Butcher's Cleaver MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Key Takeaways

  1. Lifelink attribute reinforces board control and diminishes the need for additional creature spells.
  2. Equippable for a modest cost, enabling faster, more forceful game progression.
  3. Complements instant-speed play, allowing for mana reserve for timely spell casting.

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +3/+0. As long as equipped creature is a Human, it has lifelink. Equip

Outside the safety of Thraben, there is little distinction between tool and weapon.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Butcher’s Cleaver gives creatures lifelink, potentially leading to sustained board presence and negating the need for additional creature spells, which helps maintain card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Equip costs can sometimes slow players down, but with Butcher’s Cleaver, the reasonable equip cost is an investment into a more robust, aggressive strategy that can accelerate the game’s pace in your favor.

Instant Speed: Though Butcher’s Cleaver isn’t an instant itself, it encourages a playstyle that complements instant-speed interactions. By improving a creature’s survivability thanks to lifelink, players can more confidently keep mana open for instant-speed spells knowing their strengthened creatures can handle the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Butcher’s Cleaver has no direct discard requirement, equipping it needs strategic hand management, potentially causing discard dilemmas in situations where maintaining a strong hand is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Butcher’s Cleaver demands a specific investment of three generic mana, which isn’t color-restrictive but can be a hurdle in multicolor decks that prioritize other mana commitments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of three to cast and an additional two to equip, Butcher’s Cleaver might consume more resources than some players are comfortable with in fast-paced games, especially when compared to other equipment options.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Butcher’s Cleaver proves its adaptability as it can seamlessly integrate into any deck strategy that revolves around creatures. It’s particularly effective in decks that prioritize lifelink, enhancing both defense and offense.

Combo Potential: With its ability to grant lifelink when attached to a Human creature, Butcher’s Cleaver pairs well with strategies amplifying human tribal synergies or equipment-focused decks, offering a substantial boost in both survivability and combat dominance.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-based combat is crucial, Butcher’s Cleaver shines by turning any creature into a formidable threat. Its relevance is consistent in numerous game formats where combat damage and life gain can be game-deciding factors.


How to beat Butcher’s Cleaver

Butcher’s Cleaver is a recognizable artifact equipment in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to give a creature +3/+0 and lifelink as long as it’s a Human. This can turn games around by not only increasing a creature’s damage output but also by providing a significant swing in life totals. When facing this card, control and removal spells are your best friends. Cards like Disenchant or Nature’s Claim can handle Butcher’s Cleaver directly before its impact on the battlefield becomes too great. Efficient removal spells like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat can also be used tactically to eliminate a creature before it becomes equipped, negating the investment your opponent made in mana and tempo.

Preventing equipment from ever becoming a problem is another viable strategy. Playing counter spells like Negate or Mana Leak when your opponent attempts to cast Butcher’s Cleaver ensures that you maintain control of the game’s pace. Additionally, engaging in aggressive plays early on to put pressure on your opponent might limit their opportunities to leverage the equipment effectively. Understanding the timing and maintaining board control are key in ensuring that Butcher’s Cleaver doesn’t slice through your strategy.


Cards like Butcher's Cleaver

The Butcher’s Cleaver stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a noteworthy equipment card. When looking at artifacts that equip creatures, Butcher’s Cleaver shares a common ground with Trusty Machete in boosting a creature’s power. However, Butcher’s Cleaver offers a unique benefit, granting lifelink to a Human creature in addition to its power boost. The Trusty Machete lacks this life-gaining advantage, providing solely a smaller static bonus to power and toughness.

Silver-Inlaid Dagger is another comparable card, designed to empower Human creatures specifically, much like Butcher’s Cleaver. While it increases power more than Trusty Machete, it doesn’t add to a creature’s toughness or offer lifelink, making Butcher’s Cleaver superior in terms of durability and player health sustainability. Additionally, the Dagger boosts only Humans, whereas the Cleaver extends lifelink to any equipped Human.

In summary, Butcher’s Cleaver is a potent piece of equipment in Magic: The Gathering. It distinctively equips creatures for battle while offering valuable lifelink to sustain player’s life totals, an essential tactical advantage especially when suited to Human warriors on the battlefield.

Trusty Machete - MTG Card versions
Silver-Inlaid Dagger - MTG Card versions
Trusty Machete - Zendikar (ZEN)
Silver-Inlaid Dagger - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to Butcher's Cleaver by color, type and mana cost

Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Arena of the Ancients - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Stone - MTG Card versions
Gem of Becoming - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Sunglasses of Urza - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Ebony Horse - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Runed Arch - Ice Age (ICE)
Arena of the Ancients - Chronicles (CHR)
Bösium Strip - Weatherlight (WTH)
Clay Pigeon - Unglued (UGL)
Ashnod's Altar - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Jalum Tome - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Static Orb - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Patchwork Gnomes - Odyssey (ODY)
The Stasis Coffin - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Captain's Hook - Rivals of Ixalan Promos (PRIX)
Wall of Spears - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Spellweaver Helix - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scale of Chiss-Goria - Mirrodin (MRD)
Lightning Coils - Mirrodin (MRD)
Vedalken Shackles - Kaladesh Inventions (MPS)
Oblivion Stone - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Gem of Becoming - Magic 2013 (M13)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Butcher's Cleaver MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed, 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 Butcher's Cleaver and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Butcher's Cleaver Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Jason Felix.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 2172003normalblackJason Felix
22016-02-26Duel Decks: Blessed vs. CursedDDQ 312015normalblackJason Felix
32023-03-21Shadows of the PastSIS 702015normalblackJason Felix

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Butcher's Cleaver has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks