Bladebrand MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Bladebrand enables card advantage and impactful combat interactions through its deathtouch and card draw abilities.
  2. Versatility and combo potential make Bladebrand a strong contender in decks that prioritize creature-based strategies.
  3. Countering Bladebrand involves strategic play, minimizing combat impacts, and preemptive removal tactics.

Text of card

Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn. Draw a card.

"The pain of searing iron and razor edges pales beside the pleasure of performance." —Judith


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bladebrand offers a unique take on card advantage by allowing you to not only trade up in combat but also replacing itself in your hand with another card, ensuring you don’t lose out on resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Bladebrand doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense, its low casting cost allows for efficient use of mana, enabling you to play other spells or abilities in the same turn.

Instant Speed: The capacity to cast Bladebrand at instant speed grants you the flexibility to adapt during combat, potentially turning the tide by giving a creature deathtouch at the most pivotal moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bladebrand necessitates a card to be discarded when used through its spectacle cost, which may not be ideal in situations where you’re managing a tight hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: Bladebrand’s casting cost requires black mana, which means it is inherently skewed towards black-aligned decks and might not easily fit into strategies that don’t incorporate this color.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Bladebrand’s instant speed and ability to give a creature deathtouch can turn the tides of combat, its standard casting cost could be considered steep for what it offers, especially when there are alternative one-drop spells that provide similar effects.


Reasons to Include Bladebrand in Your Collection

Versatility: Bladebrand offers a valuable mix of effects, granting a creature deathtouch along with the draw of a card. This makes it a flexible addition to various deck types, enhancing both defense and card flow.

Combo Potential: Bladebrand shines in combos, particularly with creatures possessing first strike or those with damage-triggered abilities. The deathtouch effect can turn any creature into a formidable threat.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based decks are common in most metas, Bladebrand can be a game-changer by turning even the smallest creature into a removal tool, disrupting your opponent’s strategy while providing you card advantage.


How to beat

Bladebrand is a distinctive card that offers a substantial twist to creature combat within Magic: The Gathering. It is often compared to other combat tricks due to its ability to give a creature deathtouch until the end of turn and to draw a card. This card can remarkably turn any blocker or attacker into a lethal threat, while also maintaining card parity.

To effectively counter Bladebrand, it’s crucial to minimize combat where it can be most influential. Employing removal spells before attackers are declared can eliminate the need for Bladebrand’s combat trickery. Moreover, high toughness creatures, hexproof, or indestructible creatures can withstand the deathtouch provided by Bladebrand. In essence, keeping your gameplay strategic and proactive, and forcing actions outside the combat phase, can drastically reduce the impact of Bladebrand.

Considering the peaks and valleys of card advantage and battlefield presence, it’s clear that despite the potential for a swing in combat advantage, Bladebrand can be navigated around with forethought and tactical play. Notably, a nuanced understanding of your opponent’s strategy may equip you with the foresight to anticipate and hence mitigate the advantages that Bladebrand otherwise might secure.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of MTG involves more than just collecting cards; it’s about understanding the subtle intricacies that turn good plays into great ones. Bladebrand, with its unique twist on combat dynamics and card flow, is an asset worthy of consideration for players looking to spice up their deck strategies. If you’re intrigued by the potential of using this card to create game-changing moments on the battlefield, we encourage you to delve deeper into its applications. Visit us to expand your knowledge, discover new combos, and integrate the cunning of Bladebrand into your deck. Let’s elevate your MTG experience together.


Cards like Bladebrand

Bladebrand is an intriguing instant in MTG that offers a dual benefit to players, providing both card draw and combat advantage. When compared to cards like Touch of Moonglove, which provides a creature with deathtouch until end of turn and can deal direct damage to a player, Bladebrand stands out by drawing a card in addition to granting deathtouch.

Looking at Rush of Vitality, we find a card that gives +1/+0 and lifelink, alongside indestructible until end of turn. While it adds resilience and life gain to a creature, Bladebrand excels by providing the utility of card draw. Then there’s Alchemist’s Gift, a card offering a shorter list of powerful choices, including deathtouch or lifelink. Although it’s flexible, it lacks the additional draw feature that makes Bladebrand a more valuable asset for maintaining card advantage.

Assessing these alternatives, it’s clear that Bladebrand offers a unique combination designed for players who value the synergy of enhancing a creature’s combat capabilities while refilling their hand, distinguishing itself as a versatile instant in creature-focused strategies within MTG.

Touch of Moonglove - MTG Card versions
Rush of Vitality - MTG Card versions
Alchemist's Gift - MTG Card versions
Touch of Moonglove - Magic Origins (ORI)
Rush of Vitality - Kaladesh (KLD)
Alchemist's Gift - Core Set 2021 (M21)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bladebrand MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Core Set 2020, 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 Bladebrand and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bladebrand Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 642015normalblackWinona Nelson
22019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 862015normalblackWinona Nelson
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 5762015normalblackWinona Nelson
42020-09-26The ListPLST M20-862015normalblackWinona Nelson
52020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1102015normalblackWinona Nelson
62021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 872015normalblackKhurrum
72022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 872015normalblackKhurrum
82024-01-12Ravnica RemasteredRVR 682015normalblackWinona Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bladebrand has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Bladebrand tries to resolve, the spell doesn't resolve. You don't draw a card.

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