Battle at the Bridge MTG Card

Improvisation mechanic leverages artifacts, turning them into mana to cast Battle at the Bridge efficiently. Instant speed casting allows for flexible and disruptive play, countering opponent’s actions significantly. The ability to gain life relative to mana spent can tilt the game’s balance in your favor.

Battle at the Bridge - Aether Revolt (AER)

Aether Revolt (AER)
2017-01-20 - Number 53

Battle at the Bridge - Aether Revolt Promos (PAER)

Aether Revolt Promos (PAER)
2017-01-20 - Number 53s

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Improvise

Text of card

Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for .) Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. You gain X life.

"This is bigger than you. All of you." —Tezzeret

Cards like Battle at the Bridge

Battle at the Bridge stands out as an inventive addition to the pool of removal spells within Magic: The Gathering. Its position is quite distinctive when compared to other removals such as Murder, which straightforwardly destroys a target creature for three mana. Battle at the Bridge introduces improvise, allowing players to tap unused artifacts to help pay for the cost, potentially removing threats for less. Unlike Murder, Battle at the Bridge also grants lifegain equal to the target’s converted mana cost, which Murder lacks.

Another spell worth comparing to is Vraska’s Contempt. Vraska’s Contempt has a similar impact by exiling creatures or planeswalkers, but it’s locked at four mana without the flexibility that improvise offers. Additionally, it provides a fixed two life, as opposed to the variable amount Battle at the Bridge could give. Lastly, considering cards like Hero’s Downfall, which also destroys creatures or planeswalkers, Battle at the Bridge introduces a more strategic aspect with its potential cost reduction and life gain benefits.

Ultimately, while several alternatives exist for creature removal in Magic: The Gathering, Battle at the Bridge secures a competitive spot with its unique combination of cost management and additional lifegain.

Cards similar to Battle at the Bridge by color, type and mana cost

Bloodcurdling Scream - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#	Name	Format	Archetype	Event
	Decklist	Free form		MO89#CS

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Battle at the Bridge, you not only debilitate an opponent’s creature but also gain the benefit of card draw proportional to the amount of mana you’ve invested via Improvise. This scales the advantage based on your current resources and can swing the game in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: This card’s Improvise ability allows you to tap your unused artifacts to help cast the spell, effectively converting them into mana sources. This can significantly speed up your game plan, letting you cast larger spells sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Battle at the Bridge at instant speed offers tactical advantages. You can wait to see how your opponent plays their turn, disrupting their strategy at a critical moment or even using it in response to an attack to mitigate damage and remove threats.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One aspect to consider when playing Battle at the Bridge is the discard necessity to maximize its potential. Failing to discard limits its impact, significantly dimming its efficiency during crucial gameplay moments.

Specific Mana Cost: With a black mana requirement, Battle at the Bridge fits primarily within mono-black or black-inclusive decks. This restriction can be a setback for players who prefer a more flexible mana base to accommodate a wider variety of spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a base cost that can be considered steep, Battle at the Bridge might not always be the best play when you are striving to maintain a tempo advantage. This high investment can pave the way for opponents to seize control if you’re not adequately prepared.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Battle at the Bridge offers a flexible solution for any black deck looking to handle creatures or gain life. As an instant, it can be cast on your opponent’s turn, making it a strategic choice for control decks.

Combo Potential: Thanks to its improvise ability, this card can synergize with artifact-heavy strategies, effectively reducing its casting cost and allowing for efficient use of resources.

Meta-Relevance: With creatures forming the backbone of many competitive decks, removal spells like Battle at the Bridge become crucial. The life gain feature also provides an edge in aggressive matchups, making it a noteworthy addition if the current meta favors creature-based strategies.

How to beat

Battle at the Bridge is an intriguing card in the MTG landscape, primarily recognized for its improvise mechanism that allows players to utilize untapped artifacts to help cast the spell. It offers a dual advantage – not only does it sap the life from your opponent’s creature, but it also boosts your own life total – a potent swing in terms of life point economics in the game.

Overcoming this card requires a strategy that minimizes the reliance on single, powerful creatures which can become easy targets for such removal spells. Instead, employing a strategy based on numerous smaller creatures or those with hexproof can negate the impact of Battle at the Bridge. Diversify your threats and it becomes harder for an opponent to gain value from a targeted removal spell, particularly one that requires significant resource allocation. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed spells or abilities to remove your own creature from play in response to Battle at the Bridge can save your creature while rendering your opponent’s spell inefficient.

Indeed, facing Battle at the Bridge calls not just for understanding the card itself, but for a smart build-up of your deck that mitigates the risk of falling victim to its powerful life-leeching abilities.

BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the depths of MTG strategies reveals the prowess of Battle at the Bridge, a versatile and impactful card in the right scenario. With our analysis, we’ve highlighted the pros, cons, and potential uses in various decks, emphasizing its role in controlling the battlefield and tipping the scales with its life-gain ability. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting, understanding the finer points of every card is vital. Ready to expand your MTG knowledge and optimize your deck strategies? Dive deeper with us as we explore the complexities and synergies that make each card, like Battle at the Bridge, a game-changer in Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Battle at the Bridge MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Aether Revolt Promos, 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 Battle at the Bridge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Battle at the Bridge Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2017-01-20. Illustrated by Chris Rallis.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-01-20	Aether Revolt	AER		53	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Rallis
2	2017-01-20	Aether Revolt Promos	PAER		53s	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Rallis

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Battle at the Bridge has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-02-09	Because improvise isn’t an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs.
2017-02-09	Equipment attached to a creature doesn’t become tapped when that creature becomes tapped, and tapping that Equipment doesn’t cause the creature to become tapped.
2017-02-09	If an artifact you control has a mana ability with in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with improvise will result in the artifact being tapped when you pay the spell’s costs. You won’t be able to tap it again for improvise. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with improvise, that artifact won’t be on the battlefield when you pay the spell’s costs, so you won’t be able to tap it for improvise.
2017-02-09	If the target creature becomes an illegal target, Battle at the Bridge doesn’t resolve and none of its effects happen. You won’t gain life.
2017-02-09	Improvise can’t be used to pay for anything other than the cost of casting the spell. For example, it can’t be used during the resolution of an ability that says “Counter target spell unless its controller pays .”
2017-02-09	Improvise can’t pay for , , , , , or mana symbols in a spell’s total cost.
2017-02-09	Improvise doesn’t change a spell’s mana cost or mana value.
2017-02-09	Tapping an artifact won’t cause its abilities to stop applying unless those abilities say so.
2017-02-09	When calculating a spell’s total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Improvise applies after the total cost is calculated.
2017-02-09	When using improvise to cast a spell with in its mana cost, first choose the value for X. That choice, plus any cost increases or decreases, will determine the spell’s total cost. Then you can tap artifacts you control to help pay that cost. For example, if you cast Whir of Invention (a spell with improvise and mana cost ) and choose X to be 3, the total cost is . If you tap two artifacts, you’ll have to pay .
2018-01-19	There are many important moments in the story, but the most crucial—called “story spotlights”—are shown on cards. These cards have the Planeswalker symbol in their text box; this symbol has no effect on gameplay. You can read more about these events in the official Magic fiction at http://www.mtgstory.com.