Barrage of Expendables: MTG Rarity and Print Distribution

In TCG ·

Barrage of Expendables card art from MTG Jumpstart

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Rarity and Print Distribution in Jumpstart’s Enchantment: A Closer Look

Red mana bites back in small, spicy bursts, and Barrage of Expendables delivers exactly that in a compact, flavorful package. Released on 2020-07-17 as part of Jumpstart, this uncommon enchantment sits at the crossroads of speed and sacrifice: R mana to start the play, and if you’re game, a creature you control to deal a neat point of damage to any target. That “one-damage-for-a-sacrifice” line is a tidy reminder that in red, momentum can be brutal but efficient 🧙‍♂️🔥. Yet there’s more to its story than just versatility in a single-judgment scenario—the card’s rarity and print history illuminate how Wizards of the Coast balances draft environments, broader formats, and collector interest.

First, the card’s rarity anchors it as an uncommon in Jumpstart’s drafting universe. Jumpstart itself is a bold experiment in accessibility: two sealed “themes” per pack, designed to be combined to form a playable deck with a minimum of friction. Barrage of Expendables, with its red mana cost of {R} and a one-creature sacrifice trigger, slots neatly into faster, creature-focused red archetypes. In limited settings, this enchantment shines when backed by faster threats or token-generating synergies, turning a single creature into reliable reach against stalled boards. The flavor text—“Goblin generals don’t distinguish between troops and ammunition”—is a wink to goblin chaos and the red god of impulse that runs through Jumpstart’s chaos-pairings 🎲.

From a print-distribution lens, being an uncommon in Jumpstart already signals something about supply and demand. Jumpstart’s design aimed to flood the format with a broad, accessible pool of cards, but uncommon slots are still curated for pacing and deck-building variety. The rarity label matters for collectors and players alike: it tends to be more plentiful than rares or mythics within a given set, yet not as ubiquitous as commons. That middle-ground often translates to a sweet spot for price stability and casual collector interest. In fact, the market snapshot from Scryfall reveals a modest current price around $0.16 (USD) for non-foil copies, with euro pricing hovering just above in many markets. It’s a card that’s affordable to pick up for a Jumpstart-focused collection, but it isn’t so common that it becomes invisible on the shelf ⚔️💎.

Printing reality also matters when we talk about reprints and long-tail value. Barrage of Expendables is listed as a reprint in Jumpstart, which informs how many times it’s likely to reappear in future supplemental products. Reprints can dilute short-term price spikes but help maintain accessibility for new players building red-focused decks. For players chasing strategy, the card’s cost-to-effect ratio remains solid—a single red mana plus a sacrifice to deliver 1 damage—especially in a format designed around quick, reactive plays. The broader print history across Arena and paper formats ensures that the card remains present in the red-enchantment playbook, a reminder that even small, singular effects can influence deck construction and meta ideas for years to come 🧙‍♂️🔥.

“Flavor matters as much as function in red, where quick decisions and bold bets define the game.” — a quick reflection on Jumpstart’s design ethos, where every uncommon can become a memorable moment.

Delving into the numbers gives an additional lens on its place in the ecosystem. The card’s EDHREC rank sits in the mid-teen-thousands, underscoring that while Barrage of Expendables isn’t a staple in the highest-traffic formats, it has a loyal niche among players who love red’s raw, punchy tempo. The Penny Rank and other public-market metrics hint at a card that’s easy to acquire, doesn’t break the bank for new collectors, and can be sprinkled into a variety of red builds without guilt. If you’re building a red-focused cube or a Jumpstart display, this is the kind of piece that seduces with quick, spicy value and a strong thematic hook 💎🎨.

Trevor Claxton’s art gives the card its kinetic personality—a goblin commander’s impulsive energy captured in a clean, high-contrast illustration. The simple frame and bold flavor text make it a memorable piece in any red-themed collection, a staple for players who love to lean into aggression and high-tempo play. As a single-cost aura of risk and reward, Barrage of Expendables exemplifies how a compact effect can ripple through a match, inviting decisions about tempo, trade-offs, and creature preservation. The card’s design also highlights a broader principle in MTG: the finesse of a well-timed sacrifice can convert a seemingly small investment into board-dominating pressure 🔥⚔️.

For modern players and collectors looking to pair practical play with value, Barrage of Expendables remains a go-to reminder that rare or mythic status is not the only path to significance. An uncommon with a clean, playable effect in a well-loved red mechanic feels right at home in Jumpstart’s mission to seed memorable moments across dozens of color identity permutations. It’s also an accessible entry point for newer players exploring how sacrifice mechanics interact with targeted removal and direct-damage spells, a neat microcosm of red’s broader toolkit 🧙‍♂️.

Product spotlight and cross-promotional note

Speaking of practical gear and protection, if you’re crafting a weekend MTG session or streaming your draft-night wins, a rugged phone case can keep your setup safe while you chase those spicy pulls. Check out this rugged case option designed to shield your device during the next tournament sprint: Rugged Phone Case TPU-PC Shell 🧰🎲

More from our network


Barrage of Expendables

Barrage of Expendables

{R}
Enchantment

{R}, Sacrifice a creature: This enchantment deals 1 damage to any target.

Goblin generals don't distinguish between troops and ammunition.

ID: 8b94ff00-0821-4743-b693-2ba310466306

Oracle ID: da7600f6-5d4c-46bf-936a-9e0f0d508e19

Multiverse IDs: 489482

TCGPlayer ID: 216593

Cardmarket ID: 474509

Colors: R

Color Identity: R

Keywords:

Rarity: Uncommon

Released: 2020-07-17

Artist: Trevor Claxton

Frame: 2015

Border: black

EDHRec Rank: 14228

Penny Rank: 11572

Set: Jumpstart (jmp)

Collector #: 292

Legalities

  • Standard — not_legal
  • Future — not_legal
  • Historic — legal
  • Timeless — legal
  • Gladiator — legal
  • Pioneer — legal
  • Modern — legal
  • Legacy — legal
  • Pauper — not_legal
  • Vintage — legal
  • Penny — legal
  • Commander — legal
  • Oathbreaker — legal
  • Standardbrawl — not_legal
  • Brawl — legal
  • Alchemy — not_legal
  • Paupercommander — not_legal
  • Duel — legal
  • Oldschool — not_legal
  • Premodern — not_legal
  • Predh — not_legal

Prices

  • USD: 0.16
  • EUR: 0.21
Last updated: 2025-12-11