Altar of the Goyf MTG Card

Drawing cards when dealing combat damage can lead to a superior hand and strategic advantage. It can transform any creature into a formidable force, leveraging graveyard card types effectively. Altar of the Goyf’s high mana cost and specific activation requirements may limit its versatility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeTribal Artifact — Lhurgoyf

Text of card

Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of card types among cards in all graveyards. Lhurgoyf creatures you control have trample.

"What dies grows the [illegible]" —Clawed-out statue inscription

Cards like Altar of the Goyf

Altar of the Goyf is a unique lure in the universe of Magic: The Gathering, blending elements of creature enhancement with tribal synergies. This resonates with the power dynamics seen in cards like Tribal Unity, which also amplifies the strength of creatures sharing a type. However, the Altar of the Goyf is distinctive in its ability to potentially transform any creature into a considerable threat, given the amount of card types in all graveyards, not just those with shared types.

Examining another parallel, Door of Destinies offers a comparable mechanic in the sense that it strengthens creatures based on tribal associations, growing stronger with each spell cast. While Door of Destinies is more focused on long-term growth within a single tribe, Altar of the Goyf’s versatility lies in its immediate impact on the board, leveraging the diverse archetypes found in any graveyard. Finally, Coat of Arms stands as an iconic example of tribal synergy, exponentially increasing a creature’s power and toughness. Unlike the Altar, Coat of Arms affects all creatures on the battlefield, often leading to a balanced power shift rather than a personal tactical advantage.

Comparing these options reveals the specialized niche that Altar of the Goyf fills, offering a dynamic tool for players looking to turn any creature into a potent force while skillfully playing around the graveyard’s varied card types.

Tribal Unity - MTG Card versions
Door of Destinies - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Tribal Unity - MTG Card versions
Door of Destinies - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Altar of the Goyf doesn’t just bolster your battlefield presence but also paves the way for potential card advantage. Each time a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, if Altar of the Goyf is attached, you may draw a card. This continuous draw mechanic can rapidly refill your hand, providing a steady stream of options throughout the game.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct resource accelerator, Altar of the Goyf can indirectly speed up your resource gain. By potentially increasing the power of the equipped creature based on the number of card types in all graveyards, it can lead to faster knockouts and winning conditions, maximizing your turns and preserving other resources.

Instant Speed: The efficiency of any MTG card often hinges on its ability to operate at instant speed. While Altar of the Goyf itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with cards played at instant speed that fill the graveyard, thus powering up the Goyf during unexpected moments and creating advantageous battlefield shifts mid-combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Altar of the Goyf mandates you relinquish a creature card from your hand to unleash its full potential. This can backfire when your hand is lacking ample cards, possibly leaving you in a bind.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact’s activation isn’t flexible, necessitating a precise combination of one green and one colorless mana. Decks that don’t heavily feature green might struggle to consistently meet this requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The five total mana to bring Altar of the Goyf into play can be steep, especially when you consider other options in the game. Certain cards might provide similar or more advantageous effects for a lower investment, making them potentially more appealing for deck inclusion.

Reasons to Include Altar of the Goyf in Your Collection

Versatility: Altar of the Goyf is not just another tribal card. Its ability to function as a Lhurgoyf-boosting artifact makes it a unique choice for a variety of decks, especially those centered around creature strategies.

Combo Potential: It holds the power to turn any creature into a Lhurgoyf with its dynamic ability, pairing seamlessly with strategies that capitalize on creature types or graveyard synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based combat is ever-prevalent, having Altar of the Goyf can be a crucial pivot point, enhancing creature decks to compete effectively within the shifting tides of the meta-game.

How to beat Altar of the Goyf

Overcoming the challenge presented by the Altar of the Goyf card can be a crucial turning point in any MTG game. This artifact card, which functions as a formidable tribal booster, requires a strategic approach. Although it has the potential to grow quite powerful with Lhurgoyf creatures, there are tactics to diminish its impact on the game.

One effective strategy is to limit the number of creature cards in graveyards, as Altar of the Goyf’s strength is directly tied to this number. Employing graveyard management cards like Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze can hinder the Goyf’s growth. Alternatively, running artifact destruction spells or abilities provides a direct way to rid the battlefield of the Altar itself. Cards such as Naturalize or Shatter can effectively neutralize it as a threat. Additionally, including counterspells in your deck ensures that you can prevent Altar of the Goyf from hitting the field entirely, thereby sidestepping its potential effect on the game.

With calculated moves and the right card choices, players can contain the Altar of the Goyf and maintain a competitive edge in their matches.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Altar of the Goyf MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2 and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Altar of the Goyf and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Altar of the Goyf Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by Yeong-Hao Han.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 2202015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 7332015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
32024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 2822015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Altar of the Goyf has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Altar of the Goyf card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2021-06-18 A creature attacks alone if it's the only creature declared as an attacker during the declare attackers step (including creatures controlled by your teammates, if applicable). For example, Altar of the Goyf's first ability won't trigger if you attack with multiple creatures and all but one of them are removed from combat.
2021-06-18 If Altar of the Goyf somehow becomes a creature and the effect allows to keep its other types, it will give itself trample.
2021-06-18 The card types that can appear in a graveyard are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. Legendary, basic, and snow are supertypes, not card types; Aura and Lhurgoyf are subtypes, not card types.
2021-06-18 Tribal is a card type that allows noncreature cards to have creature types. Altar of the Goyf is a Lhurgoyf (although not a creature) while on the battlefield, and a Lhurgoyf card (although not a creature card) in zones other than the battlefield.