Pheres-Band Centaurs MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Centaur Warrior
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Power	3
Toughness	7
Number	171
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Winters

Key Takeaways

Boasts battlefield resilience, deters attacks, and can lead to advantageous trades during combat.
Enables resource acceleration by synergizing with green spells and abilities requiring a certain power level.
Can be deployed at instant speed to offer surprise blocks or attacks, providing strategic combat advantages.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pheres-Band Centaurs offer a great deal of resilience on the battlefield. When you play this card, you’re adding a significant creature that can influence board presence and help sustain your advantage. This could translate into better trades during combat or simply deter your opponent from attacking.

Resource Acceleration: As a green-aligned card, Pheres-Band Centaurs can synergize with mechanics that benefit from having creatures with power 3 or greater. This opens up potential for resource acceleration, as certain spells and abilities in green only activate when you have creatures of a certain power level.

Instant Speed: Typically, creatures are cast at sorcery speed, but in the case of cards with flash or effect interactions that allow creature casting as though they have flash, Pheres-Band Centaurs can catch an opponent off-guard. Being able to deploy creatures at instant speed allows for strategic play, offering surprise blockers or attackers and giving you an edge in the combat phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pheres-Band Centaurs, as a card in your deck, doesn’t call for discarding as an innate part of its casting or abilities, so you’re safe on this front. Always check your hand and strategize the best play to maintain your advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Pheres-Band Centaurs involves a precise mana investment; green mana is a must to summon them to the battlefield. This could be restrictive for decks that are not heavy on forests or mana-fixing mechanisms.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Pheres-Band Centaurs demand a relatively steep cost of five mana, which can be a late play in fast-paced games. This can affect the tempo against decks that capitalize on speed and efficiency, especially when faster, lower-cost creatures could be played instead.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pheres-Band Centaurs thrive in diverse deck environments. Their decent body combined with potential synergies makes them suitable for decks emphasizing creature presence or enchantments that exploit heroic abilities.

Combo Potential: These centaur cards work well when combined with buffs and abilities that target creatures, potentially turning them into significant threats on the battlefield. Their natural trample ability ensures that their power is not easily negated by chump blockers.

Meta-Relevance: Against certain metagame trends, Pheres-Band Centaurs provide resilience. Their inherent trample and ability to become larger through targeting gives them a place in matches where midrange creatures can dominate and direct targeting is at a premium.

How to beat

Pheres-Band Centaurs is an alluring creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering that brings both resilience and power to the battlefield. Its intrinsic ability to pump up other creatures gives it a significant presence during any match. To overcome this robust card, a strategy revolving around removal spells can be highly effective. Cards like Doom Blade or Murder can sweep it off the board before its bolstering effect becomes problematic.

An alternative technique to negate the advantage of Pheres-Band Centaurs is to utilize board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation, which can reset the playing field and neutralize the potential accumulation of buffs on the opponent’s creatures. In games that last longer, countering this card as it’s being cast with spells like Counterspell or Negate can also provide an edge by preventing it from ever influencing the board state.

Finally, when dealing with Pheres-Band Centaurs, flexibility in your game plan is crucial. Whether it’s through direct removal, strategic counters, or resetting the board, ensure your deck is prepared to handle such threats with efficiency and foresight. Doing so can greatly enhance your chances of maintaining control and ultimately leading you to victory.

Cards like Pheres-Band Centaurs

Adventuring through the forests of Theros, Pheres-Band Centaurs have stamped their hooves in the green decks of MTG. With a glance at their utility and role, one can observe parallels to other centaur cards such as Centaur Courser. Much like their Pheres-Band kin, these couriers sport a solid body for their mana cost, providing a steady creature on the board for green strategies.

Examining Lagonna-Band Trailblazer, it is evident that the heroic mechanic it possesses takes a different trajectory from Pheres-Band Centaurs. While the Trailblazer can grow and adapt as you cast spells targeting it, Pheres-Band Centaurs forgo that flexibility for a more consistent board presence. Nessian Courser falls into the conversation too, a steed with stats echoing the Pheres-Band, showcasing the recurring theme of centaur cards with robust bodies at a balanced mana cost.

Ultimately, these centaurs gallop alongside each other, each finding their unique position within the realm of MTG. The Pheres-Band Centaurs bring reliability to the table, cementing themselves as a respectable choice for any player looking for steadfast green creatures.

Lagonna-Band Trailblazer - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pheres-Band Centaurs MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Pheres-Band Centaurs and other MTG cards: