A-Plate Armor MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | A-32 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Martina Pilcerova |
Key Takeaways
- Equipping creatures with A-Plate Armor significantly tips the scales, providing a daunting presence on the battlefield.
- The instant speed adaptation delivers a tactical edge, while the discard cost demands strategic hand management.
- Its versatility and meta relevance make A-Plate Armor a coveted addition to many MTG players’ collections.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase A-Plate Armor MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the A-Plate Armor and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +3/+3 and has ward . (Whenever equipped creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays .) Equip . This ability costs less to activate for each other Equipment you control.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Equipping A-Plate Armor can turn any creature into a significant threat, increasing the value of every creature you draw and play. It can effectively transform otherwise unassuming creatures into major players on the battlefield, maintaining or even tipping the balance of card advantage in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although A-Plate Armor itself doesn’t generate additional resources, its relatively low equip cost can be seen as a form of acceleration. It allows for efficient use of mana, enabling you to deploy other spells or creatures while still upgrading your board presence significantly.
Instant Speed: While A-Plate Armor is not an instant itself, the ability to equip at instant speed provides incredible flexibility. You can respond to how your opponent’s turn unfolds, adapt to removals or combat tricks, and maximize the surprise factor and tactical advantage provided by this powerful equipment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A card such as A-Plate Armor requires a player to discard a card to utilize its abilities fully. This discard can often be disadvantageous, especially when a player’s hand is running on fumes. Each discarded card represents potential strategies and resources lost, thus making the discard requirement a significant consideration before you decide to include this piece of equipment in your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: Like many specialized equipment cards, A-Plate Armor comes with a specific mana cost that demands a dedicated slot in your mana curve. This specificity can sometimes derail your game plan, particularly if you’re running a multi-color deck with a tight mana base. Ensuring you have the right type of mana available at the right time can be a stumbling block, restricting this card’s playability to only certain deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment needed to get A-Plate Armor on the field and equipped is not negligible. Its mana cost may be high when compared to other equipment cards, which could provide similar or better bonuses for less mana. Players need to weigh this card’s benefits against its comparatively high mana cost to gauge its true value within their deck’s structure and strategy.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: A-Plate Armor can be a valuable addition to a wide range of decks, thanks to its ability to equip creatures of any type. This card brings adaptability to the table, enhancing creatures to withstand your opponent’s strategies.
Combo Potential: With the right synergies, this equipment can do more than just buff your creatures—it can become the linchpin of potent combos. Whether it’s enabling stronger attacks or fortifying your defensive line, A-Plate Armor has the potential to be a game-changer.
Meta-Relevance: Given the equipment’s utility in various formats, it remains relevant in numerous meta-environments. It can be particularly useful in matchups where durability and power boosts are critical for maintaining board presence.
How to beat
A Plate Armor presents a challenge for players competing against equipped creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This armor bolsters a creature’s stats significantly, making them tougher to dispatch. It’s refreshingly straightforward as an artifact, easy to bring out, and attach. Giving a creature a boost in both offense and defense, along with Ward, can be a game-changer.
To tackle the advantage A Plate Armor provides, removal spells that circumvent Ward are an optimal choice. Consider actions like board wipes or mass removal, which can clear the field without targeting and thus bypassing Ward. Spells that force opponents to sacrifice creatures also prove effective since they don’t target either. Having enchantment removal at the ready is crucial too, as A Plate Armor can quickly turn even the most mundane creature into a significant threat.
Overall, while A Plate Armor can give your opponent’s creatures a meaty advantage, it’s far from unbeatable. By having the right tools and strategies in your deck, you can dismantle the armor’s protection and maintain the upper hand in your duels.
Cards like A-Plate Armor
A-Plate Armor is an intriguing equipment card that finds its place among various protective gear choices in Magic: The Gathering. It sits alongside items like the notable Swiftfoot Boots, which also grants hexproof and has the added bonus of giving haste. However, A-Plate Armor offers the flexibility of not only buffing a creature’s toughness but also its power, paralleling the holistic improvement like that of Sword of the Animist, though without the land-ramp ability.
Likeness can be drawn with other equipment such as the venerable Whispersilk Cloak. Both provide solid protection but diverge in execution; the Cloak grants unblockable to the creature it equips, a strategic advantage that A-Plate Armor misses. Nonetheless, A-Plate Armor is more cost-efficient in terms of equip cost, highlighting its usability especially in aggressive strategies.
In sum, when delving into the world of MTG’s equipment cards, A-Plate Armor emerges as a cost-efficient and practical choice for those looking to boost their creatures’ capabilities. Its balance between power increase and protective features makes it a viable option in various deck builds that prioritize resilience and strength on the battlefield.
Cards similar to A-Plate Armor by color, type and mana cost
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where A-Plate Armor has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |