Voltaic Brawler MTG Card

Voltaic Brawler indirectly aids card advantage by pressuring opponents to expend resources to answer it. Its energy ability provides instant combat flexibility, enhancing mana efficiency and board presence. Despite benefits, the Brawler’s energy reliance and specific mana cost can limit deck versatility.

Kaladesh (KLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 189

Voltaic Brawler - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)

Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
2020-11-12 - Number 213

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

Text of card

When Voltaic Brawler enters the battlefield, you get (two energy counters). Whenever Voltaic Brawler attacks, you may pay . If you do, it gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.

Cards like Voltaic Brawler

Voltaic Brawler stands as an intriguing creature in the MTG realm, offering both energy counter generation and a notable power boost. When examining its peers, Lathnu Hellion emerges as a comparative analysis point. Much like the Brawler, the Hellion thrives on energy counters, yet it has a higher power and provides a more impactful presence on the battlefield during its temporary stay. However, it requires a continuous energy investment, unlike the two-cost efficiency of the Brawler.

Gruul creatures like Zhur-Taa Druid also share a theme with Voltaic Brawler, producing an additional effect upon entering the battlefield or attacking. While the Druid produces mana, it neither matches the Brawler’s aggressive stature nor its ability to become a formidable 4/3 force when attacking. Looking at the broader spectrum, Longtusk Cub presents another energy-utilizing creature, capable of growing stronger over time. Although less aggressive initially, it can surpass the Brawler’s power with consistent energy accumulation.

Assessing these comparisons, Voltaic Brawler holds a unique place, balancing low-cost entry with immediate and potent board impact, making it a valuable player in energy-centric MTG decks.

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Voltaic Brawler. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Event
Gruul Aggro	Gladiator	Gladiator Team Unified League
Naya Aggro	Gladiator	Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 08 2024
Gruul Midrange	Gladiator	Gladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Voltaic Brawler might not directly allow you to draw more cards, its presence on the battlefield puts your opponent in a challenging position. The threat of its boosted power, thanks to its energy ability, requires an answer, often causing your opponent to expend resources to deal with it, indirectly contributing to your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Voltaic Brawler offers a unique form of resource acceleration. Upon entering the battlefield, it gives you two energy counters that can be used to increase its power and toughness, effectively saving mana you’d otherwise use to pump your creatures, and allowing for more efficient mana expenditure in your subsequent plays.

Instant Speed: Although Voltaic Brawler itself isn’t an instant, its energy ability can be activated at instant speed, offering flexibility in combat. You can decide to use the energy counters to boost its strength during your turn or await the opportune moment during combat on your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing at your potential plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Voltaic Brawler’s reliance on energy counters can be restrictive, as you may have to discard other energy-focused cards from your hand to maximize its utility. This potentially reduces your hand size and can leave you at a disadvantage against opponents with more resources.

Specific Mana Cost: With a hybrid red and green mana cost, Voltaic Brawler is tailored for Gruul decks. This requirement can be limiting if you’re experimenting with multicolor decks that don’t focus on both green and red mana, thus reducing its overall versatility in your roster.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana 3/2 creature, the Brawler may seem efficient, but the cost to activate its ability requires a specific investment in energy production. In certain situations, especially in the early game, you may find other two-drop creatures or spells that impact the board more immediately without the need for an additional energy mechanic.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Voltaic Brawler offers flexibility in deck building, fitting seamlessly into aggressive energy-based strategies or enhancing creature-heavy lineups with its powerful energy utilization.

Combo Potential: This two-cost creature excels in synergistic plays, interacting efficiently with cards that capitalize on energy counters, pumping it up for significant early to mid-game impact.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where tempo and energy mechanics are prevalent, Voltaic Brawler stands out as a cost-effective threat that can quickly escalate pressure on the opponent.

How to Beat Voltaic Brawler

Voltaic Brawler bursts onto the battlefield with the potential to deal a significant amount of damage quickly in Magic: The Gathering matches. To effectively neutralize this threat, it’s important to have a strategy that focuses on either removing it early or mitigating its impact. Early removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch the Brawler before it accumulates too much energy and becomes a larger problem. Additionally, cards that provide instant-speed interaction offer the flexibility to wait until the opponent attempts to spend energy to pump the Brawler, thereby wasting their resources when you remove it in response.

Another strategy to tackle the Voltaic Brawler is to present unfavorable trades. Deploy creatures that can survive the Brawler’s assault or have deathtouch to deter attacks. Having efficient blockers like Gifted Aetherborn means your opponent may hesitate to attack, preserving your life total. In matches where Voltaic Brawler proves to be a recurring menace, incorporating enchantments such as Pacifism can shut down the Brawler without resorting to a direct confrontation.

Remember that Voltaic Brawler’s strength lies in its aggressive start. By disrupting this early on or having answers ready, you maintain control of the game’s pace and keep the Brawler’s advantage limited.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Voltaic Brawler MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Voltaic Brawler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Voltaic Brawler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Raymond Swanland.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-09-30	Kaladesh	KLD		189	2015	Normal	Black	Raymond Swanland
2	2020-11-12	Kaladesh Remastered	KLR		213	2015	Normal	Black	Raymond Swanland

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Voltaic Brawler has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-02-09	Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.)
2017-02-09	Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters.
2017-02-09	If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.
2017-02-09	Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method.
2017-02-09	Some triggered abilities state that you “may pay” a certain amount of . You can't pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of as the ability resolves, and no player may take actions to try to stop the ability's effect after you make your choice.
2017-02-09	You can't pay more energy counters than you have.
2017-02-09	is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.