Quick Answer

War Balloon is a uncommon Artifact — Vehicle from TLA (TLA) costing {2}{R}. Current price: $0.05 USD. Legal in Modern. Legal in Commander. Legal in Standard.

War Balloon MTG card

War Balloon

Artifact — Vehicle

Card Text

Flying {1}: Put a fire counter on this Vehicle. As long as this Vehicle has three or more fire counters on it, it's an artifact creature. Crew 3 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 3 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)

Card Stats

4/3 uncommon CMC: 3.0 TLA TLA 🎨 Matteo Bassini
Crew Flying

What kind of card is this?

Use these role hubs to find similar staples, upgrades, and answers.

Roles are still being computed for this card.

Market Prices

TCGPlayer
$0.05
Normal
Buy
TCGPlayer
$0.13
Foil
Buy
Card Kingdom
$0.35
Normal
Buy
Card Kingdom
$0.49
Foil
Buy
Cardmarket
€0.06
Normal
Buy
Cardmarket
€0.16
Foil
Buy
Prices updated: 2025-12-16

Format Legality

Brawl Legal
Commander Legal
Duel Legal
Gladiator Legal
Historic Legal
Legacy Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pioneer Legal
Standard Legal
Standardbrawl Legal
Timeless Legal
Vintage Legal

Similar Cards

Community Stats

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is War Balloon? Basics

War Balloon is a Artifact — Vehicle card from the Magic: The Gathering trading card game.

Its ability reads: "Flying {1}: Put a fire counter on this Vehicle. As long as this Vehicle has three or more fire counters on it, it's an artifact creature. Crew 3 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 3 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)"

How much mana does War Balloon cost to cast? Basics

War Balloon has a mana cost of {2}{R}, which equals 3.0 total mana (converted mana cost/mana value).

It requires R mana to cast.

What does mana cost mean in Magic: The Gathering? Basics

Mana cost is the amount and type of mana required to cast a spell in Magic: The Gathering.

War Balloon's mana cost of {2}{R} means you need to pay that much mana from your lands or other sources.

Colored symbols (W=White, U=Blue, B=Black, R=Red, G=Green) must be paid with that specific color, while numbers can be paid with any color.

What is converted mana cost (CMC) or mana value? Basics

Converted mana cost (now officially called "mana value") is the total amount of mana in a card's mana cost, regardless of color.

War Balloon has a mana value of 3.0. This is important for effects that care about a spell's total cost, like cascade or cards that say "mana value 3 or less."

What is oracle text? Basics

Oracle text is the official, current rules text for a Magic card as maintained by Wizards of the Coast. It supersedes any printed text on older cards.

War Balloon's current oracle text is: "Flying {1}: Put a fire counter on this Vehicle. As long as this Vehicle has three or more fire counters on it, it's an artifact creature. Crew 3 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 3 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)"

What is the current price of War Balloon? Pricing

The current market price for War Balloon is approximately $0.05 USD on TCGPlayer.

A foil copy costs approximately $0.13 USD.

On Cardmarket (Europe), it's approximately €0.06 EUR.

Where can I buy War Balloon? Pricing

You can purchase War Balloon from major MTG retailers including:

Prices vary by condition and printing. Check multiple sellers to find the best price.

What is the difference between normal and foil cards? Pricing

Foil cards have a shiny, holographic finish that makes them more collectible. They are functionally identical to normal cards but typically cost more due to their rarity and visual appeal.

War Balloon normal: $0.05 | foil: $0.13

Is War Balloon legal in Standard? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Standard format.

Standard is a rotating format that only allows cards from the most recent sets.

Is War Balloon legal in Modern? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Modern format.

Modern includes all cards printed in a standard-legal set from 8th Edition forward.

Is War Balloon legal in Commander (EDH)? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Commander (EDH) format.

Commander is a casual multiplayer format where you build a 100-card singleton deck around a legendary creature.

Is War Balloon legal in Pioneer? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Pioneer format.

Pioneer is a non-rotating format that includes all standard-legal sets from Return to Ravnica forward.

Is War Balloon legal in Legacy? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Legacy format.

Legacy allows almost all cards ever printed, with a substantial ban list for balance.

Is War Balloon legal in Vintage? Legality

War Balloon is Legal in Vintage format.

Vintage is the most permissive format, allowing almost all cards with only a minimal ban list. Some powerful cards are "Restricted" (limited to 1 copy).

Is War Balloon legal in Pauper? Legality

Format legality information for War Balloon in Pauper is not available.

Pauper only allows cards that have been printed at common rarity in a paper or online set.

What is format legality in MTG? Legality

Format legality indicates which official MTG formats allow a card to be played:

  • Legal: Card is allowed in the format
  • Banned: Card is prohibited from play
  • Restricted: Limited to 1 copy (Vintage only)
  • Not Legal: Card was never part of that format's card pool

Different formats have different banned lists based on power level and game balance.

What set is War Balloon from? Details

This printing of War Balloon is from TLA (TLA), with collector number 159.

War Balloon may also appear in other MTG sets with different art or special treatments.

What is War Balloon's rarity? Details

War Balloon is a uncommon card in TLA.

Card rarity affects both availability and price. From rarest to most common: Mythic Rare → Rare → Uncommon → Common.

Who illustrated War Balloon? Details

War Balloon was illustrated by Matteo Bassini.

Magic: The Gathering features artwork from hundreds of talented artists, and many cards have been reprinted with new art over the years.

What is War Balloon's power and toughness? Details

War Balloon is a 4/3 creature.

Power (4) determines how much combat damage the creature deals. Toughness (3) determines how much damage it can take before being destroyed.

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