Brazen Buccaneers MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Pirate
Abilities Explore,Haste
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Brazen Buccaneers enables card filtering and aggressive tactics upon entering the battlefield.
  2. Strategic considerations are necessary due to its discard cost and specific mana requirements.
  3. Leverages tempo in aggressive strategies and holds potential for intriguing deck combinations.

Text of card

Haste When Brazen Buccaneers enters the battlefield, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Brazen Buccaneers can potentially put you ahead by offering card filtering when it enters the battlefield. This feature enables you to sift through your deck and draw into more impactful cards, setting the stage for a dominant game presence.

Resource Acceleration: When the Brazen Buccaneers hit the battlefield, they bring along the added bonus of hastening your resource pool. This can translate into a quicker deployment of heavy-hitting cards, which may overwhelm your opponent before they can establish a solid defense.

Instant Speed: While the Buccaneers themselves don’t benefit from instant speed, they synergize well with cards that do. They can swiftly swing the momentum in your favor during the combat phase, or after your opponent has committed resources, without needing an opening on your own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging in the tactical play of Brazen Buccaneers often comes at the price of discarding another card. For those moments when your hand is already diminished from a long battle, considering whether to let go of precious resources is a tough call that might not always be worth the payoff.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Brazen Buccaneers requires a detailed mana allocation, specifically demanding red mana. This stipulation can corner you into building around a particular color, potentially stymieing the creative construction of a multi-colored deck that thrives on flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an investment of four mana to bring Brazen Buccaneers to the field, strategic deck builders may hesitate. Alternative cards with lower casting demands might offer similar offensive capabilities or provide utility that can give players an upper hand without such a heavy mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Brazen Buccaneers offers a dual advantage by providing immediate board presence along with the possibility of deck manipulation. Its ability to explore when it hits the battlefield means it can adapt to various game states whether you need another land or prefer to draw into more action.

Combo Potential: The explore mechanic of Brazen Buccaneers synergizes well with cards that care about the top card of your library or require card draw. This allows for clever interactions and the ability to potentially chain plays, enhancing your strategic options during the game.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames that favor aggressive plays and tempo strategies, Brazen Buccaneers fits right in. It can quickly turn the tide of a game, especially where a fast-paced approach is essential to outpace control or combo decks.


How to beat

Brazen Buccaneers, a noteworthy component of pirate themed decks in Magic: The Gathering, presents players with an aggressive creature that can impact the board immediately. Known for their haste ability, these creatures are capable of swinging for damage as soon as they hit the playfield. Their other ability to explore upon entering the battlefield ensures that their presence is felt, potentially drawing you a card or strengthening the Buccaneer itself if a nonland card is revealed.

To effectively counter Brazen Buccaneers, it’s essential to be prepared with removal spells that can be cast at instant speed, or to set up defensive measures preemptively. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile are excellent for dealing with these hasty threats without losing tempo. Alternatively, establishing a board with sturdy blockers can deter an early assault from Brazen Buccaneers. Playing control elements to counteract their early game aggression or using board wipes to reset the battlefield are also effective tactics.

Throughout the duel, remember that timing is crucial in mitigating the impact of Brazen Buccaneers. Being proactive and keeping mana open for responsive plays can be key in outmaneuvering an opponent’s strategy involving this high-impact pirate.


Cards like Brazen Buccaneers

The Brazen Buccaneers in Magic: The Gathering finds its niche within the realm of creature cards that offer both a body on the field and a form of card advantage. This card has a kinship with others like Siren Lookout, which also explores when it enters the battlefield, possibly transforming into a more substantial threat if a card with a nonland type is revealed. However, Siren Lookout has flying, giving it an evasion advantage over ground-based combatants like Brazen Buccaneers.

Another comparable creature is the Storm Fleet Aerialist. Boasting the raid mechanic, it can arrive on the battlefield as a stronger presence if you attacked with a creature on the same turn. Unlike Brazen Buccaneers, the Aerialist provides immediate board impact if the condition is met, although it doesn’t offer the card selection that the exploration mechanic provides.

To sum up, while Brazen Buccaneers may not be the swiftest or the mightiest in its class, its blend of card exploration and potential power increase makes it a versatile choice for decks seeking to maintain card flow while developing their board state.

Siren Lookout - MTG Card versions
Storm Fleet Aerialist - MTG Card versions
Siren Lookout - Ixalan (XLN)
Storm Fleet Aerialist - Ixalan (XLN)

Cards similar to Brazen Buccaneers by color, type and mana cost

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Dragon Whelp - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Keldon Warlord - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Crimson Manticore - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Márton Stromgald - Ice Age (ICE)
Reckless Embermage - Mirage (MIR)
Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
Flowstone Giant - Tempest (TMP)
Rathi Dragon - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Bloodfire Kavu - Apocalypse (APC)
Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug - Unhinged (UNH)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Brazen Buccaneers MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan and Mystery Booster, 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 Brazen Buccaneers and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Brazen Buccaneers Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Joseph Meehan.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29IxalanXLN 1342015normalblackJoseph Meehan
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 8712015normalblackJoseph Meehan
32020-09-26The ListPLST XLN-1342015normalblackJoseph Meehan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Brazen Buccaneers has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-01-19 If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won’t put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger “whenever a creature you control explores” trigger if appropriate.
2018-01-19 If no card is revealed, most likely because that player’s library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
2018-01-19 Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it’s done. Notably, opponents can’t try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.

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