Olivia's Bloodsworn MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 127
2023-03-21 - Number 127
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Vampire Soldier |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Offers commander recast without mana cost, providing significant card advantage and maintaining strategic pressure.
- Accelerates gameplay by saving mana, allowing resource allocation elsewhere for rapid board development.
- Incorporates flying to bypass blockers and add combat unpredictability, enhancing tactical flexibility.
Text of card
Flying Olivia's Bloodsworn can't block. : Target Vampire gains haste until end of turn.
"As we muster for war, I have little patience for lethargy or recalcitrance."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Olivia’s Bloodsworn offers a unique form of card efficiency by allowing you to recast your commander from the command zone without paying its mana cost once each turn. This capability can be a game-changer, as it keeps your key strategies in play and maintains pressure on your opponents without depleting resources from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card is particularly adept at accelerating your game plan, as it provides a cost-effective way to deploy your commander. The ability to save on mana can be crucial, especially in the early to mid-game phases, enabling you to allocate resources to other spells and actions to develop your board presence more quickly.
Instant Speed: The flying ability of Olivia’s Bloodsworn, while not directly linked to instant speed, offers a level of tactical flexibility similar to instant-speed spells. It allows the creature to avoid ground blockers and to be an unexpected aerial threat during any combat phase, keeping your opponents on their toes and often forcing them to leave mana open to deal with potential attacks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of Olivia’s Bloodsworn is the necessity to discard a card, which could backfire when your hand is already stretched thin, offering an added challenge in managing your resources.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost demands both black and red mana, which can be a hindrance in multi-color decks or those that do not support a Rakdos color scheme. This specificity could limit the card’s versatility and integration into varied deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With other creatures and spells in the mana pool that might present a lower cost alternative, the mana investment required for Olivia’s Bloodsworn can be seen as steep for the abilities it provides. This has the potential to slow down your game play, particularly during crucial power-building phases.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Olivia’s Bloodsworn offers flexibility in deck building, excelling in Vampire tribal strategies or any deck that can benefit from its haste-granting ability and evasive flying attribute.
Combo Potential: This creature can be a key piece in synergistic interactions, especially since it can enable other creatures to attack the same turn they’re played, creating sudden shifts in board presence.
Meta-Relevance: With a swift and aggressive playstyle currently influential in the metagame, Olivia’s Bloodsworn can adapt to the pace, making it a contender in various aggressive deck builds.
How to beat
Olivia’s Bloodsworn is an intriguing creature card in MTG that presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. With its ability to give other vampires haste, it can swiftly catch opponents off guard. To counter this card, strategic removals are essential. Cards like Fatal Push and Path to Exile work effectively, offering a timely answer to the Bloodsworn’s haste enabling threat.
Another excellent strategy is to include creatures that can block flying creatures, as Olivia’s Bloodsworn itself has flying. Creatures with reach or those that can gain reach are crucial for creating a defensive barrier against this airborne adversary. Furthermore, keeping enchantments or artifacts that restrict your opponent’s ability to attack or block with vampires can dampen the impact of this card significantly.
Ultimately, success lies in anticipation and preparedness. By maintaining a deck with a balance of removal, defense against flyers, and disruption tools, you’ll ensure that Olivia’s Bloodsworn’s effect on the game is minimized. This level of control keeps you one step ahead, neutralizing the tactical advantages vampires aim to leverage.
Cards like Olivia's Bloodsworn
Olivia’s Bloodsworn offers a unique twist in the realm of flying creatures in MTG. When eyeing its counterparts, it stands in contrast with Sanguine Praetor, which also flies and offers a ping of life loss to opponents. What makes Olivia’s Bloodsworn distinct, though, is its capacity to grant haste to other vampires, setting the stage for a sudden and unexpected onslaught.
Then, there’s Stromkirk Condemned, another vampiric member that plays with the aspect of buffing its kin. While it doesn’t provide flying or haste, its ability to empower other vampires by discarding a card can be formidable in a focused strategy. Comparatively, Olivia’s Bloodsworn edges out with its innate flying ability and the direct similitude to granting haste. Lastly, Falkenrath Gorger comes into play, bringing along the flexibility of bestowing madness on vampires, which could lead to unexpected plays and resource advantages, but it lacks the aerial superiority and haste inducement of Olivia’s Bloodsworn.
In summary, Olivia’s Bloodsworn occupies a strategic niche, offering synergy and swiftness to vampire decks that crave immediate board presence and impact, thus carving its own path amongst its aerially gifted kin in MTG.
Cards similar to Olivia's Bloodsworn by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Olivia's Bloodsworn MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad Remastered, 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 Olivia's Bloodsworn 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 Magic products
Printings
The Olivia's Bloodsworn Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Daarken.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 127 | 2015 | normal | black | Daarken | |
| 2 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 127 | 2015 | normal | black | Daarken |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Olivia's Bloodsworn has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
