Battlemage's Bracers MTG Card


Battlemage’s Bracers doubles the impact of creature abilities, significantly enhancing in-game strategies. Melding well with commander decks, the card remains relevant in diverse MTG metas. Resourceful players must prepare for this card’s impacts and counter it effectively.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature has haste. Whenever an ability of equipped creature is activated, if it isn't a mana ability, you may pay . If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy. Equip


Cards like Battlemage's Bracers

Battlemage’s Bracers offer a unique twist to the artifact landscape of Magic: The Gathering. They share a semblance with equipment like Illusionist’s Bracers, which also doubles the effect of activated abilities. Nonetheless, Battlemage’s Bracers carve out their niche by providing an additional ability – creating a token that’s a copy of a creature when you cast your next instant or sorcery spell. This effect isn’t seen with Illusionist’s Bracers.

Another equipment piece to consider is the Rings of Brighthearth. This artifact also amplifies activated abilities, much like Battlemage’s Bracers, however, the Rings demand a mana investment each time you wish to copy an ability. The Bracers, in stark contrast, offer a relentless replication of abilities as long as the equipped creature can pay the initial cost. What’s more, you’re not limited to only one triggered ability—Battlemage’s Bracers let each subsequent instant or sorcery spell cast within the same turn potentially create tokens. This multifaceted application gives Battlemage’s Bracers an edge in strategic deck building and tactical play.

Evaluating the wider landscape of equipment cards, Battlemage’s Bracers stand out with their twin capabilities: enabling potent synergy with activated abilities and creating creature tokens, highlighting the card’s versatility within the current metagame context.

Illusionist's Bracers - MTG Card versions
Rings of Brighthearth - MTG Card versions
Illusionist's Bracers - MTG Card versions
Rings of Brighthearth - MTG Card versions

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Cursed Mirror - MTG Card versions
Komainu Battle Armor - MTG Card versions
Geistflame Reservoir - MTG Card versions
Granite Shard - MTG Card versions
Goblin Replica - MTG Card versions
Foriysian Totem - MTG Card versions
Vulshok Replica - MTG Card versions
Spin Engine - MTG Card versions
Weldfast Monitor - MTG Card versions
Mizzium Tank - MTG Card versions
Brimstone Trebuchet - MTG Card versions
Glittering Stockpile - MTG Card versions
The Reaver Cleaver - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Hammer - MTG Card versions
Bearded Axe - MTG Card versions
Gilded Assault Cart - MTG Card versions
Arcbound Tracker - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Battlemage’s Bracers provides an exceptional boost in card utility by enabling you to copy an activated ability each turn. This effectively doubles the mileage you get out of your creatures’ abilities, turning a single strategic move into a potentially game-dominating combo.

Resource Acceleration: By empowering commanders and their activated abilities, Battlemage’s Bracers accelerates your resource utilization. Not only does this enhance your battlefield presence, but it also allows you to exploit your resources more efficiently, potentially outpacing your opponents in both tempo and strategy execution.

Instant Speed: While the Bracers itself does not operate at instant speed, it empowers abilities that can. This means you can optimize the timing of your activated abilities, engaging them at a moment’s notice to create surprising shifts during critical phases of gameplay, keeping opponents on their toes and maximizing your strategic options.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Battlemage’s Bracers requires players to discard a card to activate its copy ability. This could lead to depleted hands, especially problematic in formats where maintaining card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting and activation costs of Battlemage’s Bracers are locked into a specific color identity (red). This restricts the card’s versatility and potential integration into multicolor decks that may not prioritize red mana or have efficient ways to produce it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, one of which is red, plus the additional cost to activate its ability, the card can be considered mana-intensive. This aspect may deter players when considering efficient use of their mana resources, as there are alternative equipment cards with lower costs and comparable, if not better, effects.


Reasons to Include Battlemage’s Bracers in Your Collection

Versatility: Battlemage’s Bracers is a multi-faceted card that can seamlessly blend into a variety of commander decks. This accessory offers an extra edge whether you’re aiming to enhance your spellslinger strategy or beef up your creature-focused game.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to copy activated abilities makes it a linchpin in many potent combos. It ratchets up the capabilities of your key creatures, turning single effects into dual threats in the blink of an eye.

Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s capacity to double up on powerful abilities, it remains pertinent in several MTG metas. This artifact shines in environments where squeezing maximum value out of your creatures is pivotal to staying ahead of the competition.


How to beat

Battlemage’s Bracers is a potent artifact in Magic: The Gathering that can amplify the capabilities of any commander by allowing for an extra use of their activated abilities. Certainly, any commander-focused deck featuring this card is set to gain substantial leverage during gameplay. Notably, the Bracers also come equipped with an inherent ability that not only benefits the current turn but also sets the stage for future turns, by granting additional activations when mana is spent to equip.

Countering this card effectively involves a proactive strategy. Prioritize removal of artifacts or enchantments that can easily dismantle the Bracers itself. Cards like Disenchant, Naturalize, or even specialized instant-speed removal spells can be essential tools. It’s also prudent to monitor your opponent’s mana pool, as equipping Battlemage’s Bracers requires a healthy mana reserve, and disrupting that through land destruction or taxing effects could hinder their plans. Considering timing is critical, aim to disrupt during your opponent’s turn or in response to an equip action to prevent them from capitalizing on the additional activation.

Ultimately, dealing with Battlemage’s Bracers effectively demands preparedness and a keen eye for opportune moments. Knowing when to strike and having answers at the ready will ensure that this card doesn’t tip the scales too far in your opponent’s favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Armed with the knowledge of the formidable Battlemage’s Bracers, you’re poised to upend the battlefield dynamics in your next MTG showdown. This artifact’s potential to double your activated abilities injects unparalleled power into your deck’s arsenal, while its specificity to red mana could guide your deck-building strategies. Beyond raw strength, the interplay of card advantage, resource acceleration, and strategic deployment yields a nuanced edge. As you consider the addition of Battlemage’s Bracers to your collection, recognize the transformative influence it holds. Dive deeper with us and unearth advanced tactics, deck synergies, and meta-defining strategies. Transform your play and command the game with precision.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Battlemage's Bracers MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2021, 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 Battlemage's Bracers and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Battlemage's Bracers Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by David Gaillet.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 901182015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet
22021-04-23Commander 2021C21 482015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3752015NormalBlackDavid Gaillet

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Battlemage's Bracers has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-04-16 Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities (such as boast) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. An activated mana ability is one that produces mana as it resolves, not one that costs mana to activate.
2021-04-16 Copying abilities doesn’t cause magecraft abilities to trigger.
2021-04-16 If the ability has in its activation cost, the copy has the same value of X.
2021-04-16 If the ability is modal (that is, it has a bulleted list of modes), the copy will have the same mode(s). You can’t choose new ones.
2021-04-16 The copy will have the same targets as the ability it’s copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. If, for one of the targets, you can’t choose a new legal target, then it remains unchanged (even if the current target is illegal).