Wall of Spears MTG Card

Its first strike ability makes Wall of Spears a formidable deterrent on the battlefield. With specific mana requirements, its inclusion may be best for white or two-color decks. Despite a higher cost, its versatility can be a boon in defense-oriented strategies.
Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Wall
Abilities Defender,First strike
Power 2
Toughness 3

Text of card

First strike, counts as a wall.

Even the most conservative generals revised their tactics after the Battle of Sarinth, during which a handful of peasant-pikemen held off a trio of rampaging Craw Wurms.

Cards like Wall of Spears

Wall of Spears is an intriguing defensive option among artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It parallels fellow defenders like Wall of Wood and Wall of Stone, which also serve as early game protective measures. What makes Wall of Spears standout is its First Strike ability, enabling it to deal combat damage before creatures without this feature during the combat phase. Wall of Wood lacks any additional abilities, while Wall of Stone offers a significantly higher toughness.

Guardians of Meletis and Wall of Tanglecord are other cards to consider when assessing defensive strategies. Guardians of Meletis has comparable durability to Wall of Spears but lacks any offensive abilities, making it purely a blocking creature. Wall of Tanglecord offers an optional ability for green mana, granting it reach to combat flying threats, a utility that Wall of Spears doesn’t possess.

Ultimately, Wall of Spears holds a valuable niche by combining a moderate defensive presence with offensive capabilities, thanks to First Strike. This allows it to act as an early shield against attackers while also being a potential threat to unsuspecting aggressors, situating it as a versatile choice in decks emphasizing defense with a proactive edge.

Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
Guardians of Meletis - MTG Card versions
Wall of Tanglecord - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
Guardians of Meletis - MTG Card versions
Wall of Tanglecord - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Wall of Spears may not directly contribute to card draw, it serves as a persistent defensive option on the battlefield. This deterrent can indirectly lead to card advantage by forcing opponents to use multiple resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: Wall of Spears isn’t typically associated with resource acceleration. However, its low casting cost can result in an early defensive setup, allowing you to preserve your life total while developing your mana base and strategizing for the mid to late game.

Instant Speed: As a creature, Wall of Spears is not cast at instant speed, but its first strike ability gives it an equivalent tactical advantage. The first strike deters attackers and can essentially act as a surprise tactic during the combat phase, predisposing your opponents to hesitate before engaging in unfavorable combat scenarios.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Wall of Spears does not require discarding as part of its casting cost or ability, cards with discard requirements force you to lose resources, which could be detrimental when playing a defense-oriented strategy, akin to what Wall of Spears promotes.

Specific Mana Cost: Wall of Spears demands a specific mana arrangement to cast—two colorless and one white mana. This requirement can potentially restrict its inclusion to white or two-color decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Wall of Spears is considered to possess a high mana cost for a defensive creature with 2 toughness. There are other options for creatures or defense mechanisms available at a lower cost, providing a similar or better protective value for the mana spent.

Reasons to Include Wall of Spears in Your Collection

Versatility: Wall of Spears is not just any regular defender. Its ability to deal damage can turn it into an offensive instrument under the right circumstances. This gives it a flexibility that allows it to be included in various deck builds, particularly those that benefit from defensive structures with the added benefit of deterrent offense.

Combo Potential: This artifact creature can synergize with cards that interact with artifacts or those that empower defender-oriented strategies. Its potential to become a combo piece in a deck that capitalizes on such synergies should not be underestimated.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where aggressive creature strategies are prevalent, the deterrent provided by Wall of Spears can be invaluable. Its ability to block and potentially destroy attacking creatures gives it a relevance that could shift the balance of a match, particularly in a meta-game that favors combat-centric tactics.

How to Beat Wall of Spears

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Wall of Spears presents itself as a defensive stalwart with its often underestimated first strike ability. Surpassing the card goes beyond brute force. Creatures that can fly or that possess the trample ability naturally evade the piercing wall. Notably, enchantments that grant reach or flying, such as Rancor or Gryff’s Boon, can also be viable to outmaneuver Wall of Spears, providing a swift offensive tactic over its defenses.

Moreover, the act of removal cannot be understated against this artifact creature. Direct destruction spells like Dreadbore or Path to Exile dispatch it without engaging in battle, circumventing its first strike. Alternatively, players might consider tapping into the potent realm of -X/-X spells, like Dismember, to dismantle the spears without confronting its pointy frontline.

To conclude, while Wall of Spears might dominate the ground with defensive prowess, a calculated strategy that involves evasion, enchantment, or elimination provides players with effective methods to bring down this barrier and press the advantage in a game of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wall of Spears MTG card by a specific set like Antiquities and Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border, 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 Wall of Spears and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wall of Spears Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 1994-03-04 and 2010-06-04. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-03-04AntiquitiesATQ 771993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
21995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 3561993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
31995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 3561993NormalWhiteSandra Everingham
41995-08-01RinascimentoRIN 1481993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
51995-08-01RenaissanceREN 1661993NormalBlackSandra Everingham
61997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 4071997NormalWhiteZak Plucinski
72001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 3231997NormalWhiteChristopher Moeller
82001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 323★1997NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
92003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 3202003NormalWhiteChristopher Moeller
102003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 320★2003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
112010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 962003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wall of Spears has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal