Barging Sergeant MTG Card
2018-10-05 - Number 92
2019-11-07 - Number 848
2020-09-26 - Number GRN-92
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Minotaur Soldier |
| Abilities | Haste,Mentor |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- The mentor ability of Barging Sergeant strategically enhances creatures, leading to optimized board states.
- Haste allows sudden impact in MTG matches, simulating instant-speed advantages for dynamic plays.
- Its restrictive casting cost poses a challenge, limiting its integration into diverse MTG decks.
Text of card
Haste Mentor (Whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power.)
"Don't stop till your horns come out their back."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Though the Barging Sergeant doesn’t directly offer a draw mechanism, its mentor ability can effectively contribute to card advantage by boosting the power of other creatures on your field, thus maximizing the value of your board presence without the need to play additional cards.
Resource Acceleration: Barging Sergeant may not increase your mana pool inherently, but the aggressive nature of the card can accelerate your game plan by applying pressure and forcing resource-heavy decisions from your opponent, which can disrupt their tempo and give you an edge in the race.
Instant Speed: While the Barging Sergeant itself is a creature card that doesn’t operate at instant speed, its haste ability allows for immediate combat impact the turn it’s played. This sudden board state change can catch an opponent off-guard like an instant-speed interaction, especially after a board clear or when played in succession with other quick spells.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Barging Sergeant arrives without an inherent discard mechanic but is subject to disadvantageous trades on the battlefield, often leaving you a card down in the exchange.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement of 4R, Barging Sergeant demands a significant red mana investment, potentially restricting its compatibility with multicolored or less mana-flexible decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Positioned at a five mana value, Barging Sergeant’s battlefield impact may not justify the cost, especially when evaluated against other options that either cost less or offer additional utility or power for a similar investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Barging Sergeant brings a dynamic element to aggressive decks, fitting neatly into strategies that capitalize on attacking with a battalion of creatures. Its ability to bestow haste and mentor to other creatures as soon as it hits the battlefield makes it a useful inclusion in decks that aim to deal damage swiftly.
Combo Potential: The mentor ability of Barging Sergeant pairs well with various cards that benefit from getting +1/+1 counters, enhancing combos that proliferate or utilize counters to unlock additional power. Integrating it with cards that manipulate combat or benefit from attacking can potentially multiply its effectiveness on the field.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed can be key, the haste attribute allows Barging Sergeant to immediately impact the game. As decks often try to establish a dominant board presence quickly, the inclusion of this card can tip the scales in favor of its wielder, aligning well with aggressive red-based deck strategies currently in favour.
How to beat
Barging Sergeant brings a forceful presence to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This creature card, known for its Mentor ability, allows it to pair with smaller units, fortifying your ranks with each attack it leads. With its 4/2 stat line, the Sergeant can seem like a daunting threat on the surface. Yet, understanding its potential and limitations can pave the way to countering it effectively.
To triumph over Barging Sergeant, consider employing removal spells that can dispatch it quickly before the Mentor ability triggers. Instant-speed spells like Cast Down or Shock can be particularly potent, ensuring you can act during your opponent’s combat phase. Other strategies include deploying creatures with higher toughness to block and survive the Sergeant’s assault, such as Omenspeaker or Centaur Courser. By maintaining creatures on the board that can withstand or deter its attacks, you effectively nullify a key component of its offensive strategy.
Ultimately, while Barging Sergeant has the potential to alter the pace of a match, knowledgeable players can incorporate various tactics to mitigate its impact. Recognizing the importance of timing and board control can be instrumental in conquering this aggressive adversary.
Cards like Barging Sergeant
As players delve into building their red creature strategies in Magic: The Gathering, Barging Sergeant is a card that offers an interesting dynamic with its mentor ability. This ability allows it to bolster smaller creatures by placing a +1/+1 counter on them during combat, similar to how Goblin Banneret powers up fellow creatures. Both cards are aggressive in nature, but Barging Sergeant’s higher power makes it more impactful if it sticks on the battlefield.
Comparatively, there’s the Swiftblade Vindicator, which benefits from having double strike, vigilance, and trample. Although it doesn’t have the mentor ability inherently, it can become a massive threat with the right buffs. On the flip side, Barging Sergeant is a stand-alone enforcer, capable of boosting others while leading the charge. Then there’s Skyknight Legionnaire with his ability to fly and haste, an evasive counterpart to Barging Sergeant’s ground assault. While the Legionnaire hits immediately, the Sergeant offers a lasting effect on your army’s prowess.
In weighing options, Barging Sergeant may not be the swiftest but provides a substantial presence and potential for growth in creature-centric decks, solidifying its place in the MTG realm.
Cards similar to Barging Sergeant by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Barging Sergeant MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Mystery Booster, 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 Barging Sergeant 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
Printings
The Barging Sergeant Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Filip Burburan.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 92 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Filip Burburan | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 848 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Filip Burburan | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | GRN-92 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Filip Burburan |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Barging Sergeant has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Barging Sergeant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | If the creature with mentor leaves the battlefield with mentor on the stack, use its power as that creature last existed on the battlefield to determine whether the target creature has less power. |
| 2018-10-05 | If the target creature’s power is no longer less than the attacking creature’s power as the ability resolves, mentor doesn’t add a +1/+1 counter. For example, if two 3/3 creatures with mentor attack and both mentor triggers target the same 2/2 creature, the first to resolve puts a +1/+1 counter on it and the second does nothing. |
| 2018-10-05 | Mentor compares the power of the creature with mentor with that of the target creature at two different times: once as the triggered ability is put onto the stack, and once as the triggered ability resolves. If you wish to raise a creature’s power so its mentor ability can target a bigger creature, the last chance you have to do so is during the beginning of combat step. |
