Mtg Wiki Bestow

Hannah Arendt

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18-12-2024

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Bestow is a unique mechanic in Magic: The Gathering that appeared in the Born of the Gods set. It allows you to play an Aura enchantment as either an Aura or a creature, offering strategic flexibility and powerful battlefield options. This guide will break down how bestow works, its implications for gameplay, and examples of cards utilizing this mechanic.

How Bestow Works

A card with bestow has two costs: a mana cost and an bestow cost. You can play the card in one of two ways:

1. As an Aura: You pay the mana cost and enchant a creature with the card. The enchanted creature gains the abilities and statistics listed on the card. If the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield, the Aura also leaves the battlefield.

2. As a Creature: You pay the bestow cost (generally lower than the mana cost). You put the card onto the battlefield as a creature with its listed abilities and statistics. It doesn't enchant anything in this case.

Key Differences and Considerations:

• Mana Cost vs. Bestow Cost: The bestow cost is typically less mana intensive, allowing for more efficient plays in the late game or when your mana pool is stretched thin. However, paying the full mana cost enables you to enchant a creature, potentially boosting its power more significantly.

• Strategic Flexibility: The choice between playing a bestow card as an Aura or a creature provides tactical depth. Do you need an immediate creature to bolster your board presence? Or would enchanting an existing creature yield a more powerful effect? The best choice depends on the specific game state.

• Card Synergy: Bestow cards often synergize well with other cards that enhance creatures or benefit from having multiple creatures on the battlefield.

Examples of Bestow Cards

Many cards with the bestow mechanic offer diverse strategic options. While specific card examples are not provided here to avoid directly linking to external resources, searching for "bestow cards MTG" will yield a comprehensive list on any Magic: The Gathering database. Look for cards from the Born of the Gods set and its related blocks to find a variety of examples.

Impact on Gameplay

The bestow mechanic added a layer of complexity and strategic depth to Magic: The Gathering. Players needed to carefully consider the available mana, the creatures on the battlefield, and the potential benefits of each play option. Bestow cards could be strong early-game plays or effective additions to late-game strategies.

Conclusion

The bestow mechanic in Magic: The Gathering stands out for its unique approach to creature and enchantment interaction. By allowing flexible deployment as either an Aura or a creature, bestow cards provided engaging strategic choices and added a fascinating dimension to the game. While the mechanic has since rotated out of standard play, it remains a noteworthy and memorable addition to Magic's history.