Fractal Harness MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Key Takeaways

  1. Fractal Harness promises scalable creatures and advantages in resourcing, shifting dynamics in your favor.
  2. It may challenge deck diversity and strain resources due to specific costs and discard requirements.
  3. The card’s flexibility and meta-relevance make it a potent addition to decks that focus on counters.

Text of card

When Fractal Harness enters the battlefield, create a 0/0 green and blue Fractal creature token. Put X +1/+1 counters on it and attach Fractal Harness to it. Whenever equipped creature attacks, double the number of +1/+1 counters on it. Equip


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fractal Harness offers players the potential for significant card advantage, notably when they’re able to multiply the counters and create a massive creature that can become a focal point of their strategy on the battlefield. This maximizes the card’s impact and can tilt the game in their favor.

Resource Acceleration: The modular nature of Fractal Harness plays well with mana production, making it a resource acceleration asset. As you cast it with a higher X value, you’re not only putting a creature into play but also ensuring that the investment scales with the game’s pace, which can accelerate your board presence dramatically.

Instant Speed: While Fractal Harness itself does not operate at instant speed, the value increase it provides to creatures can instantly turn the tide of battle, particularly if used in conjuncture with other instant-speed interactions in your deck. Hence, it indirectly compliments the strategic depth of an instant-speed dynamic within a match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike other modular options available in MTG, Fractal Harness necessitates discarding a card to leverage its proliferate feature. This can be especially problematic in decks that are already depleting their hand to maintain a presence on the board, making the cost sometimes too steep in games where resource conservation is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Fractal Harness commands a somewhat rigid mana cost involving both generic and green mana. This specificity may restrict its inclusion to only green or green-combo decks, thereby limiting its flexibility across the broader MTG play environment.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial mana value that may reach up to four and an additional two mana for each use of its proliferate ability, Fractal Harness can be relatively expensive. As players seek efficiency in their deckbuilding, the cost of this card may deter them, particularly when other cards provide similar benefits without such a hefty mana investment.


Reasons to Include Fractal Harness in Your Collection

Versatility: Fractal Harness is a flexible card that can be slotted into multiple deck archetypes, particularly those that optimize +1/+1 counters or proliferate strategies. It can swiftly turn any creature into a formidable threat, making it a useful tool in a variety of situations.

Combo Potential: The potential of this card in combo setups is significant. Utilize it with cards that double +1/+1 counters or with those that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield with counters on them to unleash powerful interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that increasingly values cards that can adapt and provide incremental advantage, Fractal Harness stands out. Its modular trigger when casting aligns perfectly with these game styles, offering a unique advantage against numerous popular decks.


How to beat

Fractal Harness is a unique card that brings both adaptability and power to the table in the world of MTG. This multifaceted artifact can create a massive creature that may seem overwhelming at first glance. However, like any formidable card, there are strategies to outmaneuver its presence on the battlefield. One effective method is prioritizing the removal of the harness itself before the tokens become too large. Artifact destruction cards can efficiently handle this task.

Another approach is to hinder the proliferation of the eponymous fractal tokens. This can be achieved through cards that limit token generation or by using spells that change creature base power and toughness to invalidate the growth potential of the tokens. Board wipes are also a reliable solution, as they can reset the field regardless of how vast the fractal tokens have grown. Importantly, keeping a close watch on your opponent’s mana pool is essential, as the formidable capabilities of Fractal Harness heavily rely on available resources.

Ultimately, success against Fractal Harness comes from maintaining control over the board state and being preemptive in your actions. By deploying these strategies, you can ensure that the harness’s potential impact is curtailed, keeping your chances in the game strong.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the realm of MTG with a strategic mindset and harness the potential of Fractal Harness. As we’ve explored its strengths and weaknesses, it’s clear that this card can be a game-changer in the right deck. Combining its scale-up abilities with your playstyle can create unstoppable creatures and tip the scales in your favor. Consider the flexibility and power it offers, and remember to mitigate its downsides with smart deck building. Looking to refine your strategy and optimize your MTG arsenal? Join our community of players and elevate your game with each shuffle and draw. Discover new decks, strategies, and insight with us, so your next battle on the planes is one step closer to victory.


Cards like Fractal Harness

Fractal Harness is a unique card from the Strixhaven set, captivating Magic the Gathering players with its ability to not only amass a sizable creature but also to scale over time. In the realm of +1/+1 counters and creature growth, cards like Hardened Scales come to mind. This enchantment, though less directly impactful, steadily bolsters your creatures, much like Fractal Harness can with its growth potential.

Comparatively, there’s Doubling Season, a potent card known for doubling the number of +1/+1 counters placed on creatures. While Doubling Season affects the entire battlefield and isn’t restricted to a single creature, Fractal Harness focuses its effect on a singular, potentially overpowering, creature. Another relevant card is Increasing Savagery, which can place a large number of +1/+1 counters all at once but lacks the modular ability that Fractal Harness provides, offering flexibility in mana investment for different stages of the game.

Ultimately, while there are numerous cards in Magic the Gathering that interact with +1/+1 counter mechanics, Fractal Harness establishes its place by providing a scalable threat that can adapt to the ebb and flow of the match, illustrating its unique position within the pantheon of growth-centric MTG cards.

Hardened Scales - MTG Card versions
Doubling Season - MTG Card versions
Increasing Savagery - MTG Card versions
Hardened Scales - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Doubling Season - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Increasing Savagery - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Fractal Harness by color, type and mana cost

Horn of Ramos - MTG Card versions
Chitterspitter - MTG Card versions
Scepter of Celebration - MTG Card versions
Simian Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Evolving Door - MTG Card versions
Sequence Engine - MTG Card versions
Dodgy Jalopy - MTG Card versions
Heartwood Shard - MTG Card versions
Tangleroot - MTG Card versions
Elf Replica - MTG Card versions
Weatherseed Totem - MTG Card versions
Sylvok Replica - MTG Card versions
Lifecrafter's Bestiary - MTG Card versions
Spiked Ripsaw - MTG Card versions
Webspinner Cuff - MTG Card versions
Saddle of the Cavalier - MTG Card versions
Jade Orb of Dragonkind - MTG Card versions
A-Jade Orb of Dragonkind - MTG Card versions
Bone Sabres - MTG Card versions
Vegetation Abomination - MTG Card versions
Horn of Ramos - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Chitterspitter - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Scepter of Celebration - New Capenna Commander (NCC)
Simian Simulacrum - The Brothers' War Promos (PBRO)
Evolving Door - Streets of New Capenna (SNC)
Sequence Engine - Commander 2021 (C21)
Dodgy Jalopy - New Capenna Commander (NCC)
Heartwood Shard - Mirrodin (MRD)
Tangleroot - Mirrodin (MRD)
Elf Replica - Mirrodin (MRD)
Weatherseed Totem - Time Spiral (TSP)
Sylvok Replica - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Lifecrafter's Bestiary - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Spiked Ripsaw - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Webspinner Cuff - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Saddle of the Cavalier - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Jade Orb of Dragonkind - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)
A-Jade Orb of Dragonkind - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)
Bone Sabres - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Vegetation Abomination - Unfinity (UNF)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fractal Harness MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander 2021, 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 Fractal Harness and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Fractal Harness Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-04-23 and 2021-04-23. Illustrated by Yeong-Hao Han.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 901642015normalblackYeong-Hao Han
22021-04-23Commander 2021C21 612015normalblackYeong-Hao Han
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 3882015normalblackYeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fractal Harness has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-04-16 If you put Fractal Harness onto the battlefield without casting it, or if you choose 0 as the value of X, the token you create will be 0/0. Unless something else is raising its toughness, that token will enter the battlefield and die before you could take any actions.
2021-04-16 To double the number of +1/+1 counters on a permanent, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number it already has. Other cards that interact with putting counters on it will interact with this effect accordingly.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks