Brass Squire: Unlocking Player Agency in MTG Strategy

In TCG ·

Brass Squire by Ryan Pancoast, Commander Legends art, an industrious Myr ready to rearrange gear

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Brass Squire and the Craft of Moving Equipment

Magic: The Gathering is at its best when players feel like they are writing the story at the table, not just following a script. Brass Squire embodies that spirit of player agency in a compact, rules-savvy package. This unassuming Myr from Commander Legends costs three mana, wears no color, and sports a modest 1/3 body. Yet its tap ability—“Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control”—gives you a nimble lever to redirect power, protection, and surprise damage where it matters most. In a game where tempo often hinges on how quickly you can adapt, Brass Squire becomes a quiet ally for deck builders who prize flexibility as much as brute force. 🧙‍♂️⚔️

Consider a typical Equipment-heavy board state. You might have a couple of staple pieces on one creature that threaten a decisive alpha strike. When the moment shifts—perhaps your opponent dodges a lethal swing, or you need to rescue a fragile blocker from a removal spell—Brass Squire lets you reassign one of those attachments in a heartbeat. There’s something beautifully strategic about choosing which creature benefits from a stat boost, a lifelink aura, or a protective shield in the exact moment you need it. The card’s elegant simplicity invites you to think several moves ahead, weaving a tapestry of threats and protections that only you can see. It’s a microcosm of player agency: you determine the battlefield narrative, not just the board state. 🧙‍♂️🎲

“I admire it. Few pull off pluck and subservience at the same time.” — Ezuri, renegade leader

The flavor text nods to a broader MTG theme—the tension between independent action and the ritual of control. Brass Squire embodies that paradox: a small, obedient cog that unlocks big, player-led rearrangements. As a colorless artifact creature, it slots into almost any deck that runs Equipment or wants the option to move gear on the fly. Its presence is a reminder that strategic depth often comes from what you don’t overcommit to memory but what you can pivot with in the moment. This is the kind of card that makes your table lean in, whispering, “What will you move next?” 🧙‍♂️💎

Deck-building notes: maximizing agency with Brass Squire

  • Equipment-centric shells: Pair Brass Squire with a suite of readily attachable gear—things like weapons, shields, or utility auras—that you can juggle between targets as needed. The ability to reattach without paying the equip cost again is a subtle but powerful tempo swing.
  • Targeted resilience: Use Brass Squire to protect an underdog creature on the brink of removal by shifting a protective aura onto it, or to push a more lethal combo creature into the sweet spot of a temporary buff through an attachment swap.
  • Commander-centric synergies: In multiplayer formats, the ability to reallocate threats across opponents’ boards (or your own) can open doors for diplomatic plays and unexpected trades. Brass Squire doesn’t blow up the board; it reshapes it, one attachment at a time. 🧙‍♂️🔥
  • With the right pieces: Think of cheap, reusable Equipment that benefits from flexible targeting—equipment that remains valuable regardless of which creature wields it. The card’s low mana cost and colorless nature make it a natural fit for a wide range of lists, from Voltron-style builds to midrange attrition strategies.

From a design perspective, Brass Squire embodies a quiet design philosophy: empower the player to dictate the tempo with minimal friction. The rarity (uncommon) and reprint status in Commander Legends reflect how Wizards of the Coast values practical, game-winning choices that reward clever play without requiring heavy economic investments. The art by Ryan Pancoast, captured in the card’s stark Myr silhouette, complements the card’s mechanical “utility belt”—the sense that this is a small, reliable tool in a larger toolbox. The set’s “draft_innovation” approach shines through in how this tiny nugget of agency fits into the broader Commander environment, where flexibility often trumps raw power. 🎨

In practice, Brass Squire nudges players toward a more intentional approach to equipment. It makes you ask: which creature deserves the boost right now? Which piece should I pull back from the frontline to guard a more fragile ally? The answers you discover at the table are as much about your strategy as the board state—precisely the kind of player-driven discovery that MTG fans crave. And because it’s a strategic option available to a wide swath of decks, Brass Squire tends to become a dependable anchor in casual games and a surprising pivot point in more competitive Commander games. ⚔️

As you cultivate your own play style, you’ll notice how small tactical moves accumulate into a sense of agency that is uniquely MTG. Brass Squire is a friendly reminder that not every breakthrough is a dramatic recital of a top-end combo; sometimes it’s a well-timed attachment shuffle that tilts a fight in your favor and lets you narrate the ending you want. The card’s balance—modest stats, essential utility, and accessible timing—exemplifies why the best MTG moments feel earned, not handed to you on a silver platter. 🧙‍♂️💎

And if you’re curious about how strategic articles, data-driven returns, and hobby gear intersect with MTG culture, a quick detour to the network at the end of this piece offers a few rabbit holes to explore. The joy of Magic is how it blends storytelling, math, and community into one ongoing game night. Brass Squire is a small but mighty example of how even a barely legendary artifact can catalyze creative thinking at the table. 🎲

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Brass Squire

Brass Squire

{3}
Artifact Creature — Myr

{T}: Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control.

"I admire it. Few pull off pluck and subservience at the same time." —Ezuri, renegade leader

ID: 48010648-6f68-41aa-93ae-e02a7de6abb8

Oracle ID: 5a10c3a5-6724-4e5a-ae4f-b27dde12735a

Multiverse IDs: 500940

TCGPlayer ID: 227376

Cardmarket ID: 514814

Colors:

Color Identity:

Keywords:

Rarity: Uncommon

Released: 2020-11-20

Artist: Ryan Pancoast

Frame: 2015

Border: black

EDHRec Rank: 2516

Penny Rank: 8417

Set: Commander Legends (cmr)

Collector #: 460

Legalities

  • Standard — not_legal
  • Future — not_legal
  • Historic — not_legal
  • Timeless — not_legal
  • Gladiator — not_legal
  • Pioneer — not_legal
  • Modern — legal
  • Legacy — legal
  • Pauper — not_legal
  • Vintage — legal
  • Penny — not_legal
  • Commander — legal
  • Oathbreaker — legal
  • Standardbrawl — not_legal
  • Brawl — not_legal
  • Alchemy — not_legal
  • Paupercommander — not_legal
  • Duel — legal
  • Oldschool — not_legal
  • Premodern — not_legal
  • Predh — legal

Prices

  • USD: 0.93
  • EUR: 0.65
  • TIX: 0.08
Last updated: 2025-11-14