Armed // Dangerous MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Fuse
Released	2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set name	Dragon's Maze
Set code	DGM
Number	122
Frame	2003
Layout	Split
Border	Black
Illustred by	David Palumbo

Key Takeaways

Enhance a creature significantly with ‘Armed’ for damage or using ‘Dangerous’ to manipulate enemy blocks.
Low casting cost provides board advantage without depleting resources, allowing for more strategic plays.
Even as a sorcery, this card offers instant impact on combat, surprising opponents and dictating their strategies.

Text of card

All creatures able to block target creature this turn do so. Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The dual-natured Armed // Dangerous card from MTG opens up opportunities for players to tip the scales in their favor. When cast, the ‘Armed’ half gives a creature a significant boost in power, plus the added bonus of double strike. This lets the player deal substantial damage, often clearing the opponent’s side of the board or directly threatening their life total. The ‘Dangerous’ half can force unfavorable blocks, enabling strategic removal of the opponent’s creatures while also pushing through with your attack.

Resource Acceleration: While Armed // Dangerous doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration, its low mana cost for the Armed half allows players to enhance their board presence without depleting resources. This efficiency facilitates the casting of more spells during a turn, indirectly accelerating the player’s resources and potential offensive strategies.

Instant Speed: Although Armed // Dangerous is a sorcery, its immediate impact can be compared to instant speed effects due to its potential to catch an opponent off-guard during combat. It forces opponents to consider mana that might otherwise be undeclared during a combat phase and adapt their strategy accordingly, thus imparting a form of tactical advantage synonymous with instant speed spells.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Armed // Dangerous can be a game-changer on the battlefield, its fuse mechanic requires careful planning. If you choose to cast both halves from your hand, it’s crucial to weigh the benefits against the potential toll on your hand size, as other valuable cards may need to be discarded to make room for this costly spell.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana arrangement to be cast optimally. With a green mana cost for Armed and a red mana requirement for Dangerous, decks not tailored to this color combination might struggle to utilize the card’s full potential, possibly restricting its inclusion to specific, color-compatible builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The individual casting costs of Armed and Dangerous are fairly manageable on their own; however, when opting to unleash both effects in a single turn, the combined mana cost can be substantial. The requirement of six mana – three of which must be specific colors – for the fused effect can hinder the card’s efficiency, especially when considering other spells that provide similar impact at lower mana investments.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Armed // Dangerous fits seamlessly into decks that thrive on either boosting a single creature’s power or manipulating multiple creatures on the battlefield. This flexibility allows for strategic plays in various decks, appealing to a broad range of players.

Combo Potential: With its potential to suddenly swing the balance by empowering a creature with Armed while making it a must-block with Dangerous, this card can turn the tide in combinations, particularly with creatures that have on-hit effects or trample.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to disrupt opponent strategies that rely on board control with well-placed creatures, Armed // Dangerous becomes increasingly relevant when the meta leans towards creature-heavy decks, offering a surprise element that can clear the way for a decisive strike.

How to Beat Armed // Dangerous

Armed // Dangerous is a unique split card that can create a challenging scenario for players in MTG. When facing a creature enchanted with Armed, it gains double strike, a trait that allows it to potentially deal lethal damage in a single combat phase. The Dangerous side, forcing you to block an empowered creature, can lead to a devastating loss of board presence.

To counter this card, control-oriented strategies are ideal. Removal spells prove invaluable in disrupting the Armed // Dangerous combo before the attack phase can begin. Consider cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile that can swiftly handle the enchanted creature. Should the creature become an imminent threat, instant-speed interaction during the combat phase, like Settle the Wreckage, can turn the tide. Moreover, counterspells, keeping mana open to counter either half of the Armed // Dangerous spell, can prevent the combo from resolving in the first place.

Overall, precise timing and a controlled approach can effectively neutralize the double threat posed by Armed // Dangerous. Being vigilant about your opponent’s mana and potential plays can pave the way for a successful defense and ensuring that this powerful spell doesn’t dictate the outcome of the game.

Cards like Armed // Dangerous

Armed // Dangerous is a unique split card from the world of Magic: The Gathering that offers versatility and strategic depth. It belongs to a group of cards that provide players with more than one option during gameplay. When we consider similar cards with this dual nature, Turn // Burn is a noteworthy mention. While Turn // Burn allows for creature manipulation and direct damage, Armed // Dangerous combines the ability to enhance a single creature and threaten multiple blockers, carving a path for a powerful attack.

Catch // Release is another parallel, offering a control aspect by enabling the temporary stealing of an opponent’s creature, as well as a large-scale board effect that can turn the tide of a game. However, Armed // Dangerous stands out by being much more focused on offensive tactics rather than board control. Finally, Far // Away also presents a dichotomy of protecting your board while disrupting your opponent’s, but lacks the aggressive push that Armed // Dangerous can provide when aiming for a game-ending strike.

In sum, while there are a number of dual-option cards in Magic: The Gathering, Armed // Dangerous differentiates itself with a blend of aggressive burst potential and tactical flexibility, making it a formidable tool in the hands of a strategic player.

Cards similar to Armed // Dangerous by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Armed // Dangerous MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Armed // Dangerous and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Armed // Dangerous has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-04-15	As blockers are declared, any creature that’s tapped or affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t block doesn’t block. If there’s a cost associated with having the creature block, no player is forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t block if that cost isn’t paid.
2013-04-15	Dangerous doesn’t give any creatures the ability to block the target creature. It just forces those creatures that are already able to block the creature to do so.
2013-04-15	If a player names a card, the player may name either half of a split card, but not both. A split card has the chosen name if one of its two names matches the chosen name.
2013-04-15	If you cast a split card with fuse from your hand without paying its mana cost, you can choose to use its fuse ability and cast both halves without paying their mana costs.
2013-04-15	If you’re casting a split card with fuse from any zone other than your hand, you can’t cast both halves. You’ll only be able to cast one half or the other.
2013-04-15	On the stack, a split spell that hasn’t been fused has only that half’s characteristics and mana value. The other half is treated as though it didn’t exist.
2013-04-15	Some split cards with fuse have two halves that are both multicolored. That card is multicolored no matter which half is cast, or if both halves are cast. It’s also multicolored while not on the stack.
2013-04-15	Some split cards with fuse have two monocolor halves of different colors. If such a card is cast as a fused split spell, the resulting spell is multicolored. If only one half is cast, the spell is the color of that half. While not on the stack, such a card is multicolored.
2013-04-15	To cast a fused split spell, pay both of its mana costs. While the spell is on the stack, its mana value is the total amount of mana in both costs.
2013-04-15	When a fused split spell resolves, follow the instructions of the left half first, then the instructions on the right half.
2013-04-15	When resolving a fused split spell with multiple targets, treat it as you would any spell with multiple targets. If all targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve and none of its effects happen. If at least one target is still legal at that time, the spell resolves, but an illegal target can’t perform any actions or have any actions performed on it.
2013-04-15	You can choose the same object as the target of each half of a fused split spell, if appropriate.