Sandals of Abdallah MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact
Released	1993-12-17
Set symbol
Set name	Arabian Nights
Set code	ARN
Number	69
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dan Frazier

Key Takeaways

Enables unblockable creature attacks, altering the flow of combat and enhancing strategic plays.
Instant speed activation offers surprise combat manipulation, potentially disrupting opponent’s plans.
High mana cost and specific color requirements may limit its integration across various deck types.

Text of card

: Gives one creature islandwalk ability until end of turn. If that creature is destroyed before end of turn, so are Sandals.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Sandals of Abdallah don’t provide direct card draw, they enable the tactical benefit of bypassing potential blockers, effectively ensuring your crucial creatures make an impact and potentially prolonging their presence on the board.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct ramp tool, the Sandals of Abdallah offers a unique form of resource acceleration by saving mana you might otherwise spend on spells or abilities to control or bypass opponent’s creatures. This can afford you the flexibility to deploy other resources more efficiently.

Instant Speed: One of this card’s subtle strengths is its ability to be activated at instant speed, creating surprise combat scenarios. This can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, especially during their combat phase, by unexpectedly removing a potential blocker from the equation.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To leverage the untapping ability of Sandals of Abdallah, a player must discard a card, which could be detrimental when hand size is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: The artifact demands a dedicated mana investment of one blue and three other mana, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks that can easily generate this specific combination.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of four mana to cast, Sandals of Abdallah competes with other four-mana artifacts and enchantments that might provide a more impactful presence or immediate utility on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Sandals of Abdallah in Your Collection

Versatility: Sandals of Abdallah offers a unique ability to grant unblockable status to a creature. This can be a game-changer in various decks that focus on direct damage or require specific creatures to connect with an opponent for a win condition.

Combo Potential: This card can be part of intricate strategies, particularly in conjunction with cards that benefit from dealing combat damage to a player. Such interactions can exploit the evasive ability Sandals of Abdallah confers, making it a linchpin in decks designed around such mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where combat steps are crucial, ensuring your key creatures can avoid blockers can alter the outcome. Sandals of Abdallah can make a creature virtually unstoppable in combat, which can be pertinent in metas that lack ample removal or are heavy with creatures.

How to beat

Confronting the Sandals of Abdallah in Magic: The Gathering can be a nuanced challenge. This card, with its unique blend of abilities, has the potential to control the flow of combat by providing defensive capabilities to the equipped creature. Stepping into play with an ability to prevent creatures from attacking, this artifact can be an obstacle for aggressive decks that rely on overwhelming their opponents.

To counteract the Sandals of Abdallah effectively, consider employing artifact destruction spells or abilities that specifically target enchantments and equipments. This strategy undercuts the Sandals’ control, enabling your army to push through. Tactics such as shroud or hexproof can also be advantageous, as they protect your creatures from becoming the target of the Sandals’ abilities. Additionally, leveraging instant-speed removal during the equip phase disrupts the intended play, causing a setback for the card’s wielder and maintaining the momentum on your side of the battlefield.

Overall, while the Sandals of Abdallah carry a certain allure with their tactical benefit, remember that they are not invulnerable. By prioritizing removal resources and anticipating their appearance, you can dismantle their influence and keep the game in your favor.

Cards like Sandals of Abdallah

When exploring the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Sandals of Abdallah offer an unexpected yet nostalgic utility in gameplay. They transport us to the days of old-school MTG where artifacts had more unique effects. Comparable in its purpose to control opponents’ creatures is the card Control Magic. While Control Magic takes full command of a target creature as long as it remains on the battlefield, Sandals of Abdallah only grants you temporary control and imposes a restriction requiring an untapped Desert land.

In this context, we could also look at Vedalken Shackles, an artifact that similarly seizes creatures, conditional upon the number of Islands you control. It provides a degree of flexibility the Sandals lack, with the ability to retake different creatures as your strategy evolves. Yet, the Shackles require a mana investment each time you want to change targets.

Despite not being the most powerful artifact in the MTG arsenal, Sandals of Abdallah has its niche. Its uniqueness lies in blending creature control with land interaction. There may be artifacts and enchantments that lock down creatures more efficiently, but for players who appreciate a blend of thematic flair and strategic depth, Sandals of Abdallah can be a quirky and enjoyable choice.

Cards similar to Sandals of Abdallah by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sandals of Abdallah MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights, 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 Sandals of Abdallah and other MTG cards: