Jade Bearer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Shaman |
| Released | 2018-01-19 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Rivals of Ixalan |
| Set code | RIX |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 134 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alex Konstad |
Key Takeaways
- Jade Bearer excels in increasing board strength without additional card costs, ideal for Merfolk strategies.
- Instantaneous counter placement allows rapid strategy advancement and synergy with instant-speed plays.
- Requires another Merfolk for full potential, facing challenges in non-tribal or creature-light situations.
Text of card
When Jade Bearer enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on another target Merfolk you control.
"Sisora wore this, who defeated the tyrant of Azcanta, and before her Natena of Vuhana's band. May it bring you their strength."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Jade Bearer can place a +1/+1 counter on another Merfolk you control, subtly boosting your board presence without losing card resources. This can tilt the odds in favor of winning skirmishes and pressuring opponents.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Jade Bearer enhances creatures that may have resource acceleration abilities. A stronger board with amplified Merfolk can lead to an increased efficiency in your gameplay.
Instant Speed: Though Jade Bearer itself is not an instant, its enters the battlefield effect is immediate, granting you the ability to develop your strategy without delay. Additionally, it can complement other instant-speed interactions, aligning with the rapid pace of competitive MTG play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Jade Bearer doesn’t require you to discard directly, it necessitates having another Merfolk creature on the battlefield to pair with its ability. This can be a setback in games where you have no other creatures on the board or if your Merfolk have been wiped out, effectively nullifying its potential.
Specific Mana Cost: Jade Bearer requires green mana for casting. This can limit deck-building options as it fits primarily into green or green-inclusive decks, potentially excluding it from a wide variety of other builds that cannot accommodate green mana or have no synergy with the Merfolk tribe.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its effect of placing a +1/+1 counter, Jade Bearer has a relatively high mana cost considering its low stats of 1/1. In the current meta, there are creatures with similar or better abilities and stats that could be cast for the same cost or even less, offering more value and versatility on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include Jade Bearer in Your Collection
Versatility: Jade Bearer offers an adaptable role in any deck that leverages +1/+1 counters, serving as an excellent inclusion in Merfolk tribal builds or counter-centric strategies.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability to distribute additional counters makes it a good companion with proliferate mechanics or with cards that trigger upon counters being placed, unlocking powerful synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta environment that favors aggressive or creature-based strategies, Jade Bearer can bolster your board presence early on, proving useful for overrunning opponents with enhanced creatures.
How to beat Jade Bearer
Jade Bearer stands out in the pool of one-drop creatures in Magic the Gathering for its unique ability to bolster other creatures upon entering the battlefield. By placing a +1/+1 counter on another Merfolk you control, it plays a pivotal role in strengthening your aquatic army early in the game. This card finds its natural habitat in decks that focus on Merfolk synergies, known for their cumulative power as they swarm the board.
When facing a Jade Bearer, timing is everything. The key is to disrupt the synergy it provides to the Merfolk lineup. Removing the creature before the counter is placed can invalidate its impact. Utilizing instant-speed removal or counter spells can prevent your opponent from establishing a formidable board presence. Additionally, sweepers or cards that can deal damage to multiple creatures at once are effective at keeping Merfolk populations in check, reducing the overall threat the Jade Bearer poses.
It’s crucial to prioritize the control of the board state with strategic removal and counterplay. By preventing the Jade Bearer from empowering other Merfolk, you can maintain a balance and prevent your opponent from snowballing to victory. Consider your removal options wisely and act swiftly to mitigate the power of Jade Bearer in competitive play.
Cards like Jade Bearer
Jade Bearer stands out as an interesting choice within the lineup of one-drop creatures available in MTG. A part of the Merfolk tribe, this card has a kinship with cards like Kumena’s Speaker, which also provides value in creature-heavy Merfolk decks. However, Jade Bearer offers a unique ability to place a +1/+1 counter on another Merfolk you control. This sets it apart from Kumena’s Speaker, which gains strength only from the tribal synergy itself.
Beyond Merfolk, Jade Bearer can be paralleled with cards like Grateful Apparition, a creature that proliferates each time it deals combat damage. While Grateful Apparition isn’t tribal-specific, it requires a board presence to grow other creatures or permanents. In contrast, Jade Bearer’s impact is immediate, albeit to a single creature and within the tribal framework. Then there’s Mist-Cloaked Herald, which doesn’t bolster other creatures but offers inherent unblockability, providing a different type of value for aggressive strategies.
Careful evaluation reveals Jade Bearer’s unique niche in MTG. Its ability to instantly strengthen a fellow Merfolk meshes well in strategies intent on quickly establishing a threatening board presence. It’s this distinctive synergy within its tribe that elevates Jade Bearer among similar one-drop creatures in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Jade Bearer MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Jade Bearer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Jade Bearer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
