Rush of Battle MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2014-09-26
Set symbol
Set name	Khans of Tarkir
Set code	KTK
Number	19
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Scott

Key Takeaways

Lifelink from Rush of Battle significantly boosts player life total while putting pressure on opponents.
It reinforces aggressive tactics, aiming to rapidly conclude matches and accelerate victory.
Perfectly timed plays of Rush of Battle can pivot the momentum of the game.

Text of card

Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn. Warrior creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by those Warriors also causes their controller to gain that much life.)

The Mardu charge reflects the dragon's speed—and its hunger.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rush of Battle is a game-changer for decks that focus on swarming the board with creatures. When you cast this, each creature you control gets not only a boost, but also the potential for lifelink until end of turn. This means every attack not only puts pressure on your opponent but also bolsters your own life total, allowing you to maintain a healthy advantage in life points while committing to an aggressive strategy.

Resource Acceleration: Although Rush of Battle doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, its real resource acceleration comes from its ability to potentially end games quickly. By amplifying your army’s damage output and padding your life total, it accelerates your path to victory, requiring fewer combat phases to close out a game. Plus, the lifelink can help ensure you have the stamina to outlast your opponent in prolonged battles, effectively speeding up your win condition.

Instant Speed: While Rush of Battle is a sorcery, its impact at a pivotal combat phase can be comparable to instant speed tricks. It plays a crucial role by turning what would be an ordinary turn into a momentum-shifting one. Proper timing of this card can catch an opponent off guard, flipping the script of a game. Allowing you to commit all your creatures to a massive, life-swinging attack can function similarly to springing a surprise at instant speed, but with planned execution during your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Rush of Battle is it may necessitate discarding other cards to capitalize on its effect. For decks that operate on a tight resource economy, this can be a risky proposition, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage in the late game if you’ve exhausted essential cards to leverage a temporary bonus.

Specific Mana Cost: With a white mana cost specific to its casting, Rush of Battle naturally fits into white-themed or multicolor decks that can accommodate white mana. However, this requirement potentially hinders its inclusion in decks not tuned to generate white mana efficiently, therefore limiting its versatility across the wide array of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a cost of four mana, including three generic and one white, Rush of Battle is considered to have a higher mana investment for the boost it provides. In the landscape of MTG where mana efficiency is key, there are alternative cards that can offer a similar or better warrior-focused boost without the same level of resource commitment, which may make them more appealing choices in a deck build centered around combat advantage.

Reasons to Include Rush of Battle in Your Collection

Versatility: Rush of Battle offers strategic flexibility to decks that focus on wide strategies, pumping numerous creatures for a decisive swing. It can be a game-changer for token-based decks or those that capitalize on outnumbering the opponent.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with cards that capitalize on creature counts or life gain. Its ability to give creatures lifelink enables synergies with cards that thrive on gaining life, bringing you a dual benefit from your combat phase.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive tactics dominate, Rush of Battle can tip the scales in your favor. It adds significant pressure to your opponents by escalating your board state with an augmented offense, especially relevant in environments where races to deal combat damage prevail.

How to beat

Rush of Battle is a powerful sorcery in Magic: The Gathering that swings games by granting your warriors a substantial boost in power and a life-gaining edge on the turn it’s played. To counteract this surge, timing and anticipation are critical. Controlling the board with removal spells before the warriors can accumulate or utilizing counterspells to prevent Rush of Battle from resolving are among the strategies to outplay it. Sweepers, like Wrath of God, can be particularly devastating to your opponent post Rush of Battle, negating its impact and leaving your opponent’s resources depleted.

Efficiently dealing with the individual warriors can also mitigate the Rush of Battle’s impact. Cards like Doom Blade for single targets or Pyroclasm for multiple creatures come in handy. Another angle is to reduce the lifegain benefit with cards like Tainted Remedy, turning their advantage into your opportunity. Should Rush of Battle slip through, having a well-prepared defensive line up or life-saving tricks up your sleeve can help absorb the incoming onslaught and keep you in the game for a comeback.

Ultimately, by prioritizing warrior removal, having countermeasures ready for life gain, and keeping a clean board, you stand a much better chance at withstanding the Rush of Battle’s aggressive push in any MTG matchup.

Cards like Rush of Battle

Rush of Battle stands out in the landscape of combat trick cards in MTG. With its ability to give your warriors a +2/+1 boost until end of turn, it can turn the tide of skirmish in your favor. This card is often weighed against other battle enhancing cards like Trumpet Blast, which also offers a temporary boost in attack power but lacks the lifelink ability that comes with Rush of Battle. Lifelink can be crucial as it provides a significant life advantage, making it a dual-purpose card – increasing both offense and defense.

Another card that enters the fray is Sanctified Charge, which shares a similar functionality. It grants +2/+1 to white creatures and also gives them first strike, but at a higher mana cost. First strike may be a game-changer during combat, yet Rush of Battle’s lifelink ability and lower cost might tip the scales in its favor for a warrior-centric deck looking for a cost-effective combat trick.

A card’s value in MTG is often dictated by subtle disparities in cost and abilities. In Rush of Battle’s case, the affordable mana cost coupled with the beneficial lifelink for all your warriors can carve a niche for itself in decks designed around synergy and aggressive strategies.

Cards similar to Rush of Battle by color, type and mana cost

Presence of the Wise - MTG Card versions

Great Teacher's Decree - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rush of Battle MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir, 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 Rush of Battle and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rush of Battle 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 Rush of Battle card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.