Bogardan Lancer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | Bloodthirst,Flanking |
| Released | 2007-05-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Future Sight |
| Set code | FUT |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 95 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jim Murray |
Key Takeaways
- Boosts creatures’ power, often leading to card advantage by maintaining a stronger board presence.
- Acts at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility and surprise during combat or in response to threats.
- Despite high impact potential, it can strain resources with its discard requirement and specific mana cost.
Text of card
Bloodthirst 1 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it.) Flanking (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks this creature, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bogardan Lancer might not directly increase your hand size, but its potential to swiftly alter the board state by enhancing a creature can equate to preserving your cards while depleting your opponent’s resources. By boosting your creatures’ power, it often means they’ll survive combat where they may not have otherwise, effectively acting as a card advantage mechanism by keeping your creatures on the field.
Resource Acceleration: While not a traditional ramp card, the Lancer’s ability can be a form of resource acceleration. By enhancing the power of your creatures, it enables them to deal more damage, possibly hastening the pace of the game in your favor. Additionally, if your creature with power-based abilities gets enhanced, it might trigger additional effects more easily, indirectly accelerating your access to various resources.
Instant Speed: One key strength of the Bogardan Lancer is its ability to act at instant speed. This flexibility allows you to wait until the most opportune moment during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions. A surprise buff to a creature not only can be a game-changer in combat but can also serve as a strategic response to your opponent’s spells or abilities, preserving your board state when your adversaries least expect it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of the Bogardan Lancer is its requirement to discard another card to activate its bloodthirst ability. This can be particularly challenging when your hand is nearly empty, forcing you to make tough decisions on resource management.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost demands two red mana in its total cost, which might restrict the card’s inclusion in multi-colored decks or those that struggle to generate sufficient red mana consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including the specific color requirement, Bogardan Lancer faces competition from other creatures in the same mana range that might provide more immediate board presence or impact without additional conditions.
Reasons to Include Bogardan Lancer in Your Collection
Versatility: Bogardan Lancer is adaptable to various deck builds due to its Bloodthirst ability, allowing it to strengthen as the game progresses. It’s particularly useful in decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that involve buffing creatures or have mechanics that trigger upon dealing combat damage to a player, opening avenues for impactful combos.
Meta-Relevance: With creature-based strategies often at the forefront of the game, Bogardan Lancer can be a cost-effective way to maintain pace and apply pressure in the current competitive landscape.
How to beat
The Bogardan Lancer is a combat-focused card that thrives in fast-paced MTG games. It comes equipped with the bloodthirst ability, which can potentially lead to a swift and overwhelming board presence if left unchecked. Dealing with this card involves strategic play to avoid triggering its bloodthirst; this means preventing any damage during the turn before it hits the field. Alternatively, spot removal spells are very effective in eliminating the Lancer before its ability can be a nuisance.
Control decks can handle the Lancer by using instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push, thereby nullifying the potential bloodthirst-induced buff. Against more aggressive decks, it’s advisable to hold back damage-dealing actions until after the Bogardan Lancer has been played, or to remove the creature at end steps to minimize the bloodthirst impact.
Maintaining a clear board is essential when facing a creature with bloodthirst. The key is to manage the pace of the game, ensuring the Bogardan Lancer doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. By blending careful play with reactive measures, overcoming this fiery foe becomes a manageable task.
Cards like Bogardan Lancer
Bogardan Lancer brings an interesting dynamic to the battlefield with its bloodthirst ability. It shares similarities with other creatures that flourish when opponents have been dealt damage. Skyknight Legionnaire, for instance, also has haste but lacks the bloodthirst mechanism, offering a consistent power level irrespective of previous turns. Meanwhile, creatures like Stormblood Berserker directly relate to Bogardan Lancer, boasting the bloodthirst ability that strengthens it should the opponent have been dealt damage in the same turn.
Comparably, Scab-Clan Mauler presents itself as another creature with bloodthirst, yet it requires a green and red mana to play, catering to a more specific deck archetype. Each of these creatures, including Bogardan Lancer, have their merits depending on the deck strategy employed. While Bogardan Lancer fits seamlessly in a red deck focusing on quick damage, other creatures might better serve decks that are built on varied mana bases or those that capitalize on multi-turn strategies.
Deciding which creature to include in your deck comes down to the specific synergies and the role you need that card to play. Whether it’s the straightforward aggression of Skyknight Legionnaire or the potential growth through bloodthirst with Bogardan Lancer, each card has its niche within the MTG ecosystem.
Cards similar to Bogardan Lancer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bogardan Lancer MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight, 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 Bogardan Lancer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bogardan Lancer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
