Aura Barbs MTG Card


Aura Barbs offers a multi-target damage ability, effective against enchantment reliant opponents. Instant speed allows surprise plays, disrupts foes, and optimises card impact. Despite its utility, it requires careful deck construction to mitigate its cons.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant — Arcane

Text of card

Each enchantment deals 2 damage to its controller, then each enchantment enchanting a creature deals 2 damage to the creature it's enchanting.


Cards like Aura Barbs

Aura Barbs presents an intriguing dynamic within the Magic: The Gathering arsenal, particularly when you look at essence lashers like Harsh Sustenance. While Harsh Sustenance inflicts damage based on the number of creatures you control, Aura Barbs hinges on the enchantments in play, targeting both your opponent and their creatures with its piercing ability when enchantments become affixed to them.

Another parallel can be drawn with cards like Aura Flux, which manipulates enchantments by increasing their upkeep cost, putting a strain on your opponent’s resources. Aura Barbs bypasses economic warfare for direct damage. Similarly, there’s Leave No Trace, a swift response to enchantment clusters that wipes out all auras of the same color. Aura Barbs, though tactical in a different manner, can potentially deliver a more devastating blow in a single strike, depending on the volume of auras in play.

Within the realm of MTG, these card similarities help distinguish when and where Aura Barbs could shine. Instead of passive control or targeted removal, Aura Barbs offers a unique repercussion to enchantment-heavy opponents, turning their own strategies into painful counters. This underscores the card’s place as a tactical option for those constructing decks aimed at enchantment-punishing themes.

Harsh Sustenance - MTG Card versions
Aura Flux - MTG Card versions
Leave No Trace - MTG Card versions
Harsh Sustenance - MTG Card versions
Aura Flux - MTG Card versions
Leave No Trace - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Aura Barbs by color, type and mana cost

Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
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Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Staggershock - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions
Rally the Forces - MTG Card versions
Brimstone Volley - MTG Card versions
Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
Turf Wound - MTG Card versions
Char - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Staggershock - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions
Rally the Forces - MTG Card versions
Brimstone Volley - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aura Barbs delivers a unique advantage by potentially dealing damage to multiple creatures and players simultaneously. This can result in a swing in momentum by disrupting opponent strategies that rely heavily on enchantments, particularly auras.

Resource Acceleration: While Aura Barbs itself doesn’t directly provide mana or resources, the potential elimination of opponent’s creatures and auras can indirectly accelerate your board presence, leaving more room for your spells and creatures to dominate the field.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Aura Barbs at instant speed is a significant tactical boon. It allows you to wait until the most opportunistic moment, such as in response to an opponent enchanting a creature or before damage is dealt, providing a surprise element and maximizing the potential impact of the card.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Aura Barbs necessitates you to sacrifice an enchantment, which can be a setback if your strategy relies heavily on such permanents or your board presence is minimal.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both white and red mana, restricting its seamless integration into multicolored decks unless you have a well-tuned mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of three mana, including one white and one red, the resources invested into casting Aura Barbs could potentially be directed towards more impactful and versatile spells within the same mana range.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aura Barbs offers a unique interaction with auras which can complement various deck archetypes, especially those looking to disrupt enchantment-heavy opponents or decks that utilize enchantments themselves.

Combo Potential: This card can slip seamlessly into decks that aim to punish opponents for their enchantments. With enough auras in play, Aura Barbs can turn the tide by dealing unexpected damage or even clearing a path for your victory.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of aura-based strategies in some formats, Aura Barbs can serve as an effective countermeasure. As metas evolve, the inclusion of this card could be a savvy move to anticipate and counteract enchantment-focused opponents.


How to beat Aura Barbs

Aura Barbs is a unique card in MTG that can turn the tide against players heavily reliant on enchantments, particularly auras. To effectively counter this spell, the strategy is to minimize the reliance on enchantments that attach to creatures. Since Aura Barbs deals damage to the creature and its controller for each aura attached to it, limiting the number of enchantments in play will mitigate potential damage. It’s wise to incorporate enchantment removal spells into your deck, allowing you to preemptively remove your own auras if you predict Aura Barbs coming or to remove opponents’ auras to turn their strategy against them.

Utilizing creatures with hexproof or shroud can also provide a solid defense against Aura Barbs since these abilities prevent targeting by Aura Barbs’ triggered ability. Another tactic involves cards that replace themselves or draw cards upon entering or leaving the battlefield, ensuring that using Aura Barbs doesn’t put you at a card advantage deficit. Therefore, by adopting a multi-pronged approach to managing enchantments and anticipating counterplays, overcoming the challenges posed by Aura Barbs becomes a manageable task for strategic MTG players.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aura Barbs MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa and The List, 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 Aura Barbs and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Aura Barbs Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2005-02-04 and 2005-02-04. Illustrated by Aleksi Briclot.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-02-04Betrayers of KamigawaBOK 942003NormalBlackAleksi Briclot
22020-09-26The ListPLST BOK-942003NormalBlackAleksi Briclot

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Aura Barbs has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2005-02-01 The damage is dealt by the enchantments, not by Aura Barbs.