Mercadian Bazaar MTG Card
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
| Released | 1999-10-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mercadian Masques |
| Set code | MMQ |
| Number | 321 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Terese Nielsen |
Text of card
Mercadian Bazaar comes into play tapped. oc T: Put a storage counter on Mercadian Bazaar. oc T, Remove any number of storage counters from Mercadian Bazaar: Add one red mana to your mana pool for each storage counter removed this way.
Cards like Mercadian Bazaar
Mercadian Bazaar stands out in the realm of land cards within Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to storage lands such as Rushwood Grove, Mercadian Bazaar allows players to slowly accumulate resources over turns, to potentially unleash a massive turn of spells or creatures later on. Unlike Rushwood Grove, which focuses solely on green mana, Mercadian Bazaar has the flexibility to store mana of any color. This unique feature makes it versatile across multiple deck archetypes.
Another relative in this category is the card Saprazzan Cove. Similar to the functionality of Mercadian Bazaar, it also banks mana for future use. However, Saprazzan Cove taps for blue mana specifically and lacks the colorless option that Mercadian Bazaar provides. This offers Mercadian Bazaar an advantage in decks that aren’t mono-blue or require a wider spectrum of mana colors for their spells.
In assessing the utility and adaptability of similar MTG card options, Mercadian Bazaar manages to secure a unique position with its ability to store up mana of any color, laying groundwork for powerful turns in a variety of strategic setups.
Cards similar to Mercadian Bazaar by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mercadian Bazaar, when activated, provides an incremental advantage by storing up counters that later turn into cards. This can lead to a substantial card advantage as the game progresses, particularly in longer matches where resources become key to maintaining control.
Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to turn storage counters into mana, Mercadian Bazaar can be a source of resource acceleration. It facilitates casting of high-cost spells sooner than usual by giving you access to additional mana later on in the game.
Instant Speed: Though Mercadian Bazaar itself is not an instant, it has an ability that can be activated at instant speed, thereby allowing you to be flexible with your mana and optimize your plays according to the unfolding game state.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Mercadian Bazaar card necessitates that you discard another card to utilize its ability. This can present a significant drawback when your hand is already depleted or if you need to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: With its reliance on a specific combination of mana (two generic and one green), the Mercadian Bazaar can be restrictive and harder to incorporate in multi-colored decks that may not consistently produce the necessary mana types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Its total cost of three mana to activate, including the additional card discarded, makes Mercadian Bazaar a less preferable option when compared to other land cards or mana sources that are either cost-free or provide additional benefits without the discard condition.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Mercadian Bazaar offers a unique form of mana acceleration, adaptable across various deck archetypes. Whether you’re running a control deck seeking to stabilize or an aggro deck with a higher curve, this land card has its place.
Combo Potential: With storage lands like Mercadian Bazaar, you can amass counters over time and then unleash a massive burst of mana all at once. This can be especially potent in combo decks aiming to execute high-cost spells in a single turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a slower-paced game environment where matches go long, Mercadian Bazaar gains value by enabling big late-game plays. Its ability to store mana over time aligns well with decks that want to outlast the opposition and deploy game-winning threats.
How to beat
Mercadian Bazaar stands as a unique land in Magic: The Gathering, capable of stocking up on storage counters each turn. While it may seem daunting at first to go up against a card that allows your opponent to accrue these counters and later convert them to additional mana for a critical play, there are strategies you can employ to tip the scales in your favor.
Artifact removal is a primary method you can use; by stripping opponents of their counter reservoirs, you force them to adapt their mana strategy. Utilizing land destruction can be another effective tool since it targets the source of their mana flexibility directly. Keeping pressure on your opponent is also an effective tactic, as this can force them to use resources before they accumulate enough counters on their Mercadian Bazaar to make a significant impact.
Remember, like any resource generation card, Mercadian Bazaar can give players a considerable advantage if left unchecked. Prioritizing the containment and removal of this land can be crucial to maintaining control of the game and ultimately claiming victory over your opponent’s strategies.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mercadian Bazaar MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Mercadian Bazaar and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- 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 Mercadian Bazaar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |