Battering Ram

Description

The Battering Ram card, numbered 47 in the 1996 Rivals Quick Start Set, stands as a distinctive artifact creature within the Magic: The Gathering trading card game ecosystem. Designed as a Construct, this card features a mana cost of two and possesses a power and toughness of 1/1. While its stats appear modest on the surface, its abilities provide strategic depth that has attracted TCG enthusiasts for decades. The card’s primary mechanic revolves around banding. At the beginning of combat on its controller’s turn, Battering Ram gains banding, allowing it to attack in a group with other creatures that have banding and up to one without. This unique interaction changes how damage is divided during combat, offering players tactical flexibility that is rare among early artifact creatures. Additionally, the card includes a secondary ability that triggers whenever it becomes blocked by a Wall creature. In such cases, the Wall is destroyed at the end of combat, providing a specific counter to defensive strategies that rely on wall-based blocking. For collectors, this card represents a tangible piece of Magic’s early history. The card is illustrated by Jeff A. Menges, whose artwork contributes to the visual identity of the set. Collectors often seek out this card to complete their set collections or to appreciate the design philosophy of the mid-90s era of Magic: The Gathering. Whether for nostalgic value, set completion, or gameplay utility in casual formats, Battering Ram remains a relevant and interesting card for any Magic: The Gathering collection.