Mana Batteries: Rating them

The mana batteries were a casual popular table card. I've known more then a few old school players (including my older brother) who swore to them. Last years, while most of my cards were in storage I threw together a EDH around Garna, the Bloodflame. Built out of foreign cards I had an what I was willing to buy out of common boxes, it included a consume spirit and drain life, and as a result, a Italian Black Mana Battery.


In this article, I will rate each mana battery, both in the form of playability, and in the form of art. However the flavor is always the same:


Flavor: They are batteries. The rules of conservation states it takes more energy to charge a battery, then a battery can release. In this regard, two mana to generate one mana at a later time makes sense. In fact, the only issue is they can always supply a single mana without charging. For this, they get a universal 4/5.

Art

 

Blue Mana Battery (#5)

 



The blue mana battery shows what appears to be rocks in the ocean. The idea is they work like energy collectors. The idea is they sit in the ocean, and collect mana. Amy's piece isn't bad, her work is always very well for larger promotional stuff, but it always falls shy in the cardboard. I largely blame the nature of the small shapes of cardboard. I'll give it a solid 3/5.

Green Mana Battery (#4)

 

 



Rush never disappoints, this is no different. His staff had some nice touches on it, like the same symbol as the mana symbol on the staff itself, with the simple background of emerald green. It's a nice piece, but doesn't look much like a mana battery, so much as art piece of another card. While a good piece, it's not good for the card it was on. 3/5.

White Mana Battery (#3)



The white mana battery actually showed up in the old Armada comics, being utilized by a white planeswalkers I can't exactly remember the name of. It based off this art, a large literal battery attached to the land. In a smiliar way to Webers blue battery above. This one, has atmosphere, not usually seen on white related cards. An unusual light/darkness composition, with a single light source, and a dark stormy sky above. 3/5

Plus it's drawn by Anthony Waters, my eventual VAC deck.

Black Mana Battery (#2)



Anson Maddocks is the king of Magic horror art, and this piece show cases it perfectly. A skull, mutilated, with various poisonous berries, bones, a voodoo doll, and even a snake. The whole piece has so much going on for it, that it encompasses everything that is black. Honestly, I could sit here all day talking about all the little details on this simple piece. 4/5

Red Mana Battery (#1)

 

 



The relic of Jared Carthilion (the Shadow Mage), the Red Mana Battery was an heirloom. This shows the powerful relic as a relic, it's atmosphere is it. It looks to be sitting on a shelf, with candlelight in the back. If Tedin is good at one thing, it's details and atmosphere. Especially for artifacts, as he has drawn most of the classics.  This is no exception, showing the glow of the mana battery. 5/5

Jarad being burned by the 'mana well'. I couldn't find a proper image.

Playability

 

 

Green Mana Battery (#5)

 

 

 





Easily the worst mana battery. Green has more than enough ramp, to make this useless. Combine with a lack of X costs and mana dumps, and Green Mana Battery comes at the bottom of the list. 2/5.

White Mana Battery (#4)

 

 

In a similar vein to Green Mana Battery, white is usually cheap spells, or easily splashable. However, white often has a need for mana dumps, and with Alabaster Potion and Guardian Angel, there is at least some interesting X white spells in the format. Still not enough to put it past 4.
2/5

Blue Mana Battery (#3)

 

 



Blue is the most powerful color in the format. While better four mana drops exists, especially in blue, the ability to spend unusued mana into storing mana makes for an interesting tech, and blue can always use more open mana. This being said, Braingeyser, Spell Blast, and Power Sink all make for good X blue spells. Further more, a single charge counter, allows for you to tap out while leaving mana open for a counterspell/mana drain. I will admit, it sits less on the merit of itself, and more on the merit of others, but don't all cards? 3/5.

Red Mana Battery (#2)



The color of X spells, Red Mana Battery is one of the most useful. In a color with little/no ramp outside of artifacts, RMB is the most useful, whether boosting a fireball, a catapult, or an Earthquake, RMB is easily one of the most useful. Further, it can be used for reds other effects, like Bloodlust and firebreathing. 4/5.

Black Mana Battery (#1)

 

 



Drain Life, Howl from Beyond, Shade Effects, Regeneration, Word of Binding. That's just off the top of my head. BMB is easily the most powerful card of the cycle. It's only draw back is it costs 4, and expensive commitment, but it's powerful. Just once, kill someone from a charged Black Mana Battery with Drain Life and you'll understand. 5/5


So combining the two, the list goes like this, white (9/15), Green (9/15), Blue (10/15), Black (13/15),  Red (13/15).

Do you agree with my list? Do you disagree? What's your favorite mana battery.