Bard Class MTG Card

Bard Class enhances hand quality and card advantage as your game progresses. It reduces costs for legendary spells, facilitating faster, powerful plays. Instant speed deck builds are encouraged to maximize Bard Class benefits.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Class

Text of card

(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.) Legendary creatures you control enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on them. : Level 2 Legendary spells you cast cost less to cast. This effect reduces only the amount of colored mana you pay. : Level 3 Whenever you cast a legendary spell, exile the top two cards of your library. You may play them this turn.

Cards like Bard Class

Bard Class is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, positioned in a niche category of cards enhancing creature abilities, much like Goblin Rabblemaster which enhances the effectiveness of goblin creatures. Though Bard Class doesn’t bolster a single creature type, its level up feature offers an array of bonuses to creature spells you cast which can drastically alter the game’s dynamics.

Another enchantment that echoes similarities with Bard Class is Radiant Destiny. This enchantment also supports a particular creature type chosen by the player, providing a static bonus and, upon reaching the city’s blessing, an additional layer of creature power. While Radiant Destiny lacks the level up mechanic, it requires less initial commitment, making it an easily attainable boon for your creatures. On the other hand, Bard Class requires a more significant mana investment to reach its full potential.

Reaping the attributes of Bard Class involves a strategic setup, much like its counterpart in versatility, the Domri, Anarch of Bolas saga. Domri’s saga offers a progression of effects that can be crucial in cultivating a dominant board state. Although it affects the board differently, Bard Class similarly maximizes your creature casts with an ever-increasing value as the game progresses.

Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Radiant Destiny - MTG Card versions
Domri, Anarch of Bolas - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Radiant Destiny - MTG Card versions
Domri, Anarch of Bolas - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Bard Class by color, type and mana cost

Meteor Storm - MTG Card versions
Cindervines - MTG Card versions
Arni Slays the Troll - MTG Card versions
Meteor Storm - MTG Card versions
Cindervines - MTG Card versions
Arni Slays the Troll - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Bard Class. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Gruul Bard ClassGruul Bard Class PioneerGruul Bard ClassF2F Tour Championship - Toronto Round 4 (Regional Championship)
Naya MidrangeNaya Midrange GladiatorGladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024
Gruul StompyGruul Stompy GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Bard Class leverages the lore and tales of its characters, rewarding you with improved hand quality as your stories unfold. As you level up the class, Bard Class ramps up your card advantage, potentially drawing you into just the perfect spell or creature to tip the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: One of the unique aspects of Bard Class is its ability to jumpstart your mana resources. By reducing the cost of legendary spells, you can efficiently deploy powerful creatures and planeswalkers earlier than usual, setting the stage for a solid lead in mana economy.

Instant Speed: While Bard Class itself isn’t at instant speed, it encourages a deck build that can capitalize on instant speed interactions. It supports a play style where you can swiftly react to the evolving board state while exploiting the benefits provided by Bard Class to maximize your turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of Bard Class, the need to have a Legend or a legendary spell in hand to capitalize on the card’s full potential may force players to discard useful non-legendary cards unwillingly.

Specific Mana Cost: The precise mana requirement of red and green may pose a challenge for players running multicolor decks that do not heavily favor those colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its final level requiring six mana to activate, Bard Class can be a significant investment. Players might find alternative enchantments or creatures that offer similar benefits without such a steep mana curve.

Reasons to Include Bard Class in Your Collection

Versatility: Bard Class is a flexible enchantment that enhances creature-based strategies by leveling up. It slots easily into Red and Green decks that focus on legendary creatures, supporting a wide array of Magic archetypes from aggro to midrange.

Combo Potential: With its second and third levels, Bard Class unlocks untapped potential by reducing the mana cost of legendary spells and empowering your creatures. This opens up a suite of combo plays, especially in decks that can leverage the legendary theme.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that appreciates creature-heavy strategies, Bard Class provides a substantial boost in power. It has synergy with decks that prioritize casting numerous legendary creatures and can turn the tide against various control and tempo opponents.

How to beat

Bard Class is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that levels up your game by enhancing creatures with additional powers and reducing the cost of your legendary spells. To effectively counteract Bard Class, it’s crucial to disrupt the enchantment before it fully levels up or to remove it from the field entirely. Cards like Disenchant or Mortify can efficiently deal with Bard Class by directly destroying it. Hand disruption is also a powerful strategy against Bard Class decks. By utilizing cards like Thoughtseize or Duress, you can remove Bard Class from your opponent’s hand before they have the chance to cast it, undermining their game plan before it even begins.

Moreover, control decks that run countermagic such as Negate or Dovin’s Veto also stand a strong chance, as they can prevent Bard Class from ever hitting the battlefield. Additionally, graveyard hate cards like Scavenging Ooze can limit the value gained from any creatures that your opponent might try to recur from their graveyard, a tactic often seen in Bard Class builds. Ultimately, staying one step ahead with these strategies can ensure you maintain control and prevent the Bard Class from dictating the pace of the match.

BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and nuances of Bard Class can be the difference between an average deck and a powerhouse in MTG. With its ability to swing card advantage in your favor and accelerate your mana resources, mastering this card could be your next strategic breakthrough. Whether you’re exploiting its legendary spell cost reductions or harnessing its enchantment synergy, Bard Class offers a new plateau of potential for your deck. Keen to unlock the full possibilities of Bard Class or find new ways to integrate it into your gameplay? Dive deeper with us for insights and expertise that could elevate your MTG experience. Join our community and add a new chapter of mastery to your MTG journey.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bard Class MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos and Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Bard Class and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bard Class Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by Andrew Mar.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 217p2015ClassBlackAndrew Mar
22021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten RealmsAFR 2172015ClassBlackAndrew Mar
32021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 217s2015ClassBlackAndrew Mar
42021-07-23Adventures in the Forgotten Realms PromosPAFR 217a2015ClassBlackAndrew Mar

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bard Class has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-07-23 Each Class has five abilities. The three in the major sections of its text box are class abilities. Class abilities can be static, activated, or triggered abilities. The other two are level abilities, one activated ability to advance the Class to level 2 and another to advance the Class to level 3.
2021-07-23 Each Class starts with only the first of three class abilities. As the first level ability resolves, the Class becomes level 2 and gains the second class ability. As the second level ability resolves, the Class becomes level 3 and gains the third class ability.
2021-07-23 Gaining a level is a normal activated ability. It uses the stack and can be responded to.
2021-07-23 Gaining a level won't remove abilities that a Class had at a previous level.
2021-07-23 If you control multiple Bard Classes, legendary creatures you control enter the battlefield with that many additional +1/+1 counters.
2021-07-23 If you do not play the cards exiled with Bard Classes Level 3 ability on the turn they are exiled, they will remain exiled indefinitely and cannot be played on a later turn.
2021-07-23 If you exile a modal double-faced card this way, you may cast either face of that card.
2021-07-23 Some Class cards have an effect that increases when more are under your control. For example, if you have multiple Barbarian Class cards, you roll that many additional dice and ignore that many of the lowest rolls.
2021-07-23 Unlike most abilities that reduce the costs of spells, Bard Class's Level 2 ability cannot be applied to generic mana costs. For example, a spell that costs to cast would instead cost to cast.
2021-07-23 You can multiclass or even control multiple Class enchantments of the same class. Each Class permanent tracks its own level separately.
2021-07-23 You can't activate the first level ability of a Class unless that Class is level 1. Similarly, you can't activate the second level ability of a Class unless that Class is level 2.