Mystical Tutor: Uncovering Artifacts | Learn Magic the Gathering

Greg Montique
Mar 10
3 min read

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, artifacts are like that one friend who somehow fits into every group—they go with anything, show up in the most unexpected places, and sometimes completely take over the party. Whether you’re playing a deck full of fiery Goblins, ice-slinging wizards, or cosmic horrors, there’s always room for a good artifact (or twenty).

So, what exactly are artifacts in Magic: the Gathering, and why do they have such a massive impact on the game? Let’s break it down, from the humble mana rock to the game-warping nonsense that makes your pod question your deck-building choices. Let's learn Magic: the Gathering!

What Are Artifacts?

In simple terms, artifacts are colorless permanents that represent magical objects, weapons, machines, and relics. They usually don’t require colored mana to cast, meaning they can fit into any deck (which is part of what makes them so versatile).

Artifacts come in many forms:

Mana Rocks – Help you ramp up your mana supply (Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Arcane Signet).
Equipment – Give your creatures cool upgrades (Lightning Greaves, Sword of Feast and Famine).
Vehicles – Because sometimes, your creatures just feel the need for speed. (Smuggler’s Copter, Parhelion II).
The Broken Ones – Artifacts so strong they probably shouldn’t exist (Black Lotus, The One Ring, Mox anything).

Basically, if you can imagine a magical or sci-fi object, it probably exists as an artifact in Magic.

Artifacts: The Good, The Bad, and The Overpowered

The Good – Every Deck Loves a Mana Rock

Artifacts are at their best when they’re making your deck more consistent. Ever had a game where you’re stuck with one land and a dream? A good artifact can save you.

Sol Ring – Every Commander deck’s best friend, because turn one, two extra mana is just unfair.
Arcane Signet – Fixes your mana in any color and is basically an auto-include in Commander.
Mind Stone – Early mana ramp that can later be cashed in for a card? Sign me up.

The Bad – Artifacts That Look Good, But… Eh?

Not all artifacts are created equal. Some seem powerful, but in reality, they’re just sitting there collecting dust while you lose the game.

Door to Nothingness – Sure, it instantly wins the game for you, but first, you need 10 mana in five different colors. Good luck with that.
Elbrus, the Binding Blade – Ooh, a seven-mana Equipment that does absolutely nothing until you flip it. Hope you like waiting!
Dragon’s Claw (and friends) – The “gain 1 life every time someone plays a red spell” cycle. Fun in theory, but let’s be honest—you could be playing something better.

The Overpowered – Artifacts That Ruin Friendships

Some artifacts are so powerful that they’ve shaped entire formats, won tournaments, or made your playgroup ban them from the kitchen table.

Black Lotus – Three free mana, no downside. The holy grail of MTG cards. Good luck affording one!
The Mox Family (Mox Pearl, Mox Ruby, etc.) – Free mana that lets you play stuff way before you should be allowed to.
The One Ring – Card draw for days, protection, and a looming sense of doom. Tolkien would be proud.
Winter Orb – “Hey, what if nobody got to untap their lands? That’d be fun, right?” Said no one ever.

Artifact Removal – How to Stop the Madness

With all these powerful artifacts running around, you might be wondering: How do I stop them before they ruin my day? Don’t worry, Magic has answers:

Disenchant/Naturalize – The classics. Simple, effective, and satisfying.
Vandalblast – Destroy all your opponents’ artifacts for five mana? Yes, please.
Shatterstorm – “Artifacts? Never heard of ‘em.”
Collector Ouphe – A walking Null Rod that just shuts a ton of artifacts down completely. He has no friends, only things.

Learn Magic the Gathering: Artifacts Are Fun

Artifacts are a huge part of Magic: The Gathering, adding versatility, power, and sometimes pure nonsense to the game. Whether you’re using them to speed up your deck, equip your creatures with legendary weapons, or just ruin your friends’ lives, there’s no denying that artifacts make MTG even more interesting.

You can find all of these cards and more over at our friends at TCG Player!

What’s your favorite (or least favorite) artifact in Magic? Drop your picks in the comments below—unless it’s Winter Orb. In that case, we need to have a serious talk.