Battered Golem MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Golem
Released	2004-06-04
Set symbol
Set name	Fifth Dawn
Set code	5DN
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	106
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Battered Golem synergizes in artifact decks, providing card advantage through its untap ability.
Untap mechanic usable at instant speed can disrupt opponent strategies and aid your defenses.
Requires careful deck construction to mitigate potential downsides and maximize efficiency.

Text of card

Battered Golem doesn't untap during your untap step. Whenever an artifact comes into play, you may untap Battered Golem.

A dent marks every year of service, and it has as much rust as glory.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Battered Golem offers synergistic opportunities within artifact-centric decks, potentially allowing for repeated untapping which can be leveraged for card draw or other advantageous triggers.

Resource Acceleration: Its ability to untap whenever an artifact enters the battlefield can be harnessed for ramping purposes, making it a cog in the machine of resource acceleration, especially in decks that frequently play artifacts.

Instant Speed: While Battered Golem itself is not an instant, its untapping mechanic can be exploited at instant speed. This feature can catch opponents off guard, as you can utilize the untap trigger from artifacts played on their turn to activate abilities or enhance your defensive capabilities.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Battered Golem doesn’t directly require you to discard a card; however, being part of a deck that leverages its untap ability might force you into strategies that cycle through your hand quickly, leaving you potentially short on options.

Specific Mana Cost: Battered Golem requires three generic mana to play, which doesn’t lock you into a specific color but might compete for those crucial early-game mana resources that could be used for establishing board control or ramping up.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not overly expensive, its three-mana cost can still be steep considering it’s a 3/2 artifact creature without inherent protective abilities. In fast-paced games, there are more impactful plays at that stage of the mana curve.

Reasons to Include Battered Golem in Your Collection

Versatility: Battered Golem is a flexible addition to your MTG card arsenal. It can seamlessly integrate into artifact-centric decks, providing a reliable creature that untaps whenever you play another artifact.

Combo Potential: With Battered Golem, the opportunity to create infinite combos is enticing. Its ability to untap with each new artifact can be exploited alongside cards with tap and untap mechanics, leading to game-winning sequences.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where artifacts are prevalent, Battered Golem gains increased significance. Whether in casual kitchen table play or more competitive settings, Battered Golem can adapt to the evolving meta, making it a worthy consideration for any MTG player looking to enhance their deck’s performance.

How to beat

Battered Golem offers a unique mechanism in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This artifact creature becomes untapped each time you play an artifact, allowing for an array of combo possibilities. Yet, there are strategies to overcome this relentless automaton. Targeted removal spells are highly effective, promptly eliminating the Golem from the battlefield before it can capitalize on its untapping potential.

Another tactic involves countering the Golem’s ability with cards that restrict untapping. Ensuing a state of tapped paralysis prevents the Golem from fulfilling its role as a versatile combo piece. Should these tactics prove unattainable, maintaining a robust board presence to overshadow the Battered Golem’s influence is key. This strategy hinges on amassing superior forces that can pressure your opponent into defensive positions.

To sum up, while the Battered Golem card possesses the innate capability to change the course of play, knowing how to effectively negate its abilities, or outmaneuvering the opponent with stronger board control, can tilt the odds in your favor, letting you maintain the upper hand in your matches.

Cards like Battered Golem

Battered Golem holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering as a creature with a cunning ability to untap whenever another artifact comes into play. When measured against other artifacts like Vedalken Orrery or creatures such as Traxos, Scourge of Kroog, we observe similar dynamics in playstyle. Vedalken Orrery allows the flexibility of casting spells at times you normally couldn’t, but it doesn’t have the board presence Battered Golem offers as a creature. Traxos, though a formidable artifact creature, requires historic spells to untap, thus limiting its interactions compared to Battered Golem’s broader synergy with any artifact arrival.

Yet another comparable card is Rattleclaw Mystic. A creature that, like Battered Golem, offers mana flexibility through its tapping ability. However, Rattleclaw lacks the intrinsic synergy Battered Golem has with decks focusing on artifact play. Meanwhile, Voltaic Servant also echoes Battered Golem’s untap mechanic but is restricted to untapping only at the end of the turn, thus Battered Golem is more responsive to immediate combo opportunities within the same turn.

Even when scrutinizing similar cards in Magic: The Gathering, Battered Golem appears as a potentially pivotal piece in artifact-centered strategies, standing out with its immediate and repeatable untapping capability.

Traxos, Scourge of Kroog - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Battered Golem by color, type and mana cost

Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions

Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Battered Golem MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Battered Golem and other MTG cards: