Esper Battlemage MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Human Wizard
Released	2008-10-03
Set symbol
Set name	Shards of Alara
Set code	ALA
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	40
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matt Cavotta

Key Takeaways

Esper Battlemage offers card advantage, resource acceleration, and flexible instant-speed abilities to control the game flow.
Despite its strengths, discarding, specific mana costs, and high investment can limit its playability in some situations.
The card’s versatility, combo potential, and meta-relevance make it a worthy addition to various MTG deck strategies.

Text of card

, : Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to you this turn. , : Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

She can heal the flesh, or exploit its many weaknesses.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Esper Battlemage is adept at controlling the flow of the game, often providing pivotal card draw that can sway momentum in your favor. With abilities that could potentially generate card advantage, it’s a strategic addition to any deck looking to outmaneuver opponents.

Resource Acceleration: This versatile Battlemage can ramp up your available resources significantly. It allows you to deploy more spells or creatures faster than usual by potentially streamlining your mana curve. This acceleration can be the difference between an average turn and a game-changing one.

Instant Speed: The instant-speed abilities of the Esper Battlemage give you flexibility to react within the intricacies of MTG gameplay. This adaptability on the battlefield allows for clever plays and strategic counters to your opponent’s actions – all while keeping your strategies hidden until the most opportune moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Esper Battlemage, while versatile, poses a challenge with its discard mechanics. The need to discard a card can deplete your hand, particularly in situations where maintaining card advantage is crucial. This drawback can hamper the card’s effectiveness in the late game when each card in hand is vital.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost is a tri-color mana requirement, which can be tricky to manage, especially in the early game. This makes the card less flexible and often restricts it to specific three-color decks that can reliably produce white, blue, and black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three specific mana, the Esper Battlemage can be a significant investment. There are alternatives in the card pool that might serve similar functions or integrate better with certain strategies for less mana, making them more tempting options for deck builders.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Esper Battlemage is an excellent fit for a wide range of decks, embodying the control and utility that Esper colors are known for. It can serve different roles depending on your game strategy and board state.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with a multitude of other spells and abilities, unlocking powerful interactions within artifact-centric or spell-heavy decks, enhancing its overall utility on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often cycles through control and midrange decks, Esper Battlemage holds its ground by offering both proactive and reactive play options, thus maintaining its importance in various deck compositions.

How to beat

Esper Battlemage is an intriguing hybrid card that brings versatility to the table. Its ability to lend control through tapping potential threats or providing life stabilization by gaining life can be a thorn in your side. To tackle this multi-faceted mage, strategic removal is key. Cards like Fatal Push and Path to Exile are efficient tools for taking it off the board before its abilities start to impact the game significantly.

Direct damage spells that can bypass its tapping feature like Lightning Bolt or Shock can also be essential in your arsenal as they offer immediate answers to remove the battlemage from play. Additionally, employing counterspells such as Dovin’s Veto or Negate when your opponent casts Esper Battlemage ensures that its troublesome abilities never get a chance to affect the battlefield. Keeping the pressure with a steady pace of threats can also exhaust your opponent’s resources, making it difficult for them to successfully protect and utilize their Esper Battlemage to its full potential.

The key is to remain proactive and responsive. By understanding the pivotal moment when Esper Battlemage is about to pivot the game, you can preemptively remove it and maintain the upper hand in your duel.

Cards like Esper Battlemage

Esper Battlemage is a unique figure in the tapestry of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It holds a resemblance to other three-color creatures like Sedraxis Specter, as both share the shard of Esper and possess multicolored identities. However, Esper Battlemage benefits from its versatility in abilities that can either shield itself or deal direct damage, giving it a tactical edge in various situations.

In the realm of mana cost and color schemes, we draw parallels to Bant Battlemage. Where Bant Battlemage excels in the green mechanic, offering trample or tapping an opponent’s creature, Esper Battlemage instead provides flexibility in blue and black that allows for protection and disruption. Strikingly similar yet divergent in strategic use.

Another noteworthy comparison is with Grixis Battlemage. While it shares the Battlemage moniker and casts for the same mana cost, the Grixis version focuses on card draw and graveyard manipulation, supporting a different style of play. Eighter ability of Esper Battlemage stands out for its immediate board impact and adaptable nature.

Understanding the attributes of Esper Battlemage relative to its contemporaries reveals the nuanced advantages it offers in the ever-evolving game of Magic: The Gathering, particularly for players who prize strategic flexibility and control.

Cards similar to Esper Battlemage by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Esper Battlemage MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Esper Battlemage and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Esper Battlemage has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	The only difference between a colored artifact and a colorless artifact is, obviously, its color. Unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact requires colored mana to cast. Also unlike most artifacts, a colored artifact has a color in all zones. It will interact with cards that care about color. Other than that, a colored artifact behaves just like any other artifact. It will interact as normal with any card that cares about artifacts, such as Shatter or Arcbound Ravager.