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Bristlebane Battler

Creature — Kithkin Soldier

Trample, ward {2}
This creature enters with five -1/-1 counters on it.
Whenever another creature you control enters while this creature has a -1/-1 counter on it, remove a -1/-1 counter from this creature.

CMC
2
Mana cost
{1}{G}
Color identity
G
Rarity
rare
Set
Lorwyn Eclipsed Promos
Price
$1.96
EDHREC rank
#12152
Buy on TCGplayer
Bristlebane Battler card art
Bristlebane Battler lands as a recursive threat that taxes your opponents every time it comes back — the undying trigger is the payoff, not the body. Mikaeus, the Unhallowed supercharges the loop, and Brigid, Clachan's Heart turns repeated etb triggers into a full engine, making Bristlebane Battler worth building around rather than just slotting in.

Best Commanders

Commanders with the highest synergy

01

Brigid, Clachan's Heart

46.2% of decks · synergy 0.43

Brigid, Clachan's Heart wants creatures that trigger repeatedly, and Bristlebane Battler's recursive undying loop delivers exactly that — every return event feeds Brigid's accumulating board presence, which is why nearly half of all Brigid decks include it.

02
Eshki, Temur's Roar

Eshki, Temur's Roar

27.5% of decks · synergy 0.26

Eshki, Temur's Roar rewards +1/+1 counter payoffs, and Bristlebane Battler's undying mechanic supplies a free counter on each return — Eshki decks slot it in as a self-replenishing creature that doubles as a counter source.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern legal
pioneer legal
standard legal
vintage legal
pauper not legal
oathbreaker legal

In Commander, Bristlebane Battler earns its slot in any deck that cares about undying, etb triggers, or sacrifice loops — the recursive loop is durable enough to generate value across a long multiplayer game. In Modern and Pioneer, undying synergy decks occasionally reach for it, but competition from faster threats keeps it on the fringe rather than in the core. Standard legality gives it a home in midrange shells that want grindy creatures, though the effect isn't explosive enough to define a list. Legacy and Vintage are too fast for a three-mana creature without immediate board impact.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Price Context

Current price

$1.96 cheap tier

At $1.96, Bristlebane Battler sits in the cheap tier — easy to acquire without budget friction. That price is stable for a card with clear combo applications; it won't spike dramatically, but it also won't fall to bulk while Brigid, Clachan's Heart decks keep it in high rotation.

Explore

Sources

Mentioned

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Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.