Veteran's Sidearm MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip
Released	2015-07-17
Set symbol
Set name	Magic Origins
Set code	ORI
Number	242
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Aaron Miller

Key Takeaways

Equipping at instant speed enables dynamic combat plays, making Veteran’s Sidearm a strategic asset on the battlefield.
The low equip cost allows efficient mana use, favoring strategic board development and resource management.
Despite not boosting card draw, repeatedly equipping can maintain board presence, indirectly offering card advantage.

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +1/+1. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

"I've broken three swords, eighteen lances, and countless shields, but this little blade has survived every battle, just like I have."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Veteran’s Sidearm is an equipment card that can effectively turn any creature into a more significant threat. While it doesn’t draw you cards directly, equipping different creatures repeatedly can help you maintain board presence, which is a form of advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While this card won’t ramp your mana like some artifacts, the low equip cost allows for efficient use of resources. This means you can develop your board and still have mana available to equip Veteran’s Sidearm, enhancing your creature’s power and toughness without a substantial mana investment.

Instant Speed: The ability to attach the Veteran’s Sidearm at instant speed adds an element of surprise and tactical depth to your game. You can respond to combat or other spells by equipping a creature with this artifact, potentially altering the course of battle in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Veteran’s Sidearm lacks an upfront discard cost, but it can inadvertently lead to card disadvantage. Equipping it requires you to potentially take a valuable card out of action, which is akin to a discard when considering your overall board development.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana required to cast and equip Veteran’s Sidearm is colorless, which is versatile but can be a downside. This is because its inclusion in a mana base could be better allocated towards cards providing more significant board impact. This is particularly noticeable in decks striving for mana efficiency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not exorbitant, the mana cost for both casting and equipping this artifact may present a tempo setback. In a game where players are always looking for the quickest way to gain advantage, allocating two mana to cast and another two to equip, for a relatively minor boost in power and toughness, might not be the most cost-efficient move, especially in faster-paced games or decks with more synergistic equipment options.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Veteran’s Sidearm is a card that can seamlessly fit into a variety of deck types. Its ability to provide a minor buff to creatures makes it a suitable addition for both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: The boost in power and toughness offered by Veteran’s Sidearm can be critical for enabling a range of combos, particularly in decks that revolve around creature synergy and combat tricks. Equip it to creatures that thrive on being more formidable in battle.

Meta-Relevance: While the meta constantly evolves, equipment cards like Veteran’s Sidearm hold consistent value. They can often turn the tide of battle in a meta where creature-based combat is prevalent, giving even the humblest of creatures a much-needed edge.

How to Beat Veteran’s Sidearm

Veteran’s Sidearm is a quaint yet potent equipment card that sees play in certain Magic: The Gathering decks. Its low cost to play and equip makes it an accessible tool for creatures to gain a little extra power and toughness. When you’re facing an opponent using Veteran’s Sidearm, the strategy to overcome this card revolves around managing the creatures it equips.

Effective removal spells are key. Cards that allow you to deal with an equipped creature before it becomes a larger threat are paramount. Sorcery speed removals like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat can dispatch a creature before the Sidearm’s benefits come into effect, especially if they’re used in response to the equip action. Alternatively, instant-speed interaction can handle the creature in the middle of combat, negating any advantage the Sidearm provides.

Furthermore, artifact removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can eliminate the Sidearm directly from the battlefield. This is particularly useful if you anticipate your opponent may have more creatures to which they could attach the equipment. Minimizing the options for your opponent’s creature enhancements is a surefire way to maintain control and effectively counter the tactical edge provided by Veteran’s Sidearm.

Cards like Veteran's Sidearm

The allure of Veteran’s Sidearm lies in its ability to equip a creature with a modest boost in power and toughness. Within Magic: The Gathering, it shares similarities with other equipment cards like Bonesplitter, a classic choice that provides a greater power enhancement for the same equip cost. Unlike Bonesplitter’s singular focus on increasing attack capability, Veteran’s Sidearm balances the creature’s offense and defense, albeit with a lower power bump.

Another comparable option is Short Sword, which, like the Sidearm, offers an increase to both power and toughness. However, Short Sword’s equip cost is lower, making it a faster play. Yet, it doesn’t match the potential synergy that Veteran’s Sidearm has with warrior decks, where an additional tribal link can be exploited for strategic benefits. Leonin Scimitar enters the scene as an alternative, mirroring the cost and buffs of Short Sword but lacks the tribal interactions presented by the Sidearm.

Overall, while many equipment cards exist in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Veteran’s Sidearm finds its niche by providing a balanced power and toughness boost and resonating especially well with warrior-type creatures, making it a nuanced choice for players looking to enhance their combat dynamics.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Veteran's Sidearm MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins, 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 Veteran's Sidearm and other MTG cards: