Bruenor BattlehammerHow it works & interactions with other cards

Master of the Forge

Bruenor Battlehammer has two distinct abilities that work in tandem. First, he grants a static +2/+0 bonus to each creature you control for every Equipment attached to it. This isn't just a flat bonus; if a creature has three swords, it gets +6/+0. Second, he provides an alternative cost for your first 'equip' ability activated each turn, allowing you to pay {0} instead of the printed mana cost. This applies to both your own turn and your opponents' turns, provided you have a way to activate equip abilities at instant speed.

Step-by-Step Activation

When you choose to use Bruenor's cost reduction, you must declare you are using the {0} alternative cost as you activate the equip ability. This must be the very first equip ability you attempt to activate during that turn. Once the ability is on the stack, it functions like any other activation; players can respond to it. If the ability is countered, or if the target becomes illegal, you have still used your 'once per turn' discount and cannot use it again until the next turn begins.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is assuming Bruenor's discount applies to every equipment or every creature. It only applies to the very first equip ability you activate in a turn. If you pay full price for an equip cost, you lose the chance to use the {0} cost later that same turn. Additionally, remember that Bruenor's power buff only increases power, not toughness. While your creatures will hit much harder, they remain just as vulnerable to damage and destruction as they were before being equipped.

Strategic Deployment

The best time to play Bruenor is when you already have high-cost equipment on the battlefield but lack the mana to equip them. By casting Bruenor, you can immediately attach a heavy weapon for free and potentially attack for a massive amount of damage. He is particularly effective in decks that use creatures with high toughness or evasion, as his power boost ensures that even a small creature becomes a game-ending threat.

Interaction examples

Arming the Golem

Solemn Simulacrum

With Bruenor Battlehammer on the battlefield, you cast Solemn Simulacrum. During your main phase, you activate the equip ability of a Colossal Hammer (which normally costs 8 mana) targeting Solemn Simulacrum. You choose to pay Bruenor's alternative cost of {0}. Once equipped, Solemn Simulacrum receives +10/+10 from the hammer and an additional +2/+0 from Bruenor, becoming a 14/12 creature.

Doubling the Dwarf Presence

Roaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield and chose 'Dwarf' as its type, it will benefit from Bruenor's static power boost. If Roaming Throne is equipped with a single item, it gets +2/+0 from Bruenor. Note that Bruenor's abilities are static and alternative costs, not triggered abilities, so Roaming Throne's doubling effect does not increase the number of free equips or the power bonus per equipment.