Head Banger MTG Card

Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact — Contraption
Released	2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set name	Unstable
Set code	UST
Number	188
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Borderless
Illustred by	Steve Prescott
Un-set :-)	This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

Head Banger offers card advantage by discarding less useful cards for better resources during gameplay.
Instant speed playability of Head Banger enables strategic flexibility and unexpected tactical plays.
A precise mana type requirement can challenge deck construction, demanding thoughtful mana base planning.

Text of card

Whenever you crank Head Banger, target creature must be blocked this turn if able.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Head Banger card can potentially discard an irrelevant card from your hand to draw into more useful options, enabling you to tailor your game plan and maintain a healthy flow of resources.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to sift through your deck and draw a specific type of card, Head Banger can help accelerate your deck’s strategy, be it by finding essential combo pieces or simply ramping up to higher cost spells more quickly.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Head Banger at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s move during their turn or to make last-minute strategic adjustments before yours begins, maximizing your turn efficiency and tactical options.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Head Banger card demands players to discard another card to unleash its power. This can deplete your hand quickly, potentially leaving you in a vulnerable position without enough cards to counteract your opponent’s moves.

Specific Mana Cost: This card mandates a precise arrangement of mana types to cast. If your deck isn’t built with the necessary mana accessibility, you might find this card sitting idle in your hand when you need it the most.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a steeper mana requirement than some other options in its category, Head Banger may not be the most mana-efficient choice. Especially in faster-paced games, the tempo loss from casting such a costly spell could put you at a disadvantage against decks that aim to win quickly.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Head Banger finds its place in a diverse array of strategies. Whether you’re piloting an aggressive deck looking for that critical game-ending blow or crafting a control scheme that needs reliable creature removal, this card delivers solid performance.

Combo Potential: This card shines when synergizing with effects that reward you for dealing damage or discarding cards, thereby setting up powerful combo plays that can shift the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creature-based strategies run rampant, having a card like Head Banger that can effectively handle opposing threats is invaluable. It’s a timely inclusion that can tip the scales during crucial matchups.

How to beat

Head Banger in Magic: The Gathering presents a unique challenge for players with its powerful ability to cause substantial damage. This card can quickly become a formidable force on the battlefield if not addressed swiftly. To effectively counter this threat, it’s essential to employ strategies that remove or neutralize it before it can maximize its damage output.

One reliable method to overcome Head Banger is by using removal spells that can target it directly, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade. These spells can efficiently dispose of Head Banger before it accumulates too much damage. Additionally, players could also utilize bounce spells like Unsummon to return Head Banger to its owner’s hand, temporarily relieving the pressure and buying some time.

Another angle of approach is to prevent Head Banger from hitting the field in the first place. Counterspells like Cancel or Mana Leak can ensure that Head Banger never gets the chance to flex its muscles. By staying vigilant and maintaining control of the game, players can shield themselves from the impact of this daunting adversary.

Cards like Head Banger

Head Banger makes an impactful entrance into the realm of creature control cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its functionality can be likened to that of other cards such as Terror, which has been a long-time favorite for its straightforward creature destruction. Head Banger offers a twist with additional cost requirements, setting it up for a potentially greater effect depending on the situation.

When examining similar cards, Murder stands out for its simplistic yet effective approach to creature removal, bypassing restrictions such as types or protection from colors. In contrast, Head Banger adds a layer of strategic depth with additional costs that can tilt the scales during gameplay. Go for the Throat is another comparable card which offers cost-efficient removal but is limited to nonartifact creatures, while Head Banger’s conditions might be more flexible depending on the deck’s construct.

Ultimately, Head Banger finds its place among the different creature removal options of Magic: The Gathering, striking a balance between power and cost, potentially providing players with a uniquely advantageous tool during their matches.

Cards similar to Head Banger by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Head Banger MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Head Banger and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-01-19	Any Contraption that’s on the battlefield and wasn’t assembled immediately heads to the scrapyard. However, if it’s a not an actual Contraption card (like Copy Artifact isn’t), it goes to your graveyard as normal. Non-Contraption cards can’t be in the scrapyard.
2018-01-19	At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control any Contraptions, move the CRANK! counter to the next sprocket. You may then crank any number of Contraptions on that sprocket, causing their abilities to trigger. Cranking a Contraption is always optional.
2018-01-19	Contraptions are artifacts. Anything that interacts with artifacts will interact with Contraptions.
2018-01-19	Contraptions aren’t put into your main deck. They go into a separate deck called the Contraption deck.
2018-01-19	If a Contraption would leave the battlefield and go to any zone other than exile, it instead goes to the scrapyard, the Contraption deck’s version of the graveyard. Things that affect the graveyard do not affect the scrapyard. You can exile Contraptions just fine.
2018-01-19	If you crank multiple Contraptions, their abilities can be put onto the stack in any order. The ability put onto the stack will resolve first.
2018-01-19	If you or a permanent you control are instructed to assemble a Contraption, reveal the top card of your Contraption deck. Put it onto the battlefield on one of the three sprockets.
2018-01-19	If you or a permanent you control assembles a Contraption and your Contraption deck is empty, nothing happens. You don’t lose the game.
2018-01-19	In Constructed formats, a Contraption deck must have at least fifteen different Contraption cards and no more than one of each.
2018-01-19	In Limited formats, a Contraption deck may include any number of Contraption cards in your card pool. You don’t have to include every Contraption card you draft or open in sealed deck. In those formats, your Contraption deck may include duplicates.
2018-01-19	In silver-bordered games using Contraptions, you have three sprockets, illustrated on the back of Contraption cards. At the start of the game, put a CRANK! counter on sprocket 3.
2018-01-19	While Contraptions you control are on the battlefield, the Contraption deck is not, even if you are using it to signify the three sprockets.