Blade-Tribe Berserkers MTG Card


Blade-Tribe Berserkers - Scars of Mirrodin
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Berserker
Abilities Metalcraft
Released2010-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameScars of Mirrodin
Set codeSOM
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number84
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byKev Walker

Key Takeaways

  1. Strong battle presence can lead to a dominating board position and superior creature matchups.
  2. Alignment with mana curve progression aids in swift board development and possible early plays.
  3. Instant-speed card synergies bolster the berserkers, enhancing their combat potential.

Text of card

Metalcraft — When Blade-Tribe Berserkers enters the battlefield, if you control three or more artifacts, Blade-Tribe Berserkers gets +3/+3 and gains haste until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Even though Blade-Tribe Berserkers may not directly draw cards, their inherent battle strength can lead to advantageous board states, allowing you to outmatch your opponent’s creatures and potentially draw into more valuable plays.

Resource Acceleration: With a cost that aligns well with mana curve progression, deploying Blade-Tribe Berserkers can pave the way to accelerate your board presence, potentially leading to earlier deployment of your higher-cost, game-changing cards.

Instant Speed: While Blade-Tribe Berserkers lack instant speed themselves, they can benefit from instant-speed tricks and buffs from other cards in your deck. This synergy accentuates their role on the battlefield, making them even more formidable when timed correctly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Being on the battlefield without an immediate impact can set you back, especially if your opponent seizes the opportunity to strengthen their position.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing one colorless and two red mana, Blade-Tribe Berserkers have a rigid mana requirement that can be difficult to meet in a multicolored deck, limiting their versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, this card competes with other three-drop creatures that might offer immediate value or better stats, potentially making it a less favorable option in a tightly-curated deck.


Reasons to Include Blade-Tribe Berserkers in Your Collection

Versatility: The Blade-Tribe Berserkers offer a strong presence on the battlefield that can easily adapt to various deck themes. Their Morbid ability provides a significant power boost, rewarding you for playing a strategy that involves the sacrifice of creatures or leveraging battlefield removal.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that enable creature deaths on your turn, potentially unlocking powerful combos by activating the Morbid effect to maximum efficiency. Combining the berserkers with sacrifice outlets or cards that benefit from having a four-power creature can lead to unexpectedly potent plays.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creatures are constantly battling and trading, Blade-Tribe Berserkers can often enter the fray as a larger threat than anticipated. This can pressure opponents in creature-heavy metas, especially when played after a successful removal spell or during a complex combat phase.


How to Beat Blade-Tribe Berserkers

Blade-Tribe Berserkers may not be the biggest name in red creature spells, but it can still pack a punch on the battlefield given the right circumstances. With an ability that grants a substantial power boost when paired with another red spell, preparing a strategy to handle these warriors can be crucial. When looking at removal options, something as simple as a well-timed Shock or Lightning Bolt can easily take out a Blade-Tribe Berserkers before its power-up effect takes hold. Similarly, cards that offer efficient and unconditioned removal, like Murder or Path to Exile, are excellent for keeping them in check.

However, if you’re facing an already armed and boosted Berserker, you might wish to opt for mass removal spells. Day of Judgment or Damnation wipes the board clean, not discriminating between single threats or an entire army of buffed-up Berserkers. Control players could rely on counterspells to prevent them from hitting the field altogether. Additionally, do not overlook the importance of tactical blocking – sometimes letting a less important creature take the hit can be the smarter play. Keep your cool and manage your removal resources efficiently, and even the mightiest Berserkers will fall.


Cards like Blade-Tribe Berserkers

Blade-Tribe Berserkers stand as a strong contender in the arena of red creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. When we measure them against cards such as Alesha’s Vanguard, we can see a distinct advantage. Though both cards possess the Dash mechanic, allowing you to move them into the battlefield swiftly, Blade-Tribe Berserkers bring an alluring Metalcraft ability, boosting their power if you control three or more artifacts.

In comparison, Boggart Brute brings menace to the table, a trait that requires opponents to block with two or more creatures. While menace is a tactically advantageous ability, it doesn’t compare to the potential power increase offered by Blade-Tribe Berserkers’ Metalcraft. Moreover, Blood Ogre enters the battlefield with the potential of first strike if you’ve achieved bloodthirst, yet this conditional ability often requires a specific game state, unlike the consistent artifact synergy of the Berserkers.

Overall, Blade-Tribe Berserkers offer versatility and power amplification in artifact-rich decks, making them a viable option for players looking to optimize their red creature slots. Their inherent synergy with artifacts can be an unpredictable yet powerful asset during gameplay.

Alesha's Vanguard - MTG Card versions
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Alesha's Vanguard - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blade-Tribe Berserkers MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Blade-Tribe Berserkers and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blade-Tribe Berserkers has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-01-01 Once the metalcraft ability resolves, Blade-Tribe Berserkers retains its bonuses for the rest of the turn, even if you cease to control three or more artifacts for some reason.

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