Armageddon Clock MTG Card

Armageddon Clock may indirectly lead to card advantage by forcing opponent resource depletion. The card’s mana investment from opponents can inadvertently accelerate your resource availability. Despite a high mana cost, Armageddon Clock’s cumulative damage enforces a dynamic game pace.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Text of card

Put one counter on Armageddon Clock during each of your upkeeps. At the end of your upkeep, each player takes damage equal to the number of counters on the Clock. Any player may spend o4 during any upkeep to remove a counter.

Cards like Armageddon Clock

The Armageddon Clock card offers a unique approach to pressure within the MTG realm, similar to enchantments like Manabarbs which also deal damage in association with resource use. Armageddon Clock, however, increments damage over time, inflicting harm not only to opponents but to the player as well. This self-imposed countdown forms an intense race against the clock for both sides of the battlefield.

Sticking to the theme of inevitable peril, we can look at cards like Black Vise. Black Vise punishes opponents with a larger hand, dealing damage in a consistent manner. Unlike Armageddon Clock, Black Vise’s effect is one-sided and can impose a strong sense of urgency on an opponent from the start. Another comparison comes in the form of cards like Havoc Festival, which halve players’ life totals each turn, significantly upping the ante and speeding up the game’s timer for a quick resolution.

At its core, what makes Armageddon Clock stand out is its ability to manipulate the pace of the game, force strategic plays and decisions, and its potential for board-wide impact, making it a compelling pick for players who enjoy controlling the tempo of the match while watching the clocks tick.

Manabarbs - MTG Card versions
Black Vise - MTG Card versions
Havoc Festival - MTG Card versions
Manabarbs - MTG Card versions
Black Vise - MTG Card versions
Havoc Festival - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Despite not drawing cards directly, Armageddon Clock can force an opponent to expend resources to manage the looming threat it presents, potentially leading to indirect card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t accelerate resources in its own right, managing Armageddon Clock often requires a significant mana investment from opponents, which can put the user ahead in terms of available resources.

Instant Speed: Although Armageddon Clock operates at sorcery speed, it establishes a persistent threat each upkeep, demanding immediate attention from opponents and potentially disrupting strategies that rely on instant speed interaction.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Armageddon Clock necessitates a growing discard choice, as it forces players to either remove it from the game or suffer increasing damage. This can intensify the pressure on a player’s resource management, especially in prolonged games where the strategic conservation of cards is key.

Specific Mana Cost: The card demands a dedicated amount of colorless mana to get on the board, which means it may not seamlessly fit into decks that are highly tuned for colored mana synergies. This makes it less flexible across a wide range of deck styles.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a base cost that sets you back four mana, it’s at the higher end of the spectrum, particularly for artifacts that occupy a similar niche. This can slow down your early game significantly and often there are alternative lower cost solutions for control or damage that may be preferred in quicker, more aggressive decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Armageddon Clock can be a versatile addition to a variety of control and ramp decks aiming to apply pressure on opponents while maintaining board stability.

Combo Potential: With the right synergies, the clock can become a pivotal piece of a powerful combo, especially in artifact-centered decks that manipulate counters and benefit from non-creature damage sources.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where long games are prevalent, and attrition strategies are key, Armageddon Clock’s consistent damage output can give you the edge needed to secure victory against entrenched opponents.

How to beat

Confronting the ticking doom of the Armageddon Clock card in a game of Magic: The Gathering can be a challenge. This artifact gradually brings games to a pressured climax by ticking up counters that chip away at each player’s life. To dismantle its looming threat, players should employ artifact removal spells like Disenchant or Krosan Grip, which can send the Clock to the graveyard before its countdown becomes lethal. Another strategy involves redirecting damage using cards like Deflecting Palm or running life-gain strategies to offset the life loss imposed by the Clock.

Cards like Clockspinning can meddle with the time counters themselves, offering a unique method to either accelerate the Clock’s demise when used by an opponent or decelerate it to buy yourself more time. Alternatively, an experienced player could utilize the Clock’s symmetrical effect, carefully orchestrating their gameplay to ensure that their opponent is more affected by the life loss than they are, effectively turning the Clock against them. With the right preparation and tactical responses, the threat of Armageddon Clock can indeed be nullified, turning what could be an endgame scenario into a strategic advantage.

Ultimately, those who adapt and prepare for the worst can flip the impending doom on its head, turning pressure into opportunity within the intricate battlefields of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Armageddon Clock MTG card by a specific set like Antiquities and Foreign Black Border, 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 Armageddon Clock and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Armageddon Clock Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1994-03-04 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by Amy Weber.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-03-04AntiquitiesATQ 371993NormalBlackAmy Weber
21994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 2341993NormalBlackAmy Weber
31994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 2341993NormalWhiteAmy Weber
41994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 2341993NormalWhiteAmy Weber
51995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 2951993NormalWhiteAmy Weber
61995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 2951993NormalBlackAmy Weber
72011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 1801997NormalBlackAmy Weber

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Armageddon Clock has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Players can remove as many counters as they can pay for each turn.