Mine Bearer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	16
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	D. Alexander Gregory

Key Takeaways

Mine Bearer provides card advantage by potentially removing opponent’s threats without using additional cards.
Instant speed ability of Mine Bearer allows for unexpected plays and can decisively impact matches.
The need to discard for Mine Bearer’s cost can be a setback, particularly with a limited hand.

Text of card

oc T, Sacrifice Mine Bearer: Destroy target attacking creature.

"The Keldons may have explosive tempers, but *I* have explosives."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When assessing the strategic benefits of Mine Bearer, one can’t ignore its potential to tip the scales in terms of card advantage. With its ability to impact the board, Mine Bearer may effectively remove an opponent’s creature, thus indirectly contributing to your hand by preserving the cards that would otherwise be used to handle threats.

Resource Acceleration: Mine Bearer might not directly ramp your mana like other cards, but the impact it has by disrupting your opponent’s resources can be seen as a form of acceleration. By forcing your opponent to redeploy resources to reestablish their board presence, you are effectively gaining ground and speeding up your route to victory.

Instant Speed: The utility of Mine Bearer is greatly enhanced by its instant speed. This trait gives players the flexibility to respond to threats at a moment’s notice, during any phase of an opponent’s turn. Moreover, it allows for more complex strategic plays, including the element of surprise, which can be decisive in tight matches.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mine Bearer requires you to discard another card as part of its casting cost. This can present a challenge when your hand options are limited, forcing you to potentially give up valuable resources or strategic plays you may have been saving for a crucial moment in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana cost to be cast, including both generic and red mana. This specificity means it fits primarily into red or multicolor decks, consequently narrowing its versatility and possibly excluding it from certain deck strategies that don’t include red mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher mana cost than some other creature spells, Mine Bearer may not always provide the best value for the mana spent. Savvy players often weigh the mana cost against the impact a card will have on the game. In this case, you might find that less mana-intensive creatures could achieve similar or better results more efficiently.

Reasons to Include Mine Bearer in Your Collection

Versatility: The Mine Bearer card is a great inclusion in any deck that values reactive plays and protection of valuable assets. Its ability to tap and effectively remove an attacking or blocking creature from combat provides a layer of strategy that can be applied across various gameplay situations.

Combo Potential: With the Mine Bearer’s ability to neutralize key opponent creatures, it works well in combinations with strategies that focus on maintaining board control. It can also be paired with cards that capitalize on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield to amplify its impact.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are prevalent, the Mine Bearer holds significant meta relevance. Its contribution to controlling the tempo of the game can disrupt opposing plans and swing the momentum in your favor.

How to beat

Mine Bearer presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to turn creatures into potential land destruction tools. Navigating around this card requires strategic planning. You can mitigate its impact by controlling the number of creatures you play, thus limiting the targets for Mine Bearer’s ability. Additionally, employing instant-speed removal spells allows you to respond to the Mine Bearer’s activation, eliminating it before it can turn one of your creatures into an unwilling demolitionist.

Incorporating hexproof or shroud-enabling cards within your deck can also provide an effective shield against Mine Bearer. By making your creatures untargetable, you remove the leverage Mine Bearer has, effectively neutralizing its threat. Lastly, using counter spells when your opponent attempts to cast Mine Bearer can prevent it from ever entering the battlefield, thus preserving your creature base and land resources.

Overall, defeating Mine Bearer boils down to controlling the game through precise timing, protective measures, and limiting your opponent’s opportunities to use Mine Bearer’s ability against you. By focusing on these tactics, you stand a good chance of outmaneuvering the threat it poses and maintaining a stable board presence.

Cards like Mine Bearer

The Mine Bearer joins the suite of creatures in Magic: The Gathering that come with a knack for disrupting your opponent’s plans. It bears resemblance to cards like Banisher Priest, which also exiles another target creature until it leaves the battlefield. However, the Mine Bearer stands out with its ability to toss a land into the equation, potentially setting back your opponent’s mana development.

Comparably, Fiend Hunter operates on a similar exiling mechanic. Yet, Mine Bearer uniquely requires a sacrificed land as part of its cost, offering a different strategic angle. Whilst Fiend Hunter provides a more straightforward approach to temporarily removing creatures, Mine Bearer’s additional land sacrifice requirement can both be a hurdle and an advantage, depending upon your deck’s design and strategy.

Equally interesting is Deputy of Detention, another creature that exiles until its own removal but with the broadened scope of targeting nonland permanents and all other copies of it. This wider net can be a game changer in certain matchups. Weighing these options, Mine Bearer finds its place with its unique blend of creature control and land sacrifice, crafting its own niche in game disruption.

Cards similar to Mine Bearer by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mine Bearer MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Mine Bearer and other MTG cards: