Bar the Door MTG Card


Bar the Door - Dark Ascension
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2012-02-03
Set symbol
Set nameDark Ascension
Set codeDKA
Number2
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRyan Pancoast

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides indirect card advantage by protecting multiple creatures at once during combat.
  2. Instant spell speed significantly enhances versatility and in-game surprise factor.
  3. Maintains your army’s robustness, mitigating the need for further creature investment.

Text of card

Creatures you control get +0/+4 until end of turn.

"It may not look like much, but it's a good old door with strong wards. It'll hold." —Olgard of the Skiltfolk


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While “Bar the Door” doesn’t directly draw cards, it efficiently boosts the toughness of multiple creatures, potentially saving several from destruction in one go. This can be indirectly translated into card advantage as it preserves your board presence without needing to invest in additional creature spells.

Resource Acceleration: “Bar the Door” does not provide typical resource acceleration like generating mana or treasure tokens. However, by fortifying your creatures on the battlefield, it maintains your resources in the form of a stronger, more resilient army, ready to take on incoming threats without additional investment.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast “Bar the Door” at instant speed gives you the tactical advantage to surprise an opponent during combat. Whether it’s turning the tide defensively to prevent your creatures from dying or offensively to create an unexpected blockade, the instant nature of the card allows for versatile and strategic plays mid-battle.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike cards that bolster your position without additional costs, Bar the Door requires a significant investment in the form of a discard, which could compromise your hand and overall game strategy if you’re not prepared for the trade-off.

Specific Mana Cost: Bar the Door needs a particular blend of mana to cast—two white mana and one of any color. This specific requirement makes it less flexible and can be a stumbling block in multicolored decks that may not always have the right mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including the stringent white mana requirement, Bar the Door could be considered a costly investment for the temporary boost it gives to your creatures’ toughness. There are alternative cards available that can provide more lasting or impactful bonuses for a similar or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bar the Door enhances any defensive strategy, making it an ideal pick for decks that need just a bit more time to establish their winning condition. It can be particularly beneficial in Limited formats to hold off aggressive opponents, buying you those crucial extra turns.

Combo Potential: While Bar the Door may not be the centerpiece of combos, its ability to bolster your creatures can complement strategies that capitalize on high toughness. It might work well in decks that utilize mechanics such as Doran, the Siege Tower, or those involving creatures with “toughness matters” abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where board wipes and combat tricks are prevalent, Bar the Door can serve as an effective surprise element that protects your creatures and turns the tides in your favor, all while maintaining a low mana curve.


How to beat

Bar the Door is a specific tool in the arsenal of Magic: The Gathering players, known for its ability to grant your creatures a temporary toughness boost. It has its place in strategies that look to capitalize on defensive capabilities or survive combat with powerful attackers. To navigate around this card, flexibility in your approach is key.

One efficient strategy to counteract Bar the Door’s effect is by employing removal spells that do not rely on damage. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can bypass the temporarily increased toughness, ensuring that the creatures are dealt with regardless of the boost. Alternatively, board wipes like Wrath of God clear the field entirely, making the Bar the Door buff irrelevant.

Countering the spell outright is also a straightforward solution, with options like Negate at your disposal to prevent Bar the Door from resolving. In matchups where you expect this card, it’s vital to hold back the necessary mana to have your counterspells ready. Ultimately, understanding when to anticipate this spell and having a plan to address it can diminish its impact on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring MTG strategies often leads to discovering the potential of versatile cards like Bar the Door. Its strength in preserving board presence and tactical use at instant speed makes it a noteworthy inclusion for players focusing on defensive maneuvers. If you find yourself intrigued by its ability to fortify your creatures against overwhelming odds or to enhance existing toughness-based tactics, we encourage you to dive deeper. A well-rounded MTG collection benefits from such adaptable cards. Interested in utilizing Bar the Door to its fullest, or seeking alternatives for your deck’s strategy? Visit us for detailed insights and tips to enrich your MTG experience.


Cards like Bar the Door

Bar the Door stands as a unique protective spell in Magic: The Gathering, fortifying creatures just enough to turn the tide of a skirmish. Its ability to grant creatures +0/+4 until end of turn is akin to Tower Defense, which offers a similar defensive boost. Unlike Bar the Door, though, Tower Defense also gives creatures reach, enabling them to block flying threats – a tactical advantage in many matches.

In the realm of defense spells, we also encounter Rootborn Defenses. This card offers a mass protection by granting your creatures indestructible, ensuring their survival against all but exile effects. However, while Rootborn Defenses offers a more robust protection, it doesn’t enhance toughness like Bar the Door, which can be crucial in certain combat situations. Another parallel could be drawn with Make a Stand, providing +1/+0 and indestructible until end of turn. It bolsters attack and fortifies defense but leans more towards an offensive playstyle compared to Bar the Door’s purely defensive application.

Evaluating these spells highlights Bar the Door’s niche role in Magic: The Gathering, fitting into strategies that seek to outlast and thwart damage, rather than focusing on outright aggression or comprehensive protection.

Tower Defense - MTG Card versions
Rootborn Defenses - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions
Tower Defense - MTG Card versions
Rootborn Defenses - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Bar the Door by color, type and mana cost

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Army of Allah - MTG Card versions
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Blood of the Martyr - MTG Card versions
Piety - MTG Card versions
Martyrdom - MTG Card versions
Harsh Justice - MTG Card versions
Kor Chant - MTG Card versions
Just Fate - MTG Card versions
Waylay - MTG Card versions
Warrior's Honor - MTG Card versions
Radiant's Judgment - MTG Card versions
Abolish - MTG Card versions
Restrain - MTG Card versions
Prismatic Strands - MTG Card versions
Ardenvale Tactician // Dizzying Swoop - MTG Card versions
Teferi's Protection - MTG Card versions
Oblation - MTG Card versions
Wing Shards - MTG Card versions
Armed Response - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bar the Door MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension, 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 Bar the Door and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bar the Door has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal