Bogbrew Witch MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Bogbrew Witch excels in generating card advantage and battlefield strategy via card-specific searches.
  2. Though offering combo depth, the Witch may struggle in decks requiring diverse mana sources and quicker tempo.
  3. Strategize against the Witch by targeting her directly or disrupting her graveyard-based synergies to dismantle combos.

Text of card

, : Search your library for a card named Festering Newt or Bubbling Cauldron, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

"The hardest thing is finding the right ingredients."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Bogbrew Witch enhances card utility by enabling searches for specific cards such as Bubbling Cauldron and Festering Newt. This generates a synergy that doesn’t just add to your hand but also crafts a strategy on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While the Bogbrew Witch itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it sets up a potent combo that can. Once paired with the right pieces, it can effectively manage and utilize resources beyond the norm with each piece of the combo enhancing the others.

Instant Speed: While Bogbrew Witch operates at sorcery speed, the flexibility granted by the interconnected pieces it searches for can lead to significant impacts at instant speed, such as sacrificing the Festering Newt with Bubbling Cauldron for an immediate effect during any phase of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Bogbrew Witch is that to fully maximize its potential, you often need complementary pieces like Bubbling Cauldron and Festering Newt. Without these, you might find yourself discarding valuable cards to keep the witch’s engine running.

Specific Mana Cost: Bogbrew Witch has a mana cost that requires three generic and one black mana. This specific cost means you need a stable mana base to consistently cast it on curve, which can be challenging in multicolor decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, Bogbrew Witch may be considered quite costly, especially since its 1/3 body doesn’t match up well against other cards at a similar cost. For decks focused on efficiency, the witch might not make the cut due to its mana-intensive nature and low impact on the board upon arrival.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bogbrew Witch offers players the flexibility to brew up a variety of decks, excelling in those that capitalize on the thematic synergy between creatures and witches or utilize self-milling mechanics to fetch key pieces from the deck.

Combo Potential: This card is a cornerstone for combos with cards like Bubbling Cauldron and Festering Newt, creating a potent engine that can control the board while draining an opponent’s life.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that leans towards creature-based strategies, Bogbrew Witch can become an unexpected trump card, disrupting opponents’ plans and setting up consistent value trades for the player over multiple turns.


How to Beat Bogbrew Witch

Bogbrew Witch is a unique card from Magic: The Gathering that plays a pivotal role in themed decks built around it. When dealing with the Witch, remember it’s not so much about power but the synergy it creates with Bubbling Cauldron and Festering Newt. To disrupt this combination, target the Witch directly. Spells that force sacrifice or exile creatures can upend the opponent’s strategy before they assemble their combo pieces. Artifact removal is also effective, considering the importance of Bubbling Cauldron in the mix.

Speaking strategy, don’t neglect the potential of graveyard hate. Cards that exile graveyard contents can prevent an ongoing recursion of Festering Newts, a common tactic in decks running Bogbrew Witch. Keeping the board clear and applying pressure also makes it difficult for the opponent to take advantage of the Witch’s ability. Ultimately, pinpoint removal, strategic artifact destruction, and graveyard control are your best bets against this infamous Witch and her cauldron-centric combo.

Understanding the dynamics of specific MTG matchups and being prepared with countermeasures ensures you hold the upper hand. Keep in mind such a tactic when facing the Bogbrew Witch combo, as dismantling a part can often mean the fall of the whole.


Cards like Bogbrew Witch

The eerie Bogbrew Witch has etched its place in Magic: The Gathering as a linchpin for combo enthusiasts. It’s often compared to fellow tutor cards like Trinket Mage, which also searches your library for a specific card type, albeit an artifact with a mana cost of one or less. While Trinket Mage has a broader search parameter, Bogbrew Witch’s unique synergy with Festering Newt and Bubbling Cauldron creates a thematic trio that can be devastating.

In a similar strategy, cards like Fauna Shaman provide a creature tutoring ability. Though it requires discarding a creature card to activate, which can be both an advantage and disadvantage compared to the Witch’s direct search mechanism. The Witch’s specificity to its combo pieces sets it apart from Fauna Shaman’s more general creature search. Diabolic Tutor, while not creature-specific, also shares the theme of library searching but costs more mana without adding to the board presence.

In essence, Bogbrew Witch finds its strength in the power of the combo pieces it assembles, positioning itself uniquely among MTG’s creature-specific tutors. Its capability to repeatedly fetch combined with a potential for recurring creature play offers a strategic edge for players looking to engineer a match-winning combo.

Trinket Mage - MTG Card versions
Fauna Shaman - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Trinket Mage - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Fauna Shaman - Magic 2011 (M11)
Diabolic Tutor - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Bogbrew Witch by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions
Magus of the Abyss - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Magus of the Abyss - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bogbrew Witch MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Iconic Masters, 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 Bogbrew Witch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bogbrew Witch Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-07-19Magic 2014M14 882003normalblackEric Deschamps
22017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 832015normalblackEric Deschamps
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2112015normalblackEric Deschamps
42020-09-26The ListPLST M14-882003normalblackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bogbrew Witch has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-11-17 You don’t have to declare which card you’re searching for when you activate Bogbrew Witch’s ability. You may find either while you’re searching.

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