Ashnod's Altar MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 15 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Ashnod’s Altar enhances card advantage by turning creatures into resources for strategic gameplay benefits.
  2. The artifact provides resource acceleration, enabling powerful combinations by generating mana through creature sacrifices.
  3. Flexibility at instant-like speed allows strategic plays, while the high mana cost and sacrifice requirement are notable cons.

Text of card

: Sacrifice one of your creatures to add 2 colorless mana to your mana pool. This effect is played as an interrupt. You may not sacrifice a creature that is already on its way to the graveyard.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ashnod’s Altar isn’t a direct source of card advantage, but it supports strategies where advantage is derived from the use of creature tokens or other disposable entities. With the ability to convert creatures into resources, it effectively turns every disposable creature in your hand or battlefield into an additional resource, improving your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Ashnod’s Altar excels in providing resource acceleration. Every creature you sacrifice adds two colorless mana to your mana pool, accelerating your game plan by bypassing the limitations of standard mana development. This can be critical to outpace your opponents or set up powerful combinations.

Instant Speed: While Ashnod’s Altar’s ability doesn’t operate at instant speed, it’s an activated ability which can be used at instant-like speed. Since there’s no tapping involved, you can use its ability as often as you have creatures to sacrifice, bypassing the limitations imposed by standard summoning mechanics. This gives you the flexibility to make strategic sacrifices at crucial moments, responding to threats or setting up surprise plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: A significant downside to the Ashnod’s Altar is the necessity to sacrifice a creature. When resources are scanty, sacrificing one of your key players can be painful, and may not genuinely be worth the added two colorless mana.

Specific Mana Cost: It demands three colorless mana to cast the Ashnod’s Altar. This may restrict the adaptability of your deck, as it can be hard to acquire enough colorless mana late in the game, particularly in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Ashnod’s Altar comes with a steep cost at three colorless mana. This makes it a more expensive alternative than other mana-generating artifacts. There are definitely cheaper alternatives available that offer a more efficient way to generate mana and resources.


Reasons to Include Ashnod’s Altar in Your Collection

Versatility: Ashnod’s Altar brings an impressive level of adaptability to your gameplay, fitting comfortably into a variety of deck archetypes. This card transforms creatures into additional mana resources, making it a valued addition especially in decks that rely heavily on creature abilities or sacrifice strategies.

Combo Potential: The mana acceleration effect of Ashnod’s Altar unlocks a world of combo possibilities. In combination with cards that spawn creature tokens or with creatures that bear enter-the-battlefield effects, this card becomes a powerful resource in creating unstoppable combos.

Meta-Relevance: With its enduring presence in the Magic world, Ashnod’s Altar consistently holds its strength against various meta-game shifts, making it a wise inclusion for competitive decks. It seldom loses relevance, providing standing value in mid-range, control, or combo strategies, and can be your secret weapon in outsmarting rival strategies.


How to Beat

Ashnod’s Altar is one of the potent and highly valued sacrificing outlets in MTG. Consider its ability to transform your creatures into colorless mana instantly, and you can understand why it can be troublesome in some decks. This artifact has the power to play a significant role in various combo strategies, essentially creating an unstoppable engine if left unattended.

To deal with Ashnod’s Altar, you need cards that can handle artifacts soundly. Abrade, a widely-used card, can destroy the artifact before it becomes a menace. Another great option is Nature’s Claim, which is quick and efficient. It destroys not only Ashnod’s Altar but any other troublesome artifact or enchantment on the field.

In green decks, Naturalize or Return to Nature are your most reliable companions. Meanwhile, white decks can rely on Disenchant. Ultimately, the primary strategy should be proactive prevention. Implement counter measures early, nullify its impact or cripple its effectiveness through strategic artifact destruction.

In essence, dealing with Ashnod’s Altar involves good tactical decisions, knowing when to counter, and having the right tools available. If you’re well-prepared, beating this famous artifact on the battlefield should be manageable.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring Ashnod’s Altar takes you through a plethora of powerful plays and intricate strategies in your MTG journey. This artifact’s potential to turn the tide of a match can’t be overstated. Utilizing creature tokens as a resource for swift mana acceleration or fueling devastating combos makes it a compelling choice for any deck. Whether you’re considering it for combo enablers or to add consistent value to your plays, Ashnod’s Altar deserves thoughtful consideration and possibly a permanent slot in your deck. Dive deeper into its capabilities and enhance your deck’s performance by learning more with us.


Cards like Ashnod's Altar

Ashnod’s Altar is a renowned artifact card in MTG, sharing similarities with other sacrificial themed cards. More noteworthy is the consideration of Phyrexian Altar, a similar but dissimilar card in function. Phyrexian Altar requires no mana to invoke, just like Ashnod’s Altar. However, the latter produces colorless mana, while the former generates one mana of any color at the cost of one creature sacrifice.

Another card worthy of mention is Krark-Clan Ironworks. It also sacrifices artifacts such as Ashnod’s Altar, yet, it generates mana on a double scale. However, where Ashnod’s Altar sacrifices creature cards to bolster mana resources, Krek-Clan Ironworks sacrafices artifacts, making it a slightly less flexible alternative but more beneficial when an artifact strategy is in play.

In the grand analysis, when we examine traits and metrics, Ashnod’s Altar stands it’s ground amongst its counterparts in MTG. Its relative flexibility allows for diverse gameplay, taking sacrifices to breed success in many game-contesting moments.

Phyrexian Altar - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Altar - Invasion (INV)
Krark-Clan Ironworks - Fifth Dawn (5DN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ashnod's Altar MTG card by a specific set like Antiquities and Chronicles, 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 Ashnod's Altar and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Ashnod's Altar Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1994-03-04 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-03-04AntiquitiesATQ 381993normalblackAnson Maddocks
21995-07-01ChroniclesCHR 921993normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
31995-08-01RinascimentoRIN 1011993normalblackAnson Maddocks
41997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 3491997normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
51999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 2741997normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
62000-08-02World Championship Decks 2000WC00 nl2741997normalgoldAnson Maddocks
72011-01-10Masters Edition IVME4 1811997normalblackAnson Maddocks
82016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 2182015normalblackGreg Staples
92019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 15462015normalblackGreg Staples
102020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-2182015normalblackGreg Staples
112022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 67z1997normalblackGreg Staples
122022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 41997normalblackGreg Staples
132022-11-18The Brothers' War Art SeriesABRO 552015art_seriesborderless
142022-11-18The Brothers' War Retro ArtifactsBRR 671997normalblackGreg Staples
152023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 3682015normalblackGreg Staples

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ashnod's Altar has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks