Aegis Automaton MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Construct |
| Released | 2017-01-20 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Aether Revolt |
| Set code | AER |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 141 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Kieran Yanner |
Text of card
: Return another target creature you control to its owner's hand.
The streets of Ghirapur have become dangerous. It's good to have a dependable companion.
Cards like Aegis Automaton
Aegis Automaton presents an intriguing dynamic within the realm of creature utility in Magic: The Gathering. Its counterparts, such as Guardian Idol and Golem Foundry, operate within similar functionality. Guardian Idol, an artifact that morphs into a creature, offers a mana boost without the creature restoration ability that Aegis Automaton provides. Conversely, Golem Foundry accumulates charge counters to eventually create golem artifact creatures, a passive ability contrasting the Automaton’s active role in creature defense.
Moving on to Trusty Packbeast, a creature with an ability to return artifacts from the graveyard to hand, it shares the artifact synergy with Aegis Automaton but differs in the approach to artifact utility. Instead of defensive maneuvers, the Packbeast offers card advantage through retrieval. Additionally, Workshop Assistant offers an echo of this retrieval on demise, highlighting the Automaton’s unique proactive protection offered on the battlefield compared to the reactive strategies from others.
Ultimately, Aegis Automaton stands out with its role as a guardian for other creatures, encouraging a strategic protective style of play. This specialized capability to repeatedly bounce creatures to hand makes it a unique component in MTG, with versatile applications across multiple deck types.
Cards similar to Aegis Automaton by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Aegis Automaton doesn’t directly lead to drawing cards, its ability to return another creature to your hand can offset a removal spell or save a key piece from an unfavorable board state, keeping your hand stocked with valuable play options.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a resource accelerator in the traditional sense, Aegis Automaton’s versatility helps maintain board presence. By strategically bouncing creatures back to your hand, you can recast them to trigger enter-the-battlefield effects, thus indirectly gaining the upper hand.
Instant Speed: This card’s activation can be used at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react to your opponent’s moves. You can wait until the opportune moment, whether that’s during combat or in response to an opponent’s spell, to use Aegis Automaton’s return ability, surprising your adversary and potentially disrupting their strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Aegis Automaton demands returning another creature to your hand to activate its ability, potentially causing a loss of board presence. This trade-off can be detrimental, particularly in aggressive strategies where maintaining creatures on the board is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: It requires a combination of colorless and white mana, making it less flexible for decks not heavily invested in white, thus potentially restricting its inclusion to certain archetypes within the game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The activation cost of Aegis Automaton’s ability might seem quite steep, especially when compared to other creatures that can offer similar or better effects for less mana investment. This puts it at a competitive disadvantage, as players often seek the most efficient use of their mana resources.
Reasons to Include Aegis Automaton in Your Collection
Versatility: Aegis Automaton offers flexibility for deck builders with its ability to return other creatures to their owner’s hand. This can be particularly useful in decks that leverage enter-the-battlefield effects or require protection for key creatures.
Combo Potential: With the right setup, Aegis Automaton can become a central piece in combos, especially when paired with creatures that have powerful abilities when they enter the battlefield or leave the play.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to go longer, the repetitive utility offered by Aegis Automaton can continually disrupt opponents’ strategies and provide incremental advantages to secure the win.
How to beat
Aegis Automaton presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to return other creatures to their owner’s hand. To tackle this defensive automaton, it’s essential to disrupt its game plan directly. Target removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can efficiently remove the Aegis Automaton before it can complicate the board state with its abilities. Leaving mana open can also dissuade an opponent from trying to leverage its ability, as the threat of instant-speed interaction can be a powerful deterrent.
Another strategy involves overwhelming the automaton’s controller with aggressive plays that demand more immediate answers than what Aegis Automaton can provide. Reducing their life total quickly makes it less advantageous for them to spend time and resources on activating the automaton’s ability. Additionally, one could include enchantments such as Imprisoned in the Moon or Song of the Dryads that can neutralize the Aegis Automaton without triggering abilities that are activated upon leaving the battlefield.
In essence, dealing with Aegis Automaton involves acknowledging its capability to frustrate your attacks and implementing preemptive measures to ensure it doesn’t become a recurring obstacle. Utilizing a versatile mix of creature removals, counterplays, or transformational enchantments can help in keeping the automatons’ defensive utility in check.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Aegis Automaton MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt, 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 Aegis Automaton and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Aegis Automaton has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |