Balan, Wandering Knight MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Cat Knight
Abilities First strike
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Balan ensures cost-effective equipment plays, making it a source of card advantage in artifact-centric decks.
  2. Its ability to equip instantly at minimal cost adds a tactical edge, providing combat surprises and versatility.
  3. Despite its potential, Balan faces drawbacks like specific mana requirements and a reliance on having equipment.

Text of card

First strike Balan, Wandering Knight has double strike as long as two or more Equipment are attached to it. : Attach all Equipment you control to Balan.

"What weapon will you bear against one who's mastered them all?"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Balan, Wandering Knight offers a direct path to card advantage in equipment-heavy decks. By using its ability to attach any number of equipment for a mere two mana, you save significant costs typical in equipping procedures, effectively “drawing” from your arsenal of artifacts.

Resource Acceleration: This knight doesn’t generate mana or tokens but accelerates your board presence. Capitalizing on its ability, Balan can become a considerable threat, equipped and ready to attack far earlier than opponents might expect, which in turn, frees up your resources for other strategic plays each turn.

Instant Speed: While Balan, Wandering Knight itself isn’t an instant, its ability to pseudo-equip at instant speed grants it a notable combat trick capacity. This permits reactive play, allowing you to surprise an opponent during combat or in response to removal, adding a layer of resilience and unpredictability to your plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Balan, Wandering Knight requires players to have equipment to discard, which can be problematic when you’re low on cards or if your equipment pool is depleted during the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Balan demands a dedicated mana base with two white mana in its cost, constraining deck-building options and reducing flexibility in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana total cost, two of which are color-specific, Balan can be slow to deploy, especially in fast-paced formats where lower-cost creatures can provide quicker advantages on the battlefield.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Balan Wandering Knight, with its ability to equip all weapons at a nominal cost, can seamlessly adapt to a wide range of deck archetypes. This white creature card is particularly beneficial in equipment-heavy builds, offering an extensive suite of capabilities through various artifacts.

Combo Potential: With Balan, the potential to create explosive turns is significant. The knight pairs wonderfully with cards that have powerful equipment synergies, or with those that reward you for having multiple artifacts in play, setting the stage for game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: Considering its resilience against removal and the capacity to become a substantial threat quickly, Balan Wandering Knight maintains relevance in metagames where creatures play a crucial role. It’s excellent for tilting the balance in your favor, especially when artifact strategies are prominent.


How to beat

Balan, Wandering Knight, holds a firm position in the arsenal of formidable creatures within the landscape of MTG. What sets this Knight apart is its ability to equip any number of weapons at a minimal cost swiftly, potentially turning it into a colossal threat on the battlefield. To effectively neutralize this advantage, the most successful strategies include utilizing removal spells that can bypass its potential for hexproof, such as board wipes which don’t target or mass bounce spells that reset the equipped artifacts.

Keeping a close eye on artifacts in play is also key—disrupting the myriad of equipments before they are attached can cripple Balan’s effectiveness significantly. Artifact removal, therefore, becomes essential. Cards like Disenchant that facilitate this, can dismantle the fortifications surrounding this intimidating Knight. Additionally, countering Balan’s initial casting is highly effective, avoiding the threat altogether. Cards like Negate or Essence Scatter should be held in anticipation of this crucial play.

Finally, always be aware of your opponent’s mana availability and potential for protection spells. If done correctly, dealing with Balan becomes a manageable task, maintaining equilibrium during the battle of wits and strategy that is MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you forge your path through the intricate world of MTG, we know the thrill of discovering cards that intricately mesh with your playing style is unmatched. Balan, Wandering Knight stands as a beacon for those who wield equipment with prowess. Master this card, and you become the artisan of your battlefield, crafting each match into an exhibition of tactical brilliance. We encourage you to continue exploring and integrating such cards into your deck for a gameplay experience that is not just strategic, but also filled with moments of unique triumph. Enhance your deck and elevate your game – journey with us deeper into the world of MTG. Learn more about building around Balan, and let the knight lead your crusade to victory.


Cards like Balan, Wandering Knight

Balan, Wandering Knight is a unique card in MTG, offering a blend of equipment synergy and voltron potential. It shares similarities with cards like Puresteel Paladin, which also facilitates equipping creatures at a lower cost and rewards you for playing multiple equipment pieces. Balan, however, can instantly attach all equipment for two mana, presenting a swifter method to become an immense threat on the battlefield.

Comparing to Armory Automaton, which also collects equipment upon entering the battlefield or attacking, Balan offers more control since you can activate its ability at instant speed. While Armory Automaton requires combat to accumulate equipment, Balan can become formidable at any time. Kemba, Kha Regent is another card that interacts well with equipment, creating tokens for each equipped item every upkeep. Although Kemba has a passive ability and can grow your board presence, it lacks the explosive, game-ending potential of Balan.

Evaluating these options, Balan, Wandering Knight stands out for its ability to single-handedly turn the tides of a game. Its swift equip ability enables a strategy that rapidly equips and threatens lethal damage, making it a formidable presence in any MTG deck focusing on equipment.

Puresteel Paladin - MTG Card versions
Armory Automaton - MTG Card versions
Kemba, Kha Regent - MTG Card versions
Puresteel Paladin - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Armory Automaton - Commander 2016 (C16)
Kemba, Kha Regent - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Balan, Wandering Knight MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 Balan, Wandering Knight and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Balan, Wandering Knight Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 657572015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 22015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 532015normalblackMai Okuma
42023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4582015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
52023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 162015normalblackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Balan, Wandering Knight has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-08-25 Balan’s activated ability has no timing restriction. You can activate it any time you have priority.
2017-08-25 If Balan deals first-strike damage and then gains double strike (most likely because it picked up some Equipment with its activated ability after first-strike damage was dealt), it will also deal regular combat damage.

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