Bone Saw MTG Card
2009-02-06 - Number 135
2016-01-22 - Number 161
2019-11-07 - Number 1551
2022-11-18 - Number 7
2022-11-18 - Number 70
2022-11-18 - Number 70z
2020-09-26 - Number OGW-161
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +1/+0. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
In a world where death is always violent, cruel weapons are as common as rocks.
Cards like Bone Saw
The Bone Saw is a low-cost artifact that buffs creatures in Magic: The Gathering, akin to other equipment like Kite Shield or Cathar’s Shield. Much like these alternatives, Bone Saw offers a quick boost to a creature’s strength, but without any defensive bonuses, it’s all about the aggressive play. Moreover, the Bone Saw stands out due to its free equip cost, allowing rapid power shifts on the battlefield.
Another comparable option is Bonesplitter, offering a more substantial power increase but at an additional equip cost. While Bonesplitter makes your creatures more formidable, the Bone Saw enables a swift response, ideal for surprise tactics or enabling combos. Comparing to Kite Shield, which provides a defensive boost, Bone Saw gears your deck towards an offensive approach at an unbeatably low mana investment.
In essence, the Bone Saw is built for speed and economy. It thrives in decks that look to outpace the opponent with quick, decisive strikes. This makes the Bone Saw a sharp tool in the arsenal of MTG players aiming for rapid, early-game dominance.
Cards similar to Bone Saw by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Bone Saw doesn’t offer direct card draw, it provides a free equip cost making it an effective way to trigger card abilities or synergize with cards that benefit from equipped creatures without spending additional resources.
Resource Acceleration: Bone Saw comes with a low casting cost of zero, which means it can be played alongside other spells easily. This allows players to commit more to the board in a shorter time period, effectively accelerating the resource curve.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the free equip cost of Bone Saw means it can be attached to a creature at any time mana is available. This enables surprise enhancements during combat phases or in response to an opponent’s actions, essentially offering utility at instant speed.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Bone Saw does not have a discard requirement by itself, its synergy with discard mechanics can be a drawback. Decks that require discarding as a cost to maximize Bone Saw’s potential means sacrificing valuable hand resources, which could leave you in a disadvantageous position if you’re unable to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Bone Saw’s colorless mana cost offers flexibility across various deck builds. However, decks focused on color-specific synergies may find the card competing for space with more impactful color-aligned equipment or spells, potentially diluting the deck’s strategic focus.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Bone Saw’s mana cost is low, costing only one generic mana, its overall impact on the game is minimal when compared to other equipment or spells of similar cost. This is especially true given that the +1/+0 boost provided may not significantly affect the board state or advance your position.
Reasons to Include Bone Saw in Your Collection
Versatility: Bone Saw’s low cost and the benefit of equipping a creature with a power boost make it a flexible addition to various deck archetypes, especially ones aiming to increase creature offense quickly.
Combo Potential: As an artifact with a minimal casting cost, Bone Saw can easily be incorporated into combos that utilize artifacts. It’s a useful piece in strategies focused on artifact synergies or improving storm counts for powerful spells.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where aggressive strategies are prominent, Bone Saw shines by offering a cheap way to accelerate damage output. Moreover, its usefulness in enabling metalcraft or improvise mechanics can be pivotal in certain deck builds within the current metagame.
How to Beat Bone Saw
Bone Saw is an artifact that saw some play in aggressive artifact decks within the Magic: The Gathering landscape. Renowned for its zero mana cost, Bone Saw can equip a creature for a single mana, providing a slight power boost. The card often slips into decks designed to trigger prowess or inspire mechanics or to synergize with cards like Puresteel Paladin for a zero-cost equipment.
To counter Bone Saw effectively, artifact removal spells are your best option. Naturalize or Disenchant provide a cost-effective solution to remove Bone Saw from the battlefield. If you’re playing blue, countering spells that aim to abuse Bone Saw’s synergies, such as Retract or Hurkyl’s Recall, can be highly disruptive to your opponent’s strategy. Furthermore, mass artifact removal, like Shatterstorm or Vandalblast, can clear multiple equipments at once, including Bone Saw, especially in a matchup where your opponent is heavily reliant on artifacts.
Bone Saw may not be a high-impact card on its own, but the key to overcoming it lies in disrupting the synergies and strategies it enables. Thoughtful use of removal or disruptive spells will ensure Bone Saw doesn’t get a chance to tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bone Saw MTG card by a specific set like Conflux and Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Bone Saw 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
Printings
The Bone Saw Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2009-02-06 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-02-06 | Conflux | CON | 135 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 2 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1551 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | OGW-161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | ||
| 5 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 7 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 6 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 70 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters | |
| 7 | 2022-11-18 | The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts | BRR | 70z | 1997 | Normal | Black | Pete Venters |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bone Saw has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |