10 Essential Magic: the Gathering Artifacts
Looking to build an artifact-based deck? Artifacts are some of the strongest card types in Magic: The Gathering, with a wide range of powerful cards to build a deck around. Here are 10 essential cards that will have a huge impact on your game and help you build the ultimate artifact deck.
Unwinding Clock
This key card for artifact decks is cheap at just two mana. Unwinding Clock untaps all your artifacts during each player’s untap step, allowing for powerful mana production.
Arcbound Ravager
A staple in tournament decks, Arcbound Ravager can sacrifice artifacts to terrorize the battlefield. It has an impressive +1/+1 counter ability and can rapidly build itself into a threatening creature.
Darksteel Forge
While not cheap at nine mana, Darksteel Forge is worth the investment. It grants all your artifacts indestructible and makes them immune to spells and combat damage.
Academy Ruins
Academy Ruins allows you to return artifact cards from your graveyard to the top of your deck, providing long-term value. This is especially helpful if you’re playing powerful cards like Mox Amber.
Master Transmuter
A versatile creature, Master Transmuter lets you swap artifacts on the battlefield with those in your hand. This bypasses high casting costs and countermagic.
Ashnod’s Altar
Ashnod’s Altar serves as a sacrifice outlet for creature-based decks. It also provides two mana each time a creature is sacrificed to it, enabling powerful combos.
Steel Overseer
Steel Overseer acts as a lord for artifact creatures, granting them a permanent boost with its ability to put +1/+1 counters on each artifact creature you control.
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Tezzeret is an artifact-themed planeswalker that can search for artifacts, draw cards, and drain your opponent’s life based on the number of artifacts you control.
Scourglass
A one-sided board wipe, Scourglass destroys all permanents except artifacts and lands when activated on your upkeep.
Panharmonicon
Panharmonicon doubles the triggered abilities of artifacts and creatures entering the battlefield, amplifying their effects.
Fabricate
Fabricate is a versatile tutor spell that allows you to search your library for an artifact card and add it to your hand.
Aetherflux Reservoir
If you like life gain, Aetherflux Reservoir is the artifact for you. It rewards you with life gain for each spell you cast and has an activated ability that can deal a whopping 50 damage to a target.
These are the 10 essential Magic: the Gathering artifacts you need to build the ultimate artifact deck. For more Magic: the Gathering decks, check out our list of the best decks.
