Air Bladder MTG Card


Low mana cost and instant speed make Air Bladder a flexible combat enhancer. Demands card sacrifice, potentially disrupting hand consistency. Offers strategic value in decks prioritizing creatures’ flying ability.
Air Bladder - Nemesis
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released2000-02-14
Set symbol
Set nameNemesis
Set codeNEM
Number28
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDonato Giancola

Text of card

Enchanted creature has flying. Enchanted creature can block only creatures with flying.

Random mutations among Rootwater merfolk were common—and disturbing.


Cards like Air Bladder

Delve into the depths of Magic: The Gathering’s creature enhancements with Air Bladder. This blue enchantment resembles other cards designed to provide creatures with evasion abilities. Cards like Jump grant temporary flying until end of turn, offering a quick escape for a creature during combat. However, Air Bladder provides a consistent airborne advantage, as long as you forbid the enchanted creature from attacking.

Levitation is another enchantment that can also give your creatures the upper hand in the skies. Unlike the selective advantage that Air Bladder gives to one creature, Levitation lifts your entire army, providing an across-the-board flying characteristic, making every creature a formidable threat from above. The key difference lies in the continuous global effect of Levitation, contrasted with the focused, conditional boost of Air Bladder.

When pitting Air Bladder against these similar cards, it carves a unique niche within creature buffs in MTG. It strategically suits decks that benefit from defensive maneuvers while potentially leaving opponents unable to block. In this light, Air Bladder represents a specialized tool within blue’s arsenal, crafting new layers of tactical depth on the battlefield.

Jump - MTG Card versions
Levitation - MTG Card versions
Jump - MTG Card versions
Levitation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Air Bladder by color, type and mana cost

Flight - MTG Card versions
Unstable Mutation - MTG Card versions
Field of Dreams - MTG Card versions
Dream Coat - MTG Card versions
Tangle Kelp - MTG Card versions
Tidal Flats - MTG Card versions
Flood - MTG Card versions
Backfire - MTG Card versions
Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Essence Flare - MTG Card versions
Cloak of Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Mana Chains - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Veiled Sentry - MTG Card versions
Seal of Removal - MTG Card versions
Shimmering Wings - MTG Card versions
Aboshan's Desire - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Falls - MTG Card versions
Writ of Passage - MTG Card versions
Flight - MTG Card versions
Unstable Mutation - MTG Card versions
Field of Dreams - MTG Card versions
Dream Coat - MTG Card versions
Tangle Kelp - MTG Card versions
Tidal Flats - MTG Card versions
Flood - MTG Card versions
Backfire - MTG Card versions
Mystic Remora - MTG Card versions
Essence Flare - MTG Card versions
Cloak of Invisibility - MTG Card versions
Mana Chains - MTG Card versions
Telepathy - MTG Card versions
Veiled Sentry - MTG Card versions
Seal of Removal - MTG Card versions
Shimmering Wings - MTG Card versions
Aboshan's Desire - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Falls - MTG Card versions
Writ of Passage - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

When aligning your deck with the right cards for dominance in play, the Air Bladder card carries subtle strengths. Its low mana cost and ability to give a creature flying until end of turn are key features that can turn the tides in a game. Let’s delve into the specifics of its advantages.

Card Advantage: The core benefit of Air Bladder lies in its potential to bypass enemy defenses. By granting flying to a creature, it opens up the opportunity for unblocked attacks, effectively converting it into an offensive asset that may aid in securing essential card draw effects tied to dealing combat damage.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not directly generating mana or additional resources, Air Bladder offers tactical resource acceleration by enabling quicker assaults on your opponent’s life total. This increased pressure can force reactions and resource expenditure from your opponent, indirectly benefiting your game pace.

Instant Speed: The versatility of an instant speed effect cannot be overstated. The ability to cast Air Bladder during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn adds an element of surprise and tactical depth. It allows for reactive play, giving you the freedom to adapt to the constantly evolving battlefield, keeping your opponents on their toes and misallocating their resources.

Integrating Air Bladder into your deck can thus support a strategy aimed at outmaneuvering opponents and securing aerial dominance, an essential tactic in many MTG matches.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One evident downside to Air Bladder is its necessity for discarding another card. This mechanic can be particularly detrimental if you find yourself in a situation where each card in your hand is crucial for maintaining your strategy, thereby sapping your valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Limited by its strictly blue mana requirement, Air Bladder is less versatile and may be an awkward fit in multi-colored decks. This constraint restricts the card to blue-centric builds, potentially rendering it a dead card in hands craving for mana diversity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For what it offers, Air Bladder carries a relatively steep mana cost. There are alternative cards available which might not only provide a creature with flying but also offer additional benefits or come with a lesser casting investment, thereby overshadowing Air Bladder in most deck compositions.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Air Bladder, being an enchant creature card, can be a handy tool in decks that aim to enhance creature abilities. With its power to grant flying until end of turn, it offers strategic flexibility in both offensive and defensive plays.

Combo Potential: This enchantment can synergize with cards that capitalize on creatures with flying or those that benefit from the activation of abilities. It can be part of intricate combos, activating abilities at key moments during a match.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where ground blockers are prevalent, having the capability to temporarily give a creature flying can break stalemates. If aerial supremacy is a path to victory in the current meta, Air Bladder can be an asset in navigating towards that win condition.


How to beat

Air Bladder, while not often seen in competitive play, presents a strategic element to creature-based decks in Magic: The Gathering. This blue enchantment gives the equipped creature the ability to evade blockers by granting it flying until the end of turn when you pay a nominal mana cost.

When faced with Air Bladder on the battlefield, the key to overcoming this obstacle is to focus on removal spells that can target either the enchantment itself or the creature it’s attached to. Spells like Naturalize or Disenchant specifically handle enchantments, ensuring that the flying capability is a temporary setback. Alternatively, focusing on creatures with reach or spells that can deal damage regardless of flying, such as Shock, can help maintain control over the board. In addition, creatures with flying of your own can match the enhanced opponent, leveling the playing field and allowing you to block or counter-attack as needed.

Ultimately, when dealing with Air Bladder, it’s essential to adjust your strategy, allocate resources to manage threats, and maintain a versatile approach during gameplay to secure your win conditions.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Air Bladder MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Air Bladder and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Air Bladder has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal