Sharpened Pitchfork MTG Card

Innistrad (ISD)
2011-09-30 - Number 232

Sharpened Pitchfork - Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)

Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed (DDQ)
2016-02-26 - Number 32

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip

Key Takeaways

Increases creature impact on the board, leading to indirect card advantage through more efficient tactics.
Sharpened Pitchfork resonates well with swift gameplay due to its low cost and quick equip ability.
Despite its advantageous low equip cost, Sharpened Pitchfork’s demands may limit deck-building flexibility.

Text of card

Equipped creature has first strike. As long as equipped creature is a Human, it gets +1/+1. Equip

Not everyone can have a sword of blessed silver. Not everyone needs one, either.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Sharpened Pitchfork may not allow you to draw cards directly, it enables your creatures to become more impactful by giving them a power boost and possibly stronger board presence, indirectly leading to card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Sharpened Pitchfork is modestly costed which means it gets onto the battlefield quickly, augmenting your creatures without a significant investment of resources. This allows for a faster development of your game plan and the ability to allocate resources elsewhere.

Instant Speed: Even though Sharpened Pitchfork is not an instant, it equips at such a low cost that it can easily be incorporated into your strategy during your main phase without hindering your ability to play other spells or hold up mana for potential responses during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Wielding a Sharpened Pitchfork comes with strings attached as it necessitates a certain type of card to be in play, forcing you to possibly discard other beneficial cards to maintain its presence on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: The Pitchfork’s casting cost demands specific mana, which may not seamlessly fit into every deck’s mana base, especially those that run a multitude of colors and strive for flexibility in their mana spending.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment for equipping a creature with the Sharpened Pitchfork can be considered steep in a game where action economy is paramount; there are alternative equipments or buffs that are more cost-effective and may provide greater benefits for a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Sharpened Pitchfork in Your Collection

Versatility: Sharpened Pitchfork is a straightforward equipment card that can be adapted to fit in a variety of decks, especially those oriented around creatures. As it grants first strike, it can transform even the most basic creature into a formidable blocker or attacker.

Combo Potential: With its ability to bolster a creature’s power and toughness alongside providing first strike, Sharpened Pitchfork works well in synergy with strategies that exploit these stats increases. It’s particularly useful in decks that look to exploit combat tricks or that have a theme around equipped creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where creature-based strategies are prominent, an equipped creature with an edge like first strike can be a game-changer. Sharpened Pitchfork’s low equip cost makes it an accessible option for tweaking your deck to better navigate the current meta, enhancing the survivability and threat level of your creatures on the battlefield.

How to beat

Sharpened Pitchfork is a unique artifact in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering. By boosting any human creature, it can quickly alter the battlefield dynamics. While it may seem like a simple equipment, its ability to grant a significant power and toughness increase alongside first strike can catch many players off guard. However, understanding its mechanics is the first step to countering its effect.

Artifact removal spells are your primary weapon against the Sharpened Pitchfork. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant can dispatch the Pitchfork from play, rendering any buff it provided null and void. It’s also important to keep in mind the types of creatures it can affect. As a card that specifically interacts with human creatures, focusing removal or control spells on those creatures can mitigate the pitchfork’s impact.

Sharpened Pitchfork requires a strategic approach to overcome. Playing around the equipment’s limitations and knowing when to remove it or the creature it’s attached to can turn the tide in your favor. By carefully choosing your targets and timing your spells, you can neutralize the threat posed by this deceptively powerful card.

Cards like Sharpened Pitchfork

Sharpened Pitchfork stands out among the range of equipment cards in Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to cards like Skeleton Key, which provides skulk and the ability to loot. However, Sharpened Pitchfork offers something different – it boosts not just the power of a creature but also grants a crucial first strike ability when equipped to a Human. Skeleton Key doesn’t provide any power boost or combat abilities directly.

Another card worth mentioning is Bladed Bracers. Like Sharpened Pitchfork, it also caters to a specific creature type—creatures with vigilance or angels. Bladed Bracers gives a lesser power boost by comparison but can also equip any creature for a defensive advantage. We also have Heavy Mattock, which confers a significant stat increase to Humans or modifying their base stats like the Pitchfork, but it lacks first strike, a potentially game-changing ability in combat scenarios.

Assessing similarities and differences, Sharpened Pitchfork finds its niche in MTG by combining an attack bonus with a first strike provision, specifically elevating Human creatures in both offensive and defensive positions. Its unique contributions help it carve out a place in the arsenal of equipment cards available to players.

Skeleton Key - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Cards similar to Sharpened Pitchfork by color, type and mana cost

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Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)

Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)

Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)

Dragon's Claw - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sharpened Pitchfork MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed, 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 Sharpened Pitchfork and other MTG cards: