Battlewise Valor MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Scry
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Number	1
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Zack Stella

Key Takeaways

Battlewise Valor provides surprise combat advantages and helps maintain board presence efficiently.
Limited to white mana decks and reliant on having creatures and spells to trigger Heroic.
Despite having alternatives, it offers a unique blend of power increase and scrying.

Text of card

Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)

It's never good to walk into an ambush, but with the right spell you might walk out again.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Battlewise Valor might not directly allow players to draw cards, it can effectively act as a type of advantage by making a creature harder to remove. By boosting a creature’s power and toughness for critical combat scenarios, this card can help to maintain creature presence on the board, essentially saving resources.

Resource Acceleration: Battlewise Valor provides a subtle form of resource acceleration in terms of combat efficiency. Its ability to give a creature a quick buff can be the difference between losing a creature and preserving it for continued attacks or defense, thus accelerating your board state without expending additional cards.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Battlewise Valor allows for versatile gameplay. Players can wait until the last possible moment to play the card, either during combat on their own turn to surprise an opponent or on an opponent’s turn in response to attacks or spells that would otherwise be detrimental to their creatures.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a particular white mana to cast, Battlewise Valor can’t be effortlessly slotted into multicolor decks that might not have consistent access to white mana sources. This limits its versatility when deck building.

Discard Requirement: While Battlewise Valor doesn’t directly require a discard, its ability to be most effective is dependent on a player having a creature to target and potentially other spells to trigger Heroic; otherwise, it may end up as a redundant card in your hand.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana for a one-time boost of +2/+2 and Scry 1, some players may find that there are alternative cards that provide more impactful or long-lasting effects for the same or lower mana investment. This can often lead to it being overlooked in favor of options that provide greater value or have lower mana requirements.

Reasons to Include Battlewise Valor in Your Collection

Versatility: Battlewise Valor offers a boost in power and toughness with instant speed, allowing for flexibility in both offensive and defensive maneuvers. This makes it a suitable addition to a variety of decks focusing on creature-based strategies.

Combo Potential: The scry ability of Battlewise Valor can help set up your next draw, linking seamlessly with cards that benefit from or trigger based on scrying actions. It’s a modest yet effective way to enhance your deck’s synergy.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that values combat tricks and tempo plays, Battlewise Valor can be an unforeseen game-changer. It’s particularly relevant in environments where maintaining board presence and swingy combat phases are key to victory.

How to beat

Battlewise Valor is a common but strategically pivotal instant card that can swing the tide of battle in Magic: The Gathering. Often found bolstering creatures in White Weenie or Heroic decks, Battlewise Valor provides a surprise element by giving a creature +2/+2 and the latent power of scrying 1, enabling players to set up their next draw. To counter Battlewise Valor, a savvy player must be prepared to thwart sudden increases in power and toughness during combat.

Timing is everything. The use of instant-speed removal spells or those that negate an opponent’s actions can dismantle their strategy. One could cast spells like Doom Blade or negate effects directly with Counterspell to preemptively remove the threatening creature or disrupt the casting of Battlewise Valor altogether. Additionally, maintaining board control with regular creature sweeps like Day of Judgment can keep the opponent’s creature count low, making cards like Battlewise Valor less impactful.

Understanding the nuances of instant timing and maintaining responses is key to undermining this card’s potential. Through adept play and strategic foresight, Battlewise Valor can be effectively managed, ensuring it doesn’t tilt the combat phase heavily in your opponent’s favor.

Cards like Battlewise Valor

Battlewise Valor is a solid choice for players looking to bolster their creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its main appeal lies in giving a creature +2/+2 until the end of the turn and allowing for a scry 1, which can provide a pivotal advantage during combat. It shares some common ground with cards like Giant Growth, which offers a more significant power boost of +3/+3 but lacks the scry ability that could help shape future draws.

Comparatively, Gods Willing serves a similar role by providing protection from a color of your choice and also permits a scry 1; however, it doesn’t enhance the creature’s power and toughness. This can make a significant difference in battle outcomes, where the additional power and toughness provided by Battlewise Valor can turn the tide. Another card worth mentioning is Titan’s Strength which grants a heftier +3/+1, aligning more with aggressive playstyles, and it also includes the scry 1 feature, striking a balance between the immediate impact on the board and long-term strategy.

Ultimate verdict? Battlewise Valor carves out its niche in the MTG card pool by offering a unique blend of combat trickery and strategic foresight, making it a card that shines brightly in the right deck and situation.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Battlewise Valor MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Battlewise Valor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Battlewise Valor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-15	Scry appears on some spells and abilities with one or more targets. If all of the spell or ability's targets are illegal when it tries to resolve, it won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't scry.
2013-09-15	When you scry, you may put all the cards you look at back on top of your library, you may put all of those cards on the bottom of your library, or you may put some of those cards on top and the rest of them on the bottom.
2013-09-15	You choose how to order cards returned to your library after scrying no matter where you put them.
2013-09-15	You perform the actions stated on a card in sequence. For some spells and abilities, that means you'll scry last. For others, that means you'll scry and then perform other actions.