Blade of the Bloodchief MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Key Takeaways

  1. Blade of the Bloodchief excels in decks with frequent creature death, bolstering your forces substantially.
  2. Its instant-speed trigger and cost-efficiency can substantially impact the tempo and outcome of games.
  3. Despite cons, the Blade’s versatility and combo potential make it a worthy addition to any collection.

Text of card

Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature. If equipped creature is a Vampire, put two +1/+1 counters on it instead. Equip


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Blade of the Bloodchief provides a persistent edge by bolstering your creatures upon the demise of any other. This incremental buildup is pivotal in outpacing opponents and sustaining board control, effectively transforming each death into a tangible advantage for your strategy.

Resource Acceleration: This artifact boosts your creatures’ power and toughness at no additional cost whenever a creature dies. This ability is akin to resource acceleration as it enhances your board state without expending extra cards or mana, leading to a significant snowball effect as the game advances.

Instant Speed: The triggered ability of Blade of the Bloodchief activates at instant speed, providing flexibility in timing. You can exploit the deaths of creatures on your own terms or during an opponent’s turn, offering a layer of unpredictability and strategic depth during gameplay encounters.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While equipping Blade of the Bloodchief gives an edge by strengthening your creature, it necessitates discarding another creature upon activation. This can be detrimental in gameplay situations where your hand is almost depleted or when holding onto every creature is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Although only requiring one black mana, integrating Blade of the Bloodchief into a multi-colored deck can be cumbersome. It demands mana coloring, which at times could impinge on a deck’s versatility or delay its activation in crucial moments during play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its beneficial effect that buffs creatures incrementally, Blade of the Bloodchief’s initial casting cost, coupled with the need for a creature to be sacrificed, can be relatively steep when compared to other equipment cards. Swifter strategies might be hindered by this, obligating players to tailor their deck construction and strategy around the card’s specific requirements.


Reasons to Include Blade of the Bloodchief in Your Collection

Versatility: Blade of the Bloodchief isn’t limited to vampire-themed decks. Its ability to strengthen creatures whenever another creature dies makes it a powerful addition across a variety of strategies, particularly in decks where creature sacrifice is common.

Combo Potential: This card is a linchpin in combinations that capitalize on creature death triggers. Paired with sacrifice outlets and cards that generate tokens, Blade of the Bloodchief rapidly transforms modest creatures into formidable threats.

Meta-Relevance: With the persistent presence of creature-centric decks in the meta, having the Blade in your arsenal gives you an edge. As creatures fall in battle, this equipment ensures your surviving force grows stronger with each clash.


How to Beat Blade of the Bloodchief

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Blade of the Bloodchief stands out as a powerful equipment card, known for turning any creature it’s attached to into a growing threat. The key to overcoming the card lies in preemptive action and efficient removal. First, it’s essential to watch for creatures that thrive on counters, such as vampires or those in +1/+1 counter decks. Nipping the equipped creature in the bud before counters accumulate is crucial.

Artifact destruction spells are vital tools for dismantling your opponent’s strategy involving Blade of the Bloodchief. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant can remove the Blade directly, halting its ability to bolster creatures. Targeted removals for creatures, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, are preferred to prevent the opponent from transferring the Blade to a new creature. Additionally, counter spells that disrupt the casting of both creatures and artifacts, like Mana Leak or Counterspell, can be just the trick to stifle your opponent’s momentum and keep the battlefield in your favor.

In all, a strategy that combines removing creatures early and keeping Blade of the Bloodchief out of play through artifact interaction and counterspells is your best bet to ensure each swing of your opponent’s blade isn’t a cut deeper into your victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you venture deeper into the MTG fray, Blade of the Bloodchief stands out as an exceptional piece of equipment capable of turning the tide of battle. It’s clear that this artifact can be integral for decks built around creature sacrifice and synergizes well with numerous strategies. However, a keen understanding of the card’s pros and cons is essential to wielding its power effectively. Whether you’re honing an aggressive vampire deck or concocting new strategies that feed off creature deaths, Blade of the Bloodchief has the potential to be your secret weapon. Curious to discover how to make the most of this potent card, optimize your gameplay, and find inventive card synergies? Dive into our strategic insights and let’s enhance your deck together.


Cards like Blade of the Bloodchief

In the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, the Blade of the Bloodchief is a unique artifact that thrives in decks centered around vampires or creatures dying. It’s often compared to artifact equipment such as Skullclamp, which also capitalizes on the death of creatures, providing a card draw engine. Skullclamp offers a direct advantage in terms of card economy, but lacks the stacking permanent power boost that the Blade of the Bloodchief provides to a single creature.

Equally, Umezawa’s Jitte is a piece that has seen play due to its versatility and incremental power boosts or life-draining abilities after combat damage is dealt. However, where the Jitte offers multiple utility options, Blade of the Bloodchief offers raw, unbounded growth for a potential single-game-ending threat. Another related card is the Bloodthirsty Blade, which, although not increasing power directly, can manipulate and control adversaries’ battle decisions, definitely an alternative route for the strategist preferring control over accruement of power.

Conclusively, while other artifacts may offer card advantage or various combat tricks, Blade of the Bloodchief’s specific role in enhancing creature capability is unparalleled, particularly in strategies where sacrificing or the death of creatures is a frequent occurrence. This makes it a formidable and niche piece in such MTG deck builds.

Skullclamp - MTG Card versions
Umezawa's Jitte - MTG Card versions
Bloodthirsty Blade - MTG Card versions
Skullclamp - Darksteel (DST)
Umezawa's Jitte - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Bloodthirsty Blade - Commander 2019 (C19)

Cards similar to Blade of the Bloodchief by color, type and mana cost

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Glasses of Urza - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Wooden Sphere - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Sol Ring - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
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Library of Leng - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Black Vise - Revised Edition (3ED)
Urza's Chalice - Masters Edition (ME1)
Ivory Cup - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Brass Man - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Mana Vault - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Soul Net - Fifth Edition (5ED)
The Rack - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Helm of Chatzuk - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Obelisk of Undoing - Rinascimento (RIN)
Feldon's Cane - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Throne of Bone - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Meekstone - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Crystal Rod - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Thran Foundry - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Cursed Scroll - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Blade of the Bloodchief MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar 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 Blade of the Bloodchief and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Blade of the Bloodchief Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Jung Park.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 1962003normalblackJung Park
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2042015normalblackJung Park
32023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3002015normalblackJung Park

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Blade of the Bloodchief has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2009-10-01 Blade of the Bloodchief's ability triggers regardless of who controlled the creature and whose graveyard it was put into.
2009-10-01 If Blade of the Bloodchief leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the counters are put on the creature it was attached to at the time it left the battlefield. If it wasn't attached to a creature at that time, nothing gets the counters.
2009-10-01 If the equipped creature and another creature are dealt lethal damage at the same time, the equipped creature will be put into a graveyard before it would receive any counters.
2009-10-01 If the equipped creature itself is put into a graveyard, Blade of the Bloodchief's ability will trigger. However, it won't do anything when it resolves unless a spell or ability has caused it to become attached to another creature by that time. (Remember that you may activate an equip ability only as a sorcery.)
2009-10-01 The +1/+1 counters are put on the equipped creature, not Blade of the Bloodchief. If Blade of the Bloodchief is moved to a different creature, the +1/+1 counters will stay where they are.
2009-10-01 The creature that gets the counters is the one that's equipped by Blade of the Bloodchief at the time the ability resolves. It doesn't matter what creature Blade of the Bloodchief was attached to (if any) when it triggered.

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