Barricade Breaker — ruling 1

If, during your declare attackers step, Barricade Breaker is tapped or is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 2

Improvise doesn't change a spell's mana cost or mana value.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 3

When calculating a spell's total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Improvise applies after the total cost is calculated.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 4

Because improvise isn't an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 5

Improvise can't pay for {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, or {C} mana symbols in a spell's total cost.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 6

Improvise can't be used to pay for anything other than the cost of casting the spell. For example, it can't be used during the resolution of an ability that says "Counter target spell unless its controller pays {3}."

Barricade Breaker — ruling 7

If an artifact you control has a mana ability with {T} in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with improvise will result in the artifact being tapped when you pay the spell's costs. You won't be able to tap it again for improvise. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with improvise, that artifact won't be on the battlefield when you pay the spell's costs, so you won't be able to tap it for improvise.

Barricade Breaker — ruling 8

Tapping an artifact won't cause its abilities to stop applying unless those abilities say so.

Barricade Breaker : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Barricade Breaker is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for .) This creature attacks each combat if able.

Complete guide

Barricade Breaker is a powerful artifact Juggernaut that leverages your board state to enter the battlefield early. Using the Improvise mechanic, your utility artifacts become the fuel for this massive attacker, ensuring the pressure stays on your opponent.

What it Does

Barricade Breaker is a 7-mana artifact creature that features Improvise, allowing you to tap untapped artifacts you control to pay for {1} of its cost each. Once it is on the battlefield, it follows the classic Juggernaut rule: it must attack each combat if able. While it has a high mana value, its ability to turn non-mana artifacts into resources makes it much cheaper in practice.

How it Resolves Step by Step

When you cast Barricade Breaker, you first determine the total cost, which is {7}. You then activate mana abilities (like tapping Lands). After activating mana abilities, you may tap any number of untapped artifacts you control to pay {1} for each one. Note that you cannot tap the same artifact for a mana ability and for Improvise. Once the costs are paid, the spell is cast. When your combat phase begins, you must declare it as an attacker if it is untapped and not restricted by effects like summoning sickness.

Common Mistakes

A common error is trying to use Improvise to pay for costs other than casting the spell, such as Ward costs or ability activations; Improvise only applies to the casting cost. Additionally, if an effect requires you to pay a cost to attack (such as Ghostly Prison), you are not forced to pay that mana to satisfy Barricade Breaker's 'attack if able' requirement. Lastly, remember that tapping Equipment for Improvise does not unequip it or affect the creature it is attached to.

When to Play It

Barricade Breaker shines in decks with high artifact density, especially those using tokens or artifacts that don't need to tap to be useful. It is best played when you have a clear path to attack or when you need a high-toughness blocker that you can reliably cast for two or three mana instead of seven.

Interaction examples

Building a Resource Engine

Myr Battlesphere

If you control Myr Battlesphere and the four Myr tokens it created, you have five artifacts. When casting Barricade Breaker, you can tap all five of these artifacts to pay {5} toward the cost. This allows you to cast the Juggernaut by paying only {2} from your lands, effectively accelerating your board presence.

Sequencing Artifacts

Meteor Golem

Suppose you have Meteor Golem on the battlefield. Even though it doesn't have a mana ability, you can tap it using Improvise to help pay for Barricade Breaker. Tapping the Golem for Improvise does not stop its 'enters the battlefield' ability from having worked previously, and it does not prevent the Golem from being used for other effects later once it untaps.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Barricade Breaker

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
If, during your declare attackers step, Barricade Breaker is tapped or is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, you aren't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Improvise doesn't change a spell's mana cost or mana value.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
When calculating a spell's total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Improvise applies after the total cost is calculated.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Because improvise isn't an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Improvise can't pay for , , , , , or mana symbols in a spell's total cost.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Improvise can't be used to pay for anything other than the cost of casting the spell. For example, it can't be used during the resolution of an ability that says "Counter target spell unless its controller pays ."
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
If an artifact you control has a mana ability with in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with improvise will result in the artifact being tapped when you pay the spell's costs. You won't be able to tap it again for improvise. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with improvise, that artifact won't be on the battlefield when you pay the spell's costs, so you won't be able to tap it for improvise.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Tapping an artifact won't cause its abilities to stop applying unless those abilities say so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9February 9, 2017· Wizards of the Coast
Equipment attached to a creature doesn't become tapped when that creature becomes tapped, and tapping that Equipment doesn't cause the creature to become tapped.
No other card is named in this ruling.