War Barge MTG Card

The Dark (DRK)
1994-08-01 - Number 115

War Barge - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
2006-10-06 - Number 116

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact

Key Takeaways

War Barge offers instant speed utility, letting you dictate combat dynamics and surprise opponents.
It demands strategic resource allocation due to its specific mana and upkeep costs.
The card’s unique islandwalk granting ability can decisively shape battlefield engagements.

Text of card

o3: Target creature gains islandwalk until end of turn. If War Barge leaves play this turn, target creature is buried.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While War Barge may not directly enable you to draw cards, its ability to turn any creature into a potent threat or blocker can shift card advantage in your favor by forcing unfavorable trades for your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Even though War Barge doesn’t produce additional mana or tokens, its reusable nature provides sustained utility, allowing you to effectively use your resources every turn without needing additional card investment.

Instant Speed: The beauty of War Barge lies in its activated ability that can be used at instant speed, providing strategic flexibility during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn to surprise them and alter the state of the battlefield on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The War Barge demands high deck synergy to be effective and often requires discarding another card to maximize its potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Utilizing War Barge effectively requires paying its blue mana cost, restricting it primarily to blue-centric or multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a three mana investment just to get War Barge on the board, and then additional mana to activate its ability, this card may consume valuable mana resources that could be used for other game-changing spells.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: War Barge offers the ability to turn any creature into an islandwalker, which means it can be included in decks that aim to be unblockable or focus on land-type manipulation.

Combo Potential: With the right synergies, War Barge can be a key piece in combinations that take advantage of creatures being able to avoid blockers or to be paired with cards that punish islandwalk abilities for strategic benefits.

Meta-Relevance: War Barge may find a place in your collection if you’re facing a meta with a significant number of decks running islands. The ability to continuously make your creatures unblockable by island-based decks could give you a distinct advantage in such environments.

How to beat War Barge

War Barge has seen its presence in the MTG world, notably with its ability to grant any creature you control the power to block or be blocked by Islands until end of turn. Though it sounds like a tactical advantage, players have developed strategies to turn the tides against this artifact’s influence. Control decks can effectively manage War Barge by using enchantment and artifact removal spells, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, dismantling the Barge before its ability can be activated.

Aggressive strategies can also overwhelm War Barge users. By ramping up the pressure with a swarming board state, it demands an answer or renders the Barge’s ability irrelevant. Furthermore, cards that grant your creatures protection from artifacts or blue spells negate War Barge’s power, circumventing its utility entirely. Similarly, leveraging creatures with “can’t be blocked” abilities can sidestep War Barge’s effects, keeping you firmly in the lead.

Utilizing these tactics makes it clear that while War Barge can be a tool for niche scenarios, its impact is manageable, thus ensuring your deck maintains the upper hand throughout your MTG engagements.

Cards like War Barge

The War Barge is an intriguing artifact card in Magic: The Gathering with a unique ability to enable creatures to become swimmers, granting them the power of temporary islandwalk. This feature mirrors that of the older card Ghost Ship, which naturally possesses islandwalk. However, War Barge differs by bestowing this ability on other creatures and not being a creature itself.

Looking at its relatives in the game, we can compare War Barge to the likes of Aether Tunnel, which grants a permanent touch of unblockability as long as the enchanted creature remains on the field. War Barge, though more flexible, requires continuous mana investment each turn to maintain the effect. Another considerable comparison is with Glaring Spotlight, which also breaks the usual combat barriers but in a different fashion, by rendering creatures unblockable for a pivotal turn.

Analyzing the mechanics of combat and evasion in Magic: The Gathering, War Barge finds a spot among the select options for granting otherwise land-tethered creatures the ability to evade specific blockers, embracing tactical surprises that redefine battlefield encounters.

Cards similar to War Barge by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase War Barge MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 War Barge and other MTG cards: