Bark of DoranHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Bark of Doran provides a modest +0/+1 defensive boost to the creature it is attached to. Its primary utility, however, is a static ability that modifies how the equipped creature assigns combat damage. If the creature's toughness is currently higher than its power, it will deal damage in combat using its toughness value instead of its power value.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, you pay two mana to cast Bark of Doran. Once it is on the battlefield, you can pay its equip cost of one mana at sorcery speed to attach it to a creature. During the combat damage step, the game checks if the creature's toughness is greater than its power. If it is, the creature assigns damage equal to its toughness. This check happens continuously, so any mid-combat stat changes will immediately update how much damage is assigned.

Common Mistakes

A common misconception is that this equipment changes a creature's actual power stat. It does not. The creature still has its original power for all other game checks, such as effects that say 'destroy target creature with power 4 or greater.' Additionally, this effect only applies to combat damage; if a spell or ability causes the creature to deal damage 'equal to its power' outside of combat, Bark of Doran's second ability will not apply.

When to Play It

Bark of Doran is most effective in decks featuring creatures with high toughness and low power, often referred to as 'Toughness Matters' or 'Big Butt' strategies. It is an affordable way to ensure your defensive walls can also end the game quickly.

Interaction examples

Powering Up with Sol Ring

Sol Ring

You can use the two colorless mana generated by Sol Ring to pay the entire casting cost of Bark of Doran. This allows you to get the equipment onto the battlefield as early as turn one if you have another mana source, setting up your defenses early.

Fixing Mana for Equipment

Arcane Signet

In a Commander game, Arcane Signet can provide the specific white mana required to cast Bark of Doran or the generic mana required for the equip cost. Because Bark of Doran is cheap to deploy and equip, using Arcane Signet ensures you have the resources to move the equipment between creatures as your board state changes.

Combat Calculation

If you equip Bark of Doran to a 1/4 creature, the creature becomes a 1/5. Since 5 is greater than 1, the creature will assign 5 damage during the combat damage step. If an opponent plays a spell that gives the creature +5/+0, making it a 6/5, the ability stops working because toughness is no longer greater than power, and the creature will deal 6 damage instead.