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Bard the Bowman
USD $0.19
USD foil $0.26
EUR €0.07
MTGO 0.03 tix

Bard the Bowman

{1}{W}{U}

Legendary Creature — Human Archer

Reach

Whenever you draw your second card each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. It gains lifelink until end of turn.

No one had dared to face the Dragon for many an age; nor would they have dared now, if it hadn't been for the grim-voiced Bard urging them on.

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Reach
Set
The Hobbit (HOB #145)
Rarity
Uncommon
Mana value
3
Released
2026-08-14
Artist
Miklós Ligeti
EDHREC rank
#14,264
Colour identity
{U}{W}
Finishes
Nonfoil, Foil
Served from
Local database

Commander bracket

1 +
Fits any bracket
No Game Changer, land denial, extra turns or two-card combos.

Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules

EDHREC

Salt Score 0.14
How much players resent seeing this card. The scale tops out around 3.1.
Can be your commander

Combos

Not part of any combo on Commander Spellbook.

Commander recommendations

Top synergy 50

Played far more in this commander's decks than elsewhere.

  1. Lakeshore Apothecary 57 %+55.1 %
  2. Plunder the Trollshaws 55 %+53.1 %
  3. Lake-town 49 %+46.4 %
  4. Confusticate and Bebother 48 %+46.1 %
  5. Prince Imrahil the Fair 50 %+45.6 %
  6. Bard's Company 49 %+44.7 %
  7. Patient Instructor 42 %+40.4 %
  8. Lake-town Lookout 41 %+39.0 %
  9. Celebrate the Mountain-king 40 %+38.2 %
  10. The Mountain-king's Return 39 %+37.7 %
  11. Bilbo Baggins, Burglar 39 %+37.6 %
  12. Esgaroth Garrison 39 %+37.0 %
  13. Long Lake Nuisance 37 %+36.2 %
  14. Ravenhill Flock 38 %+35.5 %
  15. Sound the Trumpets 36 %+34.1 %
  16. Moment of Glory 35 %+33.8 %
  17. Bilbo, Luckwearer 34 %+32.8 %
  18. Bard, King of Dale 38 %+31.8 %
  19. Kid Loki 33 %+31.3 %
  20. Mischievous Mystic 35 %+31.1 %
  21. Emrakul's Messenger 33 %+30.1 %
  22. Lake-town Toymaker 31 %+29.9 %
  23. The Queen of Dale 38 %+29.6 %
  24. Old Fat Spider Can't See Me 30 %+29.3 %
  25. Enchanted River's Grasp 29 %+27.8 %
  26. The Council of Four 36 %+27.7 %
  27. Great Gilded Boat 30 %+27.1 %
  28. Chasm Skulker 31 %+25.7 %
  29. Wizard Class 32 %+24.3 %
  30. Thrór's Map 25 %+23.8 %
  31. Master's Councillors 24 %+23.5 %
  32. Opt 33 %+21.7 %
  33. Quick Study 23 %+21.1 %
  34. Lake-town Mariners 21 %+20.4 %
  35. Proft's Eidetic Memory 25 %+20.2 %
  36. Gandalf, Wandering Wizard 20 %+20.1 %
  37. Homunculus Horde 25 %+20.0 %
  38. Pensive Professor 23 %+19.9 %
  39. Consider 26 %+19.8 %
  40. Mangara, the Diplomat 26 %+19.2 %
  41. Troop of Ponies 21 %+19.1 %
  42. Eagle's Rescue 20 %+19.1 %
  43. Magnificent End 19 %+18.8 %
  44. Thorin's Last Stand 19 %+18.6 %
  45. Damning Verdict 19 %+18.1 %
  46. Brainstorm 36 %+17.8 %
  47. Hobbit Hole 18 %+17.3 %
  48. Chocobo Knights 18 %+17.3 %
  49. Bard, Heir of Girion 20 %+17.2 %
  50. Teferi's Ageless Insight 25 %+17.2 %

Most included 50

Highest share of decks running them, distinctive or not.

  1. Island 99 %+3.7 %
  2. Plains 99 %+3.4 %
  3. Command Tower 64 %-21.0 %
  4. Sol Ring 62 %-24.0 %
  5. Lakeshore Apothecary 57 %+55.1 %
  6. Arcane Signet 55 %-27.8 %
  7. Plunder the Trollshaws 55 %+53.1 %
  8. Prince Imrahil the Fair 50 %+45.6 %
  9. Bard's Company 49 %+44.7 %
  10. Lake-town 49 %+46.4 %
  11. Swords to Plowshares 49 %-19.5 %
  12. Confusticate and Bebother 48 %+46.1 %
  13. Glacial Fortress 46 %-18.6 %
  14. Path to Exile 45 %-8.6 %
  15. Prairie Stream 45 %-20.7 %
  16. Arcane Denial 44 %+17.1 %
  17. Reliquary Tower 43 %-5.1 %
  18. Patient Instructor 42 %+40.4 %
  19. Lake-town Lookout 41 %+39.0 %
  20. Thought Vessel 40 %-2.1 %
  21. Celebrate the Mountain-king 40 %+38.2 %
  22. The Mountain-king's Return 39 %+37.7 %
  23. Bilbo Baggins, Burglar 39 %+37.6 %
  24. Esgaroth Garrison 39 %+37.0 %
  25. The Queen of Dale 38 %+29.6 %
  26. Bard, King of Dale 38 %+31.8 %
  27. Ravenhill Flock 38 %+35.5 %
  28. Long Lake Nuisance 37 %+36.2 %
  29. Brainstorm 36 %+17.8 %
  30. The Council of Four 36 %+27.7 %
  31. Sound the Trumpets 36 %+34.1 %
  32. Moment of Glory 35 %+33.8 %
  33. Mischievous Mystic 35 %+31.1 %
  34. Bilbo, Luckwearer 34 %+32.8 %
  35. Emrakul's Messenger 33 %+30.1 %
  36. Kid Loki 33 %+31.3 %
  37. Opt 33 %+21.7 %
  38. Wizard Class 32 %+24.3 %
  39. Talisman of Progress 31 %-19.8 %
  40. Chasm Skulker 31 %+25.7 %
  41. Adarkar Wastes 31 %-16.0 %
  42. Hallowed Fountain 31 %-19.1 %
  43. Counterspell 31 %-23.1 %
  44. Lake-town Toymaker 31 %+29.9 %
  45. Old Fat Spider Can't See Me 30 %+29.3 %
  46. Great Gilded Boat 30 %+27.1 %
  47. Port Town 30 %-16.8 %
  48. Loran of the Third Path 30 %+15.9 %
  49. Enchanted River's Grasp 29 %+27.8 %
  50. Frantic Search 27 %+13.8 %

Format legality

Standard Legal
Pioneer Legal
Modern Legal
Legacy Legal
Vintage Legal
Pauper Not legal
Commander Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Brawl Legal
Standard Brawl Legal
Historic Legal
Timeless Legal
Alchemy Not legal
Penny Legal
Premodern Not legal
PreDH Not legal
Pauper EDH Not legal
Old School Not legal
Future Legal
Gladiator Legal
All printingsScryfall ↗Edhrec ↗

Rulings

  • 2026-06-29

    If you draw your second card in a turn while recruiting, the Human Soldier you create can be chosen as the target of Bard the Bowman's ability.

  • 2026-06-29

    The triggered ability can trigger only once each turn. It doesn't matter whether Bard the Bowman was on the battlefield when the first card was drawn. If he's not on the battlefield when the second card is drawn, the ability can't trigger at all that turn. It won't trigger when the third or fourth card is drawn.

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