Let X ⊂ P n k be a smooth projective variety of degree d over a number field k and suppose that X is a counterexample to the Hasse principle explained by the Brauer-Manin obstruction. We consider the question of whether the obstruction is given by the d-primary subgroup of the Brauer group, which would have both theoretic and algorithmic implications. We prove that this question has a positive answer in the case of torsors under abelian varieties, Kummer surfaces and (conditional on finiteness of Tate-Shafarevich groups) bielliptic surfaces. In the case of Kummer surfaces we show, more specifically, that the obstruction is already given by the 2-primary torsion, and indeed that this holds for higher-dimensional Kummer varieties as well. We construct a conic bundle over an elliptic curve that shows that, in general, the answer is no.Question 1.1. Suppose that X ֒→ P n is embedded as a subvariety of degree d in projective space. Does the d-primary subgroup of Br X capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction to rational points on X?More intrinsically, let us say that degrees capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction on X if the d-primary subgroup of Br X captures the Brauer-Manin obstruction to rational points on X for all integers d that are the degree of some k-rational globally generated ample line bundle on X. Since any such line bundle determines a degree d morphism to projective space and conversely, it is clear that the answer to Question 1.1 is affirmative when degrees capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction.1.1. Summary of results. In general, the answer to Question 1.1 can be no (see the discussion in §1.2). However, there are many interesting classes of varieties for which the answer is yes. We prove that degrees capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction for torsors under abelian varieties, for Kummer surfaces, and, assuming finiteness of Tate-Shafarevich groups of elliptic curves, for bielliptic surfaces. We also deduce (from various results appearing in the literature) that degrees capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction for all geometrically rational minimal surfaces.Assuming finiteness of Tate-Shafarevich groups, one can deduce the result for torsors under abelian varieties rather easily from a theorem of Manin (see Remark 4.4 and Proposition 4.9). In §4 we unconditionally prove the following much stronger result.Theorem 1.2. Let X be a k-torsor under an abelian variety, let B ⊂ Br X be any subgroup, and let d be any multiple of the period of X. In particular, d could be taken to be the degree of a k-rational globally generated ample line bundle.This not only shows that degrees capture the Brauer-Manin obstruction (apply the theorem with B = Br X), but also that the Brauer classes with order relatively prime to d cannot provide any obstructions to the existence of rational points. Remark 1.3. As one ranges over all torsors of period d under all abelian varieties over number fields, elements of arbitrarily large order in of (Br V )[d ∞ ] are required to produce the obstruction (see Proposition 4.10).We use Theorem 1.2 to ded...