Baton of Morale MTG Card


Repeated, instant-speed activation of Baton of Morale can shift combat dynamics in your favor. The mana cost for activation may restrict certain fast-paced or mana-efficient decks. Incorporating Baton of Morale into decks allows for versatile combat synergies and meta play adaptations.
Baton of Morale - Ice Age
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact
Released1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameIce Age
Set codeICE
Number313
Frame1993
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDouglas Shuler

Text of card

: Target creature gains banding until end of turn.

"The Goblins would kill to get ahold of this one." —Arcum Dagsson, Soldevi Machinist


Cards like Baton of Morale

Baton of Morale is an intriguing artifact in Magic: The Gathering that offers a unique twist on creature abilities. It resembles other artifacts that enhance creatures, like Veteran’s Armaments, which also boosts a creature’s capabilities. While Veteran’s Armaments increases power and toughness based on the number of soldiers you control, Baton of Morale focuses on granting banding to any creature. Banding allows for more strategic control during the combat phase, though at the cost of activated ability rather than a passive bonus.

Shield of the Avatar presents another parallel, providing a different defensive angle—it reduces damage to the creature it equips based on the number of creatures you control. Unlike Baton of Morale, there’s no activation cost, showing its advantage in defensive resource management. Then there’s the Rod of Ruin, offering direct utility in the form of damage to any target. However, Baton of Morale’s banding ability can lead to more complex and advantageous combat outcomes, albeit with an activation cost and a focus on creature interaction rather than direct damage.

Through this lens, Baton of Morale stands out in MTG as a card that brings a unique strategic layer to gameplay, illustrating its niche appeal in decks built around intricate combat strategies.

Veteran's Armaments - MTG Card versions
Shield of the Avatar - MTG Card versions
Rod of Ruin - MTG Card versions
Veteran's Armaments - MTG Card versions
Shield of the Avatar - MTG Card versions
Rod of Ruin - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Baton of Morale by color, type and mana cost

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Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Jandor's Saddlebags - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Mask of Intolerance - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: As an artifact that can stay on the battlefield, Baton of Morale can offer repeated use of its activation ability. This provides ongoing tactical benefits without expending additional cards, presenting a potential card advantage in prolonged games.

Resource Acceleration: While Baton of Morale does not directly provide resource acceleration, it can indirectly assist in preserving your creatures against removal. By making it more difficult for opponents to profitably block or to use targeted removal, you’re effectively accelerating your board presence and maintaining your battlefield resources.

Instant Speed: One of the key traits of Baton of Morale is its activation at instant speed. This gives you the flexibility to decide whether to activate its ability during your turn or in response to your opponent’s actions, keeping them guessing and allowing you to create advantageous combat scenarios on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Baton of Morale does not require you to discard cards, hence this aspect does not apply as a con for this artifact.

Specific Mana Cost: Although Baton of Morale has a generic mana cost to play, it requires an activation cost that includes tapping and paying two mana. For players looking to maximize efficiency, this cost can be seen as restrictive, especially when the deck aims to be fast and mana-efficient.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the utility of Baton of Morale, one has to consider that its initial mana investment does not immediately affect the board state. Additional mana is required to utilize its banding ability, which could be too high when considering its return on investment compared to other artifacts or spells in the MTG universe that have an immediate and potentially more impactful presence on gameplay.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Baton of Morale has a flexible role in a deck as it allows any creature to gain banding until end of turn. This can serve numerous strategic purposes, from creating unexpected blockers to organizing more effective attacks.

Combo Potential: Its ability to grant banding can sync with various card abilities that activate when a creature bands, potentially unlocking new combo lines or enhancing existing ones, thus adding layers to game play.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where combat is key and tactical blocking is crucial, Baton of Morale has the potential to shift the tide of battle by allowing creatures to band, which might disrupt an opponent’s strategy.


How to beat

Baton of Morale stands out among Magic: The Gathering artifacts for its ability to grant any creature the banding ability until end of turn. Although it might seem like a minor addition, banding can turn the tides during combat by allowing for strategic block assignments and potential combat trick plays. Yet, despite its unique mechanics, it is not invincible.

To outmaneuver Baton of Morale, you should focus on eliminating creature threats before the banding ability can be utilized effectively. Instant-speed removal spells are key as they can disrupt an opponent’s band formation plan mid-combat. Direct damage spells or “destroy” effects targeting your opponent’s key creatures can dismantle their strategy.

Counterplay also includes card effects that restrict or disable artifact abilities. Cards with the abilities to tap or destroy artifacts can hinder Baton of Morale’s utility. Moreover, watch for effects that can remove the artifact directly from play or neuter its impact by preventing your opponent from paying the activation cost.

Remember, a thorough understanding of combat mechanics and maintaining responsive spells in your arsenal can keep Baton of Morale’s influence in check, ensuring your dominance on the battleground.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Baton of Morale MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Baton of Morale and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Baton of Morale has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-10-01 A maximum of one nonbanding creature can join an attacking band no matter how many creatures with banding are in it.
2008-10-01 Creatures in the same band must all attack the same player or planeswalker.
2008-10-01 If a creature with banding attacks, it can team up with any number of other attacking creatures with banding (and up to one nonbanding creature) and attack as a unit called a “band.” The band can be blocked by any creature that could block a single creature in the band. Blocking any creature in a band blocks the entire band. If a creature with banding is blocked, the attacking player chooses how the blockers’ damage is assigned.
2009-10-01 If a creature in combat has banding, its controller assigns damage for creatures blocking or blocked by it. That player can ignore the damage assignment order when making this assignment.