Basri's Aegis MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set name	Core Set 2021
Set code	M21
Number	322
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paul Scott Canavan

Key Takeaways

Basri’s Aegis excels in token generation, bolstering a white-weaved, creature-focused strategy.
The discard requirement and specific mana cost can restrict play, affecting its versatility.
Basri’s Aegis remains a meta-relevant card, with potential for impactful synergies in gameplay.

Text of card

Put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to two target creatures. You may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Basri, Devoted Paladin, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.

"As long as we survive, we can rebuild." —Basri Ket

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Basri’s Aegis provides a significant boost by creating multiple creature tokens. This influx of tokens ensures that you maintain a solid battlefield presence, overwhelming opponents with sheer numbers and creating a defensive buffer that could turn the tide of the game.

Resource Acceleration: The card synergizes well with decks that benefit from having a multitude of creatures on the field. By generating several tokens, it bolsters strategies centered around creature count, effectively accelerating your tactical resources and enabling potent combos or enhancements based on the number of creatures you control.

Instant Speed: Although not cast at instant speed, the sorcery can be teed up to coincide with your main phase, strategically paving the way for subsequent plays. While timing your plays differently than at instant speed, it sets up for a powerful turn and aligns your resources for maximum impact during your own phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Basri’s Aegis encourages you to go wide with creature tokens, there are situations where the discard requirement to activate its ability can be problematic. This can set you back, particularly if your hand is already limited.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost for Basri’s Aegis is locked into white mana. If you’re running a multi-colored deck, this can affect the card’s flexibility and your ability to cast multiple spells in a turn.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating Basri’s Aegis, its mana cost might be viewed as steep for the effect. There are alternative cards that either cost less or offer more immediate impact on the board state, making it a less favorable option in a fast-paced game.

Reasons to Include Basri’s Aegis in Your Collection

Versatility: Basri’s Aegis is a flexible card that can be easily integrated into white decks that focus on creature strategies. Its ability to provide protection and a significant buff to your forces makes it a solid choice in a variety of gameplay scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well with decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or tokens, enabling powerful synergies that can quickly escalate board presence and potentially overwhelm your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of aggro and creature-centric decks, Basri’s Aegis can serve as a potent tool to outpace and fortify against common threats in the current competitive environment.

How to beat

Basri’s Aegis is a noteworthy card in Magic: The Gathering, with the power to instantly fortify your battlefield presence by creating a shield of protective counters. Facing this spell, the key lies in preemptive actions. Counter spells like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can directly disrupt the casting, ensuring that the Aegis never settles on the battlefield. Alternatively, removal spells that target multiple creatures, such as Shatter the Sky or Extinction Event, become paramount in overcoming a field buffed by Basri’s Aegis. It’s all about timing and choosing the right moment before those counters become a problem.

Efficient creature management is also crucial. Employing spot removals like Heartless Act or Bloodchief’s Thirst can pick off creatures one by one, circumventing the protective barrier Aegis provides. And don’t forget about board wipes; a well-timed Doomskar can effectively reset the board state, nullifying the advantages gained from Basri’s protective ability. Lastly, don’t overlook the power of sacrifice effects; cards like Plaguecrafter force your opponent to choose their own creatures to sacrifice, bypassing the indestructible aspect that Basri’s Aegis can bestow.

Ultimately, your strategy against Basri’s Aegis should be focused on control and disruption. Maintaining a clear board and countering key spells will ensure that the Aegis’s effect is minimal and manageable throughout your MTG match.

Cards like Basri's Aegis

Basri’s Aegis stands out within the range of protective spells in MTG. This card taps into the theme of bolstering your forces, much like Make a Stand, which also provides a temporary boost and indestructibility to your creatures. What sets Basri’s Aegis apart is its association with the character Basri Ket and his mechanics of creating loyalty counters and generating tokens.

Establishing parallels, Unbreakable Formation is another similar card worth mentioning. Like Basri’s Aegis, it grants your creatures indestructibility, but Unbreakable Formation has the flexibility of being cast at instant speed, allowing for surprise defensive strategies. It also affects creatures individually, bestowing a +1/+1 counter which subtly differs from the mass token generation that Basri’s Aegis provides.

Considering the entire spectrum of MTG, Basri’s Aegis has its unique place among cards designed for protecting and empowering a wide board of creatures. The card’s distinctive synergy with Basri Ket’s lore and mechanics exemplify its specialty in the game, ensuring its own niche in gameplay strategy and deck building.

Unbreakable Formation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Basri's Aegis by color, type and mana cost

Presence of the Wise - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Basri's Aegis MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 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 Basri's Aegis and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Basri's Aegis has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2020-06-23	If do you choose targets and each target creature is an illegal target by the time Basri's Aegis tries to resolve, the spell won't resolve. You won't search for Basri. If just one target is still legal, however, you do put a +1/+1 counter on it and search for Basri.
2020-06-23	You can cast Basri's Aegis without any target creatures. You'll just search for Basri, Devoted Paladin.