Pheres-Band Brawler MTG Card

Pheres-Band Brawler - Theros Beyond Death

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Centaur Warrior
Abilities	Fight
Released	2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set name	Theros Beyond Death
Set code	THB
Power	4
Toughness	4
Number	193
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	John Stanko

Key Takeaways

The Brawler offers card advantage by removing a creature while maintaining board presence.
It complements green ramp decks, exploiting fast mana to play bigger creatures earlier.
Flashing the Brawler disrupts opponents by unexpectedly fighting during their turn.

Text of card

When Pheres-Band Brawler enters the battlefield, it fights up to one target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pheres-Band Brawler has the potential to remove an opposing creature upon entering the battlefield, effectively handling a threat and maintaining your board presence. This two-for-one scenario offers an inherent card advantage, as you deploy a creature while dealing with an adversary’s without additional spells or resources.

Resource Acceleration: As a green card, Pheres-Band Brawler aligns well with decks that ramp up mana. While it doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it benefits greatly from decks designed to put large creatures into play quickly. These decks accelerate your mana, enabling you to cast the Brawler earlier and start swinging the game in your favor.

Instant Speed: Despite not being an instant itself, the Brawler is compatible with other cards that can flash it onto the battlefield, tapping or fighting another creature when your opponents least expect it. This unexpected play can mimic the advantages of casting at instant speed, catching opponents off guard and disrupting their strategy during their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pheres-Band Brawler’s abilities might necessitate discarding cards or other specific actions that can be detrimental when you’re running low on hand options. This can set you back if you’re not prepared to lose resources.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that includes green mana, players using multicolored decks may find integrating Pheres-Band Brawler challenging. It demands a commitment to green mana-producing lands or sources, which may not suit all strategies or deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Playing Pheres-Band Brawler comes at a higher mana cost, which might not align with the tempo of faster-paced decks. In games where the outcome can be decided by quick shifts and rapid plays, having cards with lower mana requirements could provide a crucial advantage over this powerful yet more expensive option.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pheres-Band Brawler fits seamlessly into green decks that harness creatures’ power. Its ability to fight another target creature upon entering the battlefield makes it a robust choice for control and midrange decks alike, allowing for strategic removal of threats.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that increase creature power or provide indestructibility, Pheres-Band Brawler can be a key player in creating favorable board states. It’s a natural fit in decks built around fight mechanics or those aiming to exploit enters-the-battlefield triggers.

Meta-Relevance: Given its solid stats and immediate board impact, Pheres-Band Brawler remains a relevant choice, particularly in metagames with creature-heavy decks. It provides an immediate answer to opponents’ threats while establishing a presence on the board.

How to Beat

Pheres-Band Brawler is an intriguing Magic: The Gathering card that adds muscle to green decks with its fight mechanic. This formidable six-mana creature can take down an enemy creature as soon as it enters the battlefield, making it a clear choice in green-based creature-centric strategies. To overcome this brawler, timing and creature selection are essential.

One effective tactic is to keep instant-speed removal in hand. Cards like Murder or Path to Exile can be cast in response to the brawler’s fight trigger, ensuring the creature it targets will survive. Board wipes also serve as a reliable counter, clearing the brawler away before it can become a recurring threat. Moreover, utilizing creatures with indestructible or those that leave behind value after being fought, such as afterlife or token-generating creatures, can minimize the brawler’s impact.

In sum, while Pheres-Band Brawler poses a considerable challenge, it can be managed with careful planning and the right cards. Maintaining a mix of removal and resilient creatures can neutralize its threat and keep you in control of the match.

Cards like Pheres-Band Brawler

Pheres-Band Brawler brings a unique dynamic to creature combat within MTG. This card echoes the fighting spirit seen in other creatures like Thrashing Brontodon. Both are formidable combatants with the ability to take down key threats. Yet, Pheres-Band Brawler distinguishes itself by allowing you to choose a creature to fight upon entering the battlefield, providing immediate board impact.

Another related force is the Nessian Hornbeetle, which, like Pheres-Band Brawler, thrives off the battlefield’s challenges. The Hornbeetle, however, gains strength incrementally through its ability to grow as you control stronger creatures. In contrast, Pheres-Band Brawler is about instant engagement and confrontation. Dromoka’s Command also offers a fighting aspect but within an instant-speed versatile package allowing for more reactive play and additional choices, unlike the Brawler’s straightforward fighting approach.

Assessing Pheres-Band Brawler alongside its fighting counterparts, we see its ability to immediately alter the state of the game. It might not have the versatility of an instant or the growth potential of other creatures, but its vigor in combat makes it a solid choice for players looking to exert dominance through creature interactions.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pheres-Band Brawler MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Pheres-Band Brawler and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pheres-Band Brawler 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
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2020-01-24	If the target creature is an illegal target when Pheres-Band Brawler’s ability tries to resolve, the ability doesn’t resolve. If Pheres-Band Brawler is no longer on the battlefield, the target creature won’t deal or be dealt damage.