Bloodbraid Marauder MTG Card
2021-06-18 - Number 116
2021-06-18 - Number 454
2021-06-19 - Number 116s
2021-08-26 - Number 420
2002-06-24 - Number 91281
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Berserker |
| Abilities | Delirium |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Bloodbraid Marauder can't block. Delirium — This spell has cascade as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. (When you cast this spell, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card that costs less. You may cast it without paying its mana cost. Put the exiled cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
Cards like Bloodbraid Marauder
Bloodbraid Marauder boasts a unique place among cascade cards in Magic: The Gathering. Standing shoulder to shoulder with creatures like Shardless Agent, it too provides the thrill of spinning the wheel for potential high-value plays. However, Bloodbraid Marauder requires a specific setup to unleash its full potential as it cascades only if there’s another spell in the graveyard. This caveat differentiates it from Shardless Agent, which allows a cascade without any prior conditions.
Comparing it to other cascade creatures, such as Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder, highlights the Marauder’s more accessible mana cost but trades it off for Yidris’s broader cascading effect, impacting not one but potentially every spell you cast after connecting with a player. Aphotic Wisps stands out notably in this mix, as it can indirectly enable Marauder’s cascade by filling your graveyard effortlessly for its potential trigger.
To sum up the insights, Bloodbraid Marauder, while not an auto-inclusion cascade creature, defines its niche for deckbuilders who are willing to maneuver around its graveyard requirement for a more explosive cascade payoff within Magic: The Gathering’s dynamic gameplay.
Cards similar to Bloodbraid Marauder by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Bloodbraid Marauder. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Living End | Modern | Living End | Modern Challenge 64 2024-03-31 |
| UBRG | Legacy | Legacy Challenge 64 2024-04-07 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When playing Bloodbraid Marauder, you’re not just getting a creature on the board; you’re also cascading into another spell, which essentially gives you two cards for the cost of one. This can often tilt the scales in your favor by increasing your resources while putting pressure on your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: While Bloodbraid Marauder itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the cascade mechanic can hit ramp spells or mana-producing artifacts. This unexpected surge in resources can be pivotal in outpacing opponents and executing your game plan ahead of schedule.
Instant Speed: Despite Bloodbraid Marauder not being an instant, the cascade effect can potentially cast instants from your deck. This surprise element can disrupt your opponent’s strategy at critical moments, especially since they have to be prepared for multiple types of spells when you cast your Marauder.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Bloodbraid Marauder presents a challenge for players by requiring a card to be discarded in order to unlock its cascade ability. This can pose a problem when your hand is already strained for resources, potentially setting you back in the game by losing key cards.
Specific Mana Cost: A certain degree of inflexibility is introduced with the Marauder’s mana cost, as it demands both red and generic mana to play. This specificity might limit your ability to seamlessly incorporate the Marauder into multi-colored decks that might not prioritize red mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost set at two colorless and one red, the Bloodbraid Marauder might seem steep compared to other cards with similar impact. Players might find that there are other three-cost options available that provide equally potent effects without the prerequisite of discarding a card.
Reasons to Include Bloodbraid Marauder in Your Collection
Versatility: Bloodbraid Marauder presents itself as a versatile card, able to fit seamlessly into a variety of Red or Green-based decks, particularly those that thrive on aggressive strategies and explosive turns.
Combo Potential: With its cascade ability, this card allows you to cast another spell for free, potentially leading to powerful combo chains that can overwhelm opponents and quickly swing the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to enable high-impact plays and add immediate board presence, Bloodbraid Marauder holds its ground in various metagames, especially in formats where tempo plays a crucial role.
How to beat
Confronting Bloodbraid Marauder in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategic approach. This card is notorious for its cascade ability, which essentially grants a free spell, aside from the Marauder itself when it enters the battlefield. It represents a challenge not only because of its own combat capabilities but also because it extends the player’s reach into their deck for additional power without extra cost.
To effectively sideline the Marauder, consider employing counterspells that can neutralize it before its cascade ability triggers. Essence Scatter or Negate can be particularly handy in the right timing. Additionally, removal spells that can deal with the Marauder after it hits the battlefield, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, are critical for swiftly removing the threat it poses without letting the cascade benefit snowball. Playing with exile effects or using cards that limit your opponent’s ability to play spells from their library, like Ashiok, Dream Render, are also effective tactics to undermine Bloodbraid Marauder’s impact on the game.
Ultimately, managing threats efficiently and understanding the pivotal moment to interrupt your opponent’s strategy are key when facing cards with the cascade mechanic. By doing so, you maintain control over the match and reduce the advantage that cards like Bloodbraid Marauder can generate.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bloodbraid Marauder MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Modern Horizons 2, 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 Bloodbraid Marauder and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Bloodbraid Marauder Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Kari Christensen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 91281 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kari Christensen | ||
| 2 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 116 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kari Christensen | |
| 3 | 2021-06-18 | Modern Horizons 2 | MH2 | 454 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kari Christensen | |
| 4 | 2021-06-19 | Modern Horizons 2 Promos | PMH2 | 116s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kari Christensen | |
| 5 | 2021-08-26 | Jumpstart: Historic Horizons | J21 | 420 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kari Christensen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodbraid Marauder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bloodbraid Marauder card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-06-18 | A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions. |
| 2021-06-18 | Cascade triggers when you cast the spell, meaning that it resolves before that spell. If you end up casting the exiled card, it will go on the stack above the spell with cascade. |
| 2021-06-18 | Due to a recent rules change to cascade, not only do you stop exiling cards if you exile a nonland card with lesser mana value than the spell with cascade, but the resulting spell you cast must also have lesser mana value. Previously, in cases where a card's mana value differed from the resulting spell, such as with some modal double-faced cards or cards with an Adventure, you could cast a spell with a higher mana value than the exiled card. |
| 2021-06-18 | If a spell with cascade is countered, the cascade ability will still resolve normally. |
| 2021-06-18 | If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost. |
| 2021-06-18 | If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card. |
| 2021-06-18 | The card types that can appear in a graveyard are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. Legendary, basic, and snow are supertypes, not card types; Human and Berserker are subtypes, not card types. |
| 2021-06-18 | The delirium ability will check your graveyard at the moment you finish casting Bloodbraid Marauder to determine if it has cascade. Notably, any permanents you sacrificed while casting the spell (such as a permanent you sacrificed to activate a mana ability) will be in the graveyard at that time. |
| 2021-06-18 | The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If cascade allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half but not both halves. |
| 2021-06-18 | When the cascade ability resolves, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether or not you cast the last card exiled. |
| 2021-06-18 | You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them. |