Bold Plagiarist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Vampire Rogue
Abilities Flash
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers strategic advantage via counter copying, forcing opponents to alter their creature enhancement strategies.
  2. Demands specific mana types and hand sacrifices, which could limit its use in diverse deck builds.
  3. Despite its higher mana cost, it can disrupt metas that rely on +1/+1 counters, proving its value in specialized decks.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash Whenever an opponent puts one or more counters on a creature they control, they put the same number and kind of counters on Bold Plagiarist.

"I know a good idea when I see one."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Bold Plagiarist, your strategic play gets a significant boost as you not only disrupt your opponent’s plans but also potentially increase your resources. Every time an opponent tries to strengthen their creatures, you won’t be left behind. This card lets your board presence grow in tandem with your opponents’, ensuring you always have an answer to their threats.

Resource Acceleration: Bold Plagiarist has the potential to exponentially accelerate your resources. As this devious mage copies +1/+1 counters from your rival’s creatures, it can quickly become a force to be reckoned with. This not only applies pressure on your opponent but also ramps up your capabilities for future onslaughts. With each power increment, your capacity for victory surges.

Instant Speed: The swiftness of this magical thief is not to be underestimated. Operating at instant speed means Bold Plagiarist can join the fray at the most opportune moment, catching opponents off guard and turning their own progress against them. This timing advantage gives you the edge to respond aptly to unfolding gameplay, making every counter play a calculable chess move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bold Plagiarist’s ability hinges on a discard condition, effectively reducing your hand and potentially depleting valuable resources that could be crucial as the game unfolds. This mandatory sacrifice can set you back, especially if your strategy relies on maintaining a robust hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing both black and blue mana, Bold Plagiarist demands a dedicated color commitment. This specificity can strain mana bases that aren’t finely tuned to accommodate such requirements, thereby limiting the card’s inclusion to only certain types of decks that can consistently produce both colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, this card sits at a higher bracket when compared to other similar effects in the game. This makes it somewhat less appealing in aggressive strategies that prioritize tempo and low-cost spells to establish early control over the game state.


Reasons to Include Bold Plagiarist in Your Collection

Versatility: Bold Plagiarist stands out due to its ability to be slotted into numerous decks, thriving particularly in environments where counter manipulation plays a critical role. Its functionality across various formats makes it an excellent choice for players looking to advance their strategic gameplay.

Combo Potential: With its unique ability to steal counters from opponents’ creatures, Bold Plagiarist offers a wealth of combo possibilities. It synergizes with cards and mechanics that pivot on counter proliferation, providing an edge in both offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ebb and flow of the competitive scene, Bold Plagiarist can become increasingly significant. It’s particularly impactful in a meta heavy with +1/+1 counter strategies where it can consistently disrupt opponents’ plans while bolstering your board presence.


How to beat Bold Plagiarist

Bold Plagiarist presents a unique challenge in MTG duels with its ability to capitalize on your opponent’s +1/+1 counters. This devious creature thrives in an environment rich with counter distribution, siphoning off the boosts you’d usually place on your own creatures. To outmaneuver Bold Plagiarist, timing is crucial. First and foremost, exercise caution with activations that involve +1/+1 counters. Opt for strategies that don’t rely heavily on counter placements, or reserve those plays until you can deal with the plagiarist swiftly.

Removal spells are your safest bet to neutralize Bold Plagiarist before its thievery can turn the tide of battle. Instant-speed removals like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can catch your opponent off-guard, efficiently handling the plagiarist before it becomes a threat. You can also turn to board wipes if the board state grows beyond your control; a well-timed Wrath of God can reset the playing field. As with all MTG strategy, adapting your game plan and managing threats quickly ensures you retain the upper hand against cunning cards like Bold Plagiarist.


Cards like Bold Plagiarist

Bold Plagiarist stands out in Magic: The Gathering with its unique ability to capitalize on opponents’ strategies, particularly as it relates to +1/+1 counters. This card can be compared to the renowned Winding Constrictor, which also interacts with counters, though it focuses on increasing the number you would put on your creatures or artifacts. Unlike Bold Plagiarist, Winding Constrictor doesn’t directly interfere with opponent’s plans, but it does incentivize players to build around a counter-centric strategy.

Another card in the spotlight is Vampire Hexmage, which, while not directly linked to +1/+1 counters, can remove all counters from a permanent, serving as a hindrance to your opponent’s setups. The Hexmage is more of a one-off effect as compared to the continuous threat posed by Bold Plagiarist. Considering the synergy and potential for disruption, Bold Plagiarist brings to the table, it aligns with players who enjoy pilfering their opponent’s advantages and using them for their own gain.

Evaluating MTG cards with a niche like Bold Plagiarist provides an interesting look into how certain cards can create opportunities for strategic deck-building and how they stack up against each other in varying contexts.

Winding Constrictor - MTG Card versions
Vampire Hexmage - MTG Card versions
Winding Constrictor - Aether Revolt (AER)
Vampire Hexmage - Zendikar (ZEN)

Cards similar to Bold Plagiarist by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Cabal Surgeon - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Gixian Puppeteer - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Akuta, Born of Ash - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Cabal Surgeon - Torment (TOR)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Gixian Puppeteer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Akuta, Born of Ash - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bold Plagiarist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2021, 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 Bold Plagiarist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bold Plagiarist Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Miguel Mercado.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 900622015normalblackMiguel Mercado
22021-04-23Commander 2021C21 372015normalblackMiguel Mercado
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3642015normalblackMiguel Mercado

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bold Plagiarist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-04-16 Your opponent places the counters on both permanents. Therefore, if they also control a Bold Plagiarist, its ability will not trigger.

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