Charging Bandits MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Rogue
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal
Set code	POR
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	84
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dermot Power

Key Takeaways

Charging Bandits’ flash ability enables surprise tactics and outmaneuvering sorcery-speed responses.
Its card draw and extra land play bolster long-term game advantage and quicker deployment.
However, its discard requirement and mana specificity challenge players to strategize effectively.

Text of card

If Charging Bandits attacks, it gets +2/+0 until the end of the turn.

The fear in their victims' eyes is their most cherished reward.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Charging Bandits rewards players with an additional card each time it deals combat damage to an opponent. This can significantly boost your hand, providing a continuous source of card advantage during the match.

Resource Acceleration: When Charging Bandits successfully hits an opponent, it not only adds cards to your hand but also ramps up your resources by allowing you to play an additional land on your turns. This creates a valuable edge in resource acceleration that can lead to powerful plays earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: One of the key features of Charging Bandits is the ability to dodge sorcery-speed removal or blockers due to its flash ability. This permits you to deploy the creature at the most opportune time—be it during your opponent’s end step or in response to an attack—making it versatile and unpredictable.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Charging Bandits may need you to sacrifice a precious card in hand, which can restrict your tactical options, especially if your hand is already dwindling in size.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Charging Bandits, a precise blend of mana is necessary, thus constraining its integration primarily within specific deck archetypes that can consistently provide the right mana combination.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given the cost to put Charging Bandits onto the battlefield, players could find that other creatures or spells offer more impactful effects or greater versatility for the mana invested.

Reasons to Include Charging Bandits in Your Collection

Versatility: Charging Bandits is a flexible card that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of decks. Its ability to bring aggression quickly to the battlefield makes it a suitable addition for decks that thrive on maintaining tempo and applying pressure to opponents.

Combo Potential: This card has the capability to synergize with strategies that capitalize on attacking with multiple creatures. It can serve as a catalyst for enabling powerful attack triggers or enhancing strategies that reward players for committing a swarm of attackers.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the pace at which games can evolve, Charging Bandits holds its ground in a meta that favors quick build-up and early dominance. Its impact is felt in matches where establishing an early lead can steer the game towards a rapid conclusion in your favor.

How to beat Charging Bandits

Charging Bandits enters the battlefield with a rush, potentially overrunning unprepared opponents with its aggressive strategy in MTG. The key to triumphing over this card lies in timely removal. Just as Charging Bandits charges forth, efficient spells can halt it in its tracks. Consider using instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push that can disrupt your opponent’s play pattern by eliminating their key threat at a critical moment. These interactions, especially if executed before they attack and accrue value from Charging Bandits’ ability, can significantly tilt the game in your favor.

Moreover, cards that limit attacking potential or grant you life for each attacking creature can also undermine Charging Bandits’ strategy. For instance, Ghostly Prison makes attacks cost more, making it harder for your opponent to swing in aggressively. Alternatively, cards with lifelink or those like Authority of the Consuls, that grant life whenever creatures enter the battlefield under an opponent’s control, can counterbalance the aggressive onslaught, giving you the edge you need to outlast and eventually beat Charging Bandits.

Cards like Charging Bandits

Charging Bandits carves its niche in the bustling world of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. Strike a comparison with Loyal Pegasus, both creatures share a similar initial mana cost and possess an attack-related limitation. Although Loyal Pegasus can’t attack or block alone, Charging Bandits, in contrast, draws its strength from being part of a battalion, requiring at least two other creatures to charge into combat for a synergistic assault.

Skirk Marauder is yet another creature that echoes the aggressive play style, albeit with a twist. It comes with a built-in sacrifice ability unleashing direct damage, contrasting with Charging Bandits’ preference for combat. The tandem attack requirement is exchanged for a more immediate, albeit single-use, impact on the battlefield. Still, within the aggressive deck archetypes, both cater to players who savor a relentless offensive strategy.

Bringing in another perspective, we have Breakneck Berserker. Like Charging Bandits, it encourages a strategy that centers around combat but offers haste rather than conditional power boosts. The choice between immediate action and potential for greater force defines their use in various gameplay scenarios. Hence, while Charging Bandits might not stand alone, it sure gallops forward when the conditions are ripe, adding a strategic layer to creature-based tactics.

Cards similar to Charging Bandits by color, type and mana cost

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Charging Bandits MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Charging Bandits and other MTG cards: