all enter the battlefield. Then you'll choose one of them to remain on the battlefield. The others will be put into your graveyard. Any enters-the-battlefield or dies triggers of the tokens will work.
2015-11-04 If the tokens aren't creatures (perhaps because the equipped creature was an animated land), they'll enter the battlefield but they won't be attacking. You'll still exile those tokens at end of combat.
2015-11-04 The term “defending player” in the myriad rules (or any other ability of an attacking creature) refers to the player the creature with myriad was attacking at the time it became an attacking creature this combat, or the controller of the planeswalker the creature was attacking at the time it became an attacking creature this combat.
2015-11-04 The token creatures all enter the battlefield at the same time.
2015-11-04 You choose whether each token is attacking the player or a planeswalker they control as the token is created.