Briarpack Alpha
Creature — Wolf
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
When this creature enters, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Jumpstart 2022
- Price
- $0.08
- EDHREC rank
- #21000
Briarpack Alpha drops a 3/3 body and pumps another creature by +2/+2 at flash speed — all on the same trigger, at instant speed, for four mana. The rate is too slow for competitive play, but it's a serviceable ambush card in casual wolf tribal.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Briarpack Alpha is a casual-only card in every format where it's legal. In Commander, wolf and werewolf tribal decks run it for the creature type rather than the effect — four mana at instant speed for a 3/3 and a temporary buff is below rate by 2024 standards. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer the card simply doesn't show up; those formats have too many cheaper, permanent pump effects and flash threats to justify it. Oathbreaker follows the same logic as Commander: playable only if you're committed to tribal synergies.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.08 bulk tier
At $0.08, Briarpack Alpha is deep bulk — you'll find it in common-bin boxes at any game store. At that price point there's no value argument; you're buying it purely for wolf tribal headcount, and it will stay at this floor.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.