Bola Slinger MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Cat Soldier |
| Abilities | Backup |
| Released | 2023-04-21 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | March of the Machine |
| Set code | MOM |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 8 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Hendry Iwanaga |
Text of card
Backup 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. If that's another creature, it gains the following ability until end of turn.) Whenever this creature attacks, tap target artifact or creature an opponent controls.
Cards like Bola Slinger
Bola Slinger is a notable creature card that adds strategic depth to MTG. Its versatility is evident when compared to cards like Wojek Bodyguard. Both share the ability to exert influence on the board through their power, but Bola Slinger’s reach ability gives it an edge, enabling it to block flying creatures, a trait Wojek Bodyguard lacks. In this sense, Bola Slinger offers players a defensive advantage against a wider array of threats.
An additional comparison can be drawn with Borderland Ranger. While both cards aid in mana fixing to an extent, Bola Slinger also boasts a ping effect, nudging the scale in its favor with the potential to chip away at opponent’s life or control the board by targeting creatures. It’s a multifaceted tool that goes beyond what a simple mana fixer provides.
Finally, looking at Elite Scaleguard, which shares the creature type and a focus on combat manipulation, Bola Slinger shines with its lower mana cost and immediate board impact, ideal for early to mid-game tempo plays. While Elite Scaleguard offers a cumulative advantage over time, Bola Slinger’s direct and versatile impact is unmatched. It exemplifies a creature card that is as efficient as it is adaptable in MTG matches.
Cards similar to Bola Slinger by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bola Slinger can potentially remove multiple creatures from the battlefield, selectively clearing the way for your own attacks or disrupting the opponent’s board presence.
Resource Acceleration: By dealing damage and potentially destroying smaller creatures, Bola Slinger might reduce the necessity of spending additional mana on removal spells, effectively accelerating your resource management.
Instant Speed: The ability to use Bola Slinger at instant speed offers strategic flexibility. You can choose the most opportune moment during the combat or your opponent’s turn to disrupt their plans effectively.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Bola Slinger necessitates players to discard a card, which can backfire by depleting hand advantage, especially in tight game scenarios where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Flexibility in deck-building is hampered by Bola Slinger’s specific mana cost, requiring a dedicated slot in red-centric decks and potentially disrupting the mana curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When assessing mana efficiency, Bola Slinger wrestles with justifying its place in a lineup when alternatives may provide better value or impact for the same, if not less, mana investment.
Reasons to Include Bola Slinger in Your Collection
Versatility: Bola Slinger is a flexible card that can adapt to various deck builds. Its ability to disrupt opponent’s creatures makes it a useful tool in both aggressive and control strategies.
Combo Potential: This card offers synergies in decks revolving around artifacts or direct damage. The ability to attach Bolas to creatures can be compounded with other effects that trigger upon dealing damage or targeting creatures.
Meta-Relevance: As the MTG environment fluctuates, control elements often become crucial. Bola Slinger’s capability to consistently hinder opponent creatures can make it a key piece in decks designed to dominate current competitive play.
How to Beat Bola Slinger
Bola Slinger presents itself as a tactical challenge on the battlefield with its ability to tap and disrupt opposing creatures. To navigate past this obstacle, players should consider strategies that neutralize or bypass the Slinger’s control capabilities. Employing spells that grant hexproof or shroud can effectively shield your critical creatures from Bola Slinger’s targeting mechanic.
Alternatively, taking the fight to the Slinger directly can prove advantageous. Swift removal spells eliminate the threat before it can hamstring your offense, and relying on instant speed interactions ensures you’re not caught off guard. For those with longer-term strategies, enchantments that restrict activations or creatures with untap abilities maintain pressure without falling prey to the Slinger’s tempo.
Considering the resource investment Bola Slinger demands, players can also focus on outpacing their opponent. Quick aggro builds or decks with a curve that peaks before the Slinger becomes relevant can establish an overwhelming board presence, reducing the impact of its control aspect. Lastly, recognizing and maintaining board advantage when Bola Slinger is in play shifts the burden to your opponent, pushing them to find answers to your threats rather than establishing their own.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bola Slinger MTG card by a specific set like March of the Machine, 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 Bola Slinger and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bola Slinger has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bola Slinger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-04-14 | Backup confers only abilities that are actually printed below it. Any abilities that are gained by the permanent are ignored, including abilities gained due to a resolving spell or ability or copy effects. |
| 2023-04-14 | If a backup ability causes another creature to gain abilities, the creature with backup will still have those abilities. |
| 2023-04-14 | If a backup ability targets the creature with backup, that creature will get +1/+1 counters, but it won’t gain additional abilities. |
| 2023-04-14 | If a permanent enters the battlefield as a copy of a card with a backup ability or a token is created that is a copy of that card, the order of the printed abilities is maintained. |
| 2023-04-14 | The abilities that backup grants to the target creature are determined only once, at the time the ability triggers. They won’t change if the permanent with backup loses any abilities before the backup ability resolves. |