Blur of Blades MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers virtual card advantage by impacting two targets efficiently without card loss.
  2. Instant speed enables surprise combat modifications and strategic flexibility.
  3. Despite cons, its unique utility bolsters both offensive and defensive play.

Text of card

Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. Blur of Blades deals 2 damage to that creature's controller.

Samut battled her way through the hordes, shouting the names of those who'd died in her crop and those she hoped yet to save.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Blur of Blades doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to deal damage to a creature while also providing a slight buff to one of your own can potentially remove an opponent’s creature from the board. This two-for-one effect can lead to virtual card advantage as it allows you to maintain or improve board presence without sacrificing additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: Blur of Blades doesn’t inherently accelerate your resources in the form of mana or tokens. However, by effectively dealing with a creature, it can enable your faster creatures to get through and maintain pressure on your opponent, indirectly impacting the pace at which you can deploy further threats.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Blur of Blades provides a significant tactical edge. It allows you to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn, which could be crucial in disrupting their strategy. This instant-speed interaction can be a game-changer, offering the flexibility needed to outmaneuver your opponent’s plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Blur of Blades can be a handy spell for dealing damage and weakening an opponent’s creature, its effectiveness is slightly diminished due to the discard requirement needed for certain effects or additional cost mechanics. This can be a setback when your hand is running low on cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Blur of Blades requires one red mana, making it exclusive to decks that operate on or can produce red mana. This limitation means that players who do not have a red mana source will be unable to cast this spell, reducing its versatility in multi-colored or colorless deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you analyze the impact of Blur of Blades against its mana cost, some players might find it less appealing. Two mana for a minor damage output and a slight debuff could be considered a high investment, especially when other spells in the game may offer more significant effects or flexibility for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Blur of Blades in Your Collection

Versatility: Blur of Blades fits comfortably into various deck builds, making it a flexible utility card. It can act as removal for small creatures, or as a method to weaken bigger threats, all while slightly pinging your opponent, nudging the life totals in your favor.

Combo Potential: With its ability to deal damage to both creature and player, it synergizes with decks that capitalize on direct damage or “ping” strategies. This could open the door to various combos, especially in red-centric decks that reward you for dealing damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where aggressive, early-board-presence decks are prevalent, Blur of Blades serves as a defensive measure to deter fast creature swarms. Its impact on early-game dynamics can be significant, helping to shape the flow of play in your direction.


How to beat

Blur of Blades stands out in MTG as a versatile instant spell. It packs a double punch by not only dealing a portion of damage to a creature but also strengthening one of your own. Despite its usefulness, overcoming this card can be straightforward. Key to your strategy should be the timing of your spells and attentive board management. Cards that offer indestructibility or have the ability to regenerate are excellent counters. They can negate the damage dealt and sidestep the pesky power boost that Blur of Blades provides to your opponent’s creatures.

Moreover, utilizing spells that can shield your creatures from targeted effects or spells that fizzle by changing the target can effectively neutralize Blur of Blades. Having a back-up plan to buff your creatures or swiftly remove the enhanced opponent’s creature can mitigate any advantage gained by your adversary. The card’s fixed damage output means you can plan around it by playing creatures with higher toughness or employing cards that heal. Being proactive and adaptive are the keys to outmaneuvering the potential impacts of Blur of Blades in your MTG matches.


Cards like Blur of Blades

Blur of Blades holds its ground as a valuable combat trick amongst various removal options in Magic: The Gathering. It stands in line with others like Shock, which also delivers 2 damage to a target for one red mana. However, Blur of Blades furthers the strategy by reducing an attacking or blocking creature’s power for the turn. While Shock can eliminate low-toughness creatures outright, Blur of Blades brings a tactical edge in combat.

Another related spell is Magma Spray. This handy one red mana instant not only deals 2 damage but exiles the creature if it dies this turn, preventing any recursion shenanigans. The distinction here is Magma Spray’s narrowed focus on removal over altering combat dynamics. There’s also Goblin Cratermaker, a versatile Goblin that can be exploited for its ability to deal 2 damage to a creature or destroy colorless nonland permanents, offering a broader range of disruption beyond combat.

Overall, Blur of Blades may not boast the direct removal prowess of Shock or the graveyard control of Magma Spray, but its unique power reduction effect can be pivotal during key combat phases, earning it a niche role in decks emphasizing tactical creature engagements.

Shock - MTG Card versions
Magma Spray - MTG Card versions
Goblin Cratermaker - MTG Card versions
Shock - Stronghold (STH)
Magma Spray - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Goblin Cratermaker - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Cards similar to Blur of Blades by color, type and mana cost

Shatter - MTG Card versions
Word of Blasting - MTG Card versions
Incinerate - MTG Card versions
Guerrilla Tactics - MTG Card versions
Orcish Catapult - MTG Card versions
Blood Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Falter - MTG Card versions
Shattering Pulse - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Strike - MTG Card versions
Starstorm - MTG Card versions
First Volley - MTG Card versions
Surging Flame - MTG Card versions
Psychotic Fury - MTG Card versions
Sudden Shock - MTG Card versions
Fists of the Anvil - MTG Card versions
Magma Jet - MTG Card versions
Seismic Shudder - MTG Card versions
Fling - MTG Card versions
Comet Storm - MTG Card versions
Pyretic Ritual - MTG Card versions
Shatter - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Word of Blasting - Ice Age (ICE)
Incinerate - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Guerrilla Tactics - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Orcish Catapult - Astral Cards (PAST)
Blood Frenzy - Tempest (TMP)
Falter - Urza's Saga (USG)
Shattering Pulse - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Flowstone Strike - Nemesis (NEM)
Starstorm - Onslaught (ONS)
First Volley - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Surging Flame - Arena League 2006 (PAL06)
Psychotic Fury - Dissension (DIS)
Sudden Shock - Time Spiral (TSP)
Fists of the Anvil - Tenth Edition (10E)
Magma Jet - Friday Night Magic 2009 (F09)
Seismic Shudder - Zendikar (ZEN)
Fling - Magic 2012 (M12)
Comet Storm - Commander 2017 (C17)
Pyretic Ritual - Magic 2011 (M11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blur of Blades MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Mystery Booster, 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 Blur of Blades and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blur of Blades Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Anna Steinbauer.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-07-14Hour of DevastationHOU 842015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 8642015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
32020-08-13Amonkhet RemasteredAKR 1412015normalblackAnna Steinbauer
42020-09-26The ListPLST HOU-842015normalblackAnna Steinbauer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blur of Blades has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-07-14 If the targeted creature is an illegal target by the time Blur of Blades resolves, it won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. Blur of Blades won’t deal damage to any player.

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