Barrage Ogre MTG Card

Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
2010-10-01 - Number 83

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 496

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Ogre Warrior
Power	3
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Converts surplus artifacts into a strategic advantage, impacting board state and opponent life totals.
Instant speed allows for flexible, unforeseen plays, enhancing its tactical use in games.
Demanding mana cost and discard requirement can limit its integration in diverse deck types.

Text of card

, Sacrifice an artifact: Barrage Ogre deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

The elves had devised countless strategies to combat Memnarch's war machines, but they had no idea what to do when one was *thrown* at them.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Barrage Ogre offers a unique form of card advantage by turning excess artifacts you control into direct damage against opponents. This can help clear the way for your creatures to attack or chip away at your opponent’s life total. It’s especially potent in artifact-heavy decks where you can turn otherwise used up resources into potential game-winning plays.

Resource Acceleration: While Barrage Ogre itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it synergizes with cards that produce artifact tokens. This allows you to potentially sacrifice artifacts generated for free or at a low cost, effectively converting them into damage and accelerating your game plan. In the right deck with ample artifacts, the Ogre can repeatedly utilize this implicit resource acceleration to your advantage.

Instant Speed: Barrage Ogre’s ability operates at instant speed, granting you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves during their turn. You can sacrifice an artifact to deliver unexpected damage, disrupt your opponent’s strategy, or even finish the game off on their turn. The surprise factor and timing control provided by instant speed can be a significant tactical asset.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Barrage Ogre requires a player to discard an artifact card to unleash its ability. This can be counterproductive when your hand is full of useful artifacts that you’re not ready to dispose of yet. The need to discard not only thins out your hand but potentially gets rid of key pieces that could be vital for later turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Barrage Ogre’s casting cost demands a blend of three generic and two red mana, making it a card that fits primarily in red-focused or red-heavy multicolored decks. If your deck isn’t structured to produce red mana consistently, the Ogre may sit uselessly in your hand until it’s too late to have an impact.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Barrage Ogre comes into play later than some other cards with similar or more impactful effects. This relatively high mana cost can be a hindrance, especially in fast-paced games where quicker board presence is key to victory.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Barrage Ogre offers a dynamic role in red artifact-themed decks. It enables players to turn idle artifacts into direct damage, functioning well in both aggressive and control strategies.

Combo Potential: This ogre thrives in environments ripe with artifacts. Pairing it with cards that produce numerous artifacts can set the stage for a game-ending barrage, exploiting synergies to maximum effect.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that is heavy with decks building around cheap artifacts or token strategies, Barrage Ogre serves as a powerful tool for turning those resources into direct win conditions. Its utility in disrupting opponents’ board states keeps it relevant in various matchups.

How to beat

Overcoming a Barrage Ogre in your MTG matchup requires strategy and understanding its mechanics. This card can be a game-changer with its ability to turn artifacts into direct damage. To diminish its impact, consider running artifact removal spells or abilities to reduce the available ammo it can use. Disenchant or Nature’s Claim can effectively remove artifacts before the Ogre has the chance to use them. Additionally, creature removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can swiftly deal with the Ogre itself, neutering the threat before it becomes too great.

Another tactical approach is to limit the number of artifacts you bring into play. By adjusting your deck to focus less on artifacts, you minimize the targets for Barrage Ogre’s ability. Finally, using counterspells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak when Barrage Ogre is on the stack can prevent it from ever entering the battlefield, averting the need to handle it once in play.

Always remember, staying proactive and keeping control of the board will make it much easier to manage any threats, including a Barrage Ogre. Direct removal, strategic counterspells, and minimizing the efficiency of its ability are your keys to success in these interactions.

Cards like Barrage Ogre

Barrage Ogre holds its ground within the Magic: The Gathering artifact-themed decks. This creature card finds its parallels in creatures like Galvanic Juggernaut, which also relies on artifacts but activates its untapping potential only if a creature dies. Whereas, Barrage Ogre offers direct damage output by sacrificing an artifact, a powerful strategy in the right deck.

Another close relative in the MTG family is Pia’s Revolution. This card pushes the artifact synergy further by presenting opponents with an uncomfortable choice whenever an artifact heads to your graveyard from the battlefield, paralleling the same synergy that can make Barrage Ogre so useful.

Irontread Crusher stands out as a vehicle with an affinity for artifacts. Though it does not interact directly with artifacts quite like Barrage Ogre, it becomes a potent force when powered by them. This usefulness, however, requires a different setup than the Ogre’s instant artifact-sacrificing impact for damage. These comparisons highlight the unique niche Barrage Ogre occupies in MTG. Its ability to turn idle artifacts into direct damage gives it a special place in the MTG landscape of cards.

Cards similar to Barrage Ogre by color, type and mana cost

Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions

Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions

Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions

Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions

Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Barrage Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Barrage Ogre and other MTG cards: