Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass MTG Card
2023-11-17 - Number 10
2023-11-17 - Number 22
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Artifact |
| Abilities | Craft,Mill |
Text of card
When Altar of the Wretched enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a nontoken creature. If you do, draw X cards, then mill X cards, where X is that creature's power. Craft with one or more creatures : Return Altar of the Wretched from your graveyard to your hand.
Cards like Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass
The Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass brings a unique dynamic to the game for players exploring new deck strategies. When assessing the Altar of the Wretched, it’s evident that its ability to potentially modify creature abilities grants a tactical advantage. Mirroring effects can be seen in other game components like Xenic Poltergeist, which transforms noncreature artifacts into creatures while still retaining their original functions.
Shifting into the Wretched Bonemass side, this card summons a formidable creature with the capacity to fortify its power steadily by feeding on nontoken creatures in your graveyard. This recursive interaction echoes with cards such as Nighthowler, which also grows stronger by exploiting the graveyard. However, Wretched Bonemass carries the inherent flexibility of being an artifact in its other form, offering a strategic edge that Nighthowler lacks. In contrast, Lord of Extinction is another card that flourishes off graveyard contents but counts all cards, not just creatures, which may give it a broader scope in matches densely populated with cards in graveyards.
Comparing these elements points to Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass as a versatile candidate for players who value adaptive gameplay and resource optimization, certainly etching its place in the diverse world of utility cards.
Cards similar to Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you engage with Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass, the dual-faced nature of the card means you’re effectively getting two functional elements in one. This kind of utility can often lead to substantial card advantage as it flexibly adapts to the evolving needs of your game strategy.
Resource Acceleration: Should you deploy the Wretched Bonemass side, its ability to potentially generate token creatures can, directly and indirectly, hasten your resource development. Token creatures can serve as blockers, attackers, or be sacrificed for various in-game benefits, effectively speeding up your game progression.
Instant Speed: The ability of Altar of the Wretched to transform at instant speed offers the pivotal edge of adaptability. It enables reactive play, timing transformation for optimal strategic impact, and can catch opponents unprepared, all while keeping your mana allocation flexible for concurrent play options.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Altar of the Wretched demands a discard from your hand in order to activate its ability. In a scenario where your hand is limited or the situation calls for maximizing every card, this prerequisite can be onerous and could potentially backfire by depleting crucial resources.
Specific Mana Cost: To bring Wretched Bonemass into play, not just one but two black mana are necessary. This specified cost could constrain its placement to predominantly black-oriented decks, therefore restricting its versatility and ubiquity across various deck builds that might benefit from its attributes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Casting Wretched Bonemass requires a total of five mana, which is not insubstantial. Considering the pace of some matches and the plethora of alternative creatures and spells at similar or lesser cost, it becomes important to weigh the strategic merit of including such a card in your lineup against its mana expenditure.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass showcases flexibility that aligns with multiple deck themes, adapting well to strategies that leverage life loss or creature sacrifice for gain.
Combo Potential: The flip card’s ability to convert creatures into card advantage or to fill the graveyard sets the stage for potent synergies with reanimator tactics or abilities that trigger from dying creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames where graveyard strategies are prevalent, including it in your collection can provide an edge by disrupting opponents while fueling your own game plan through its transformative gameplay.
How to beat
Confronting Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass in MTG requires a well-tuned strategy. This fearsome card stands out for its unique capability to take control of an opponent’s creature by amassing enough Wretched counters. To effectively neutralize this threat, one might consider employing removal spells that target enchantments to dismantle the Altar of the Wretched before it accrues significant power.
Alternatively, when dealing with Wretched Bonemass, keeping the battlefield clear of creatures could stifle its looming menace. Focus on maintaining a lineup of noncreature spells or using direct removal when it transforms to prevent your opponent from taking advantage of its powerful ability. Additionally, including graveyard hate cards in your deck to exile Wretched Bonemass may prove invaluable, as it prevents the Altar from being a recurring threat.
Strategically planned gameplay that emphasizes prompt disruption can effectively subdue the dangers posed by Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass. It’s crucial to preemptively control the board state and recognize the critical moment to break the synergy before it overwhelms you. By disrupting this card’s mechanics, you can protect your side of the battlefield and secure advantage.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander, 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 Wretched // Wretched Bonemass and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-11-17 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Helge C. Balzer.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander | LCC | 10 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Helge C. Balzer | |
| 2 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander | LCC | 22 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Helge C. Balzer |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | Craft abilities are activated abilities with costs that have a mana component as well as an additional "materials" component. |
| 2023-11-10 | Craft abilities are written "Craft with -aterials] -ana]", which means " -ana], Exile this permanent, Exile -aterials] from among permanents you control and/or cards in your graveyard: Return this card to the battlefield transformed under its owner's control. Activate only as a sorcery." |
| 2023-11-10 | If a card that isn't a transforming double-faced card becomes a copy of a card with craft, it'll stay in exile if you activate the craft ability. It won't return to the battlefield. |
| 2023-11-10 | If any of the exiled cards has a characteristic-defining ability that defines its power and/or toughness, that ability will apply. For example, if you used Souls of the Lost to craft Wretched Bonemass, its power and toughness while in exile are determined by the number of permanent cards in your graveyard, and Wretched Bonemass's power and toughness will change as the number of permanent cards in your graveyard changes. If the characteristic-defining ability can't be applied, then use 0. |
| 2023-11-10 | If the materials required include multiple objects, you may exile some of them from among permanents you control and the rest from among cards in your graveyard. You don't have to choose all permanents or all cards from your graveyard. |
| 2023-11-10 | The back faces of some cards with craft refer to cards "used to craft" it. This refers to the cards exiled as part of the cost of the craft ability of the front face. Those cards are considered to be "used to craft" that permanent as long as they remain exiled and the permanent remains on the battlefield, even if the permanent's controller changes or some of its characteristics change (because of a copy effect, for example.) |
| 2023-11-10 | You may exile tokens you control as part of the materials required. However, because they aren't cards and won't stay in exile, any abilities that refer to what you "used to craft" the back faces won't refer to anything. |