Forgefire Automaton MTG Card


Forgefire Automaton - Alchemy: The Brothers' War
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeArtifact Creature — Construct
Abilities Prototype
Released2022-12-13
Set symbol
Set nameAlchemy: The Brothers' War
Set codeYBRO
Power 8
Toughness 5
Number26
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDiego Gisbert

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants card advantage by drawing upon dealing combat damage if mana is paid.
  2. Aligns with artifact or creature synergies for resource acceleration and efficiency.
  3. Activated ability at instant speed adds flexibility and keeps opponents on edge.

Text of card

Prototype — 3/2 At the beginning of your upkeep, return target creature card with power less than Forgefire Automaton's power from your graveyard to the battlefield. Its base power perpetually becomes equal to Forgefire Automaton's power.


Card Pros

When analyzing the strengths of the Forgefire Automaton card, it’s important to consider how it impacts the gameplay in terms of strategic advantage. Here’s a look at how this card can influence a duel:

Card Advantage: Forgefire Automaton is engineered to potentially grant card advantage over your opponents. Every time it deals combat damage to a player, you get the option to pay two mana. If you do, you draw a card, helping to ensure your hand remains full and providing more strategic options as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This automaton is not just about the brute force; it also contributes to resource acceleration. As a red artifact creature, it aligns well with decks that benefit from artifacts or creature synergies, allowing you to maximize the efficiency of your mana and potentially speed up your deck’s performance.

Instant Speed: The ability to utilize mana at instant speed adds a layer of flexibility to your game. Although the Forgefire Automaton itself is not an instant, its activated ability can be used at any time you could cast an instant, giving you the edge by drawing cards during your opponent’s turn or after an unblocked attack, keeping your options open and your opponents guessing.

Utilizing the Forgefire Automaton effectively requires a strategy that leverages these strengths, ensuring that every match is a display of cunning and ingenuity.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Forgefire Automaton’s ability activation hinges on discarding a card. This potentially hinders your hand advantage and strategy execution, more so when your card count dwindles.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact creature necessitates a dedicated color mana (red) to utilize its ability. For players running multicolor or colorless decks, this could restrict its overall flexibility and synergy within their strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting and ability cost that is on the higher end, the initial upfront investment for Forgefire Automaton might not align with the immediate impact other cards could provide at a lower cost, potentially impacting tempo and board presence.


Reasons to Include Forgefire Automaton in Your Collection

Versatility: Forgefire Automaton’s ability to adapt to various game situations makes it an asset. Acting as both a creature and a damage dealer, it serves multiple roles in different types of decks, fitting snugly into strategies that capitalize on direct damage or artifact synergy.

Combo Potential: The Automaton offers a tantalizing combo potential with its ability to deal damage upon activation. This can be leveraged in decks that amplify artifact interactions or that aim to win through repetitive, incremental damage effects, making it a linchpin in creative combo decks.

Meta-Relevance: Given that artifact and aggro strategies frequently emerge in competitive play, Forgefire Automaton holds its value by either strengthening these archetypes or providing a counterbalance against them. Its presence on the battlefield can pressure opponents and influence the pace of the game, which is often a deciding factor in matches.


How to beat

Forgefire Automaton is a card that embodies the fiery spirit of red decks within the MTG universe. Known for its dynamic nature, this artifact creature can be a formidable opponent due to its ability to escalate its power with additional mana, paving the way for potential overwhelming strikes. Unlike many other creatures that offer a static presence on the battlefield, Forgefire Automaton demands an immediate answer, lest it dominates the board with its exponential threat level.

Confronting Forgefire Automaton requires strategic considerations. One effective approach is employing removal spells or abilities that neutralize the creature before it becomes too powerful. Spells like Murder or Doom Blade can eliminate it outright, sidestepping its ability to become an unstoppable force. Artifact removal spells, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, also serve as ace in the hole, targeting its inherent artifact nature. Furthermore, countering the early game ramp that feeds Forgefire Automaton’s onslaught can stifle its performance, ensuring it remains a manageable threat.

Tackling Forgefire Automaton head-on in MTG necessitates a swift and decisive game plan, emphasizing reaction speed and preemptive control. Ultimately, keeping it in check allows players to maintain equilibrium on the battlefield and paves the way for victory.


Cards like Forgefire Automaton

Forgefire Automaton enters a rich tapestry of artifact creatures within Magic: The Gathering, offering unique power boosts in direct combat. It invites comparison with similar types of cards like Steel Overseer, a renowned artifact creature. Both cards have the ability to be potent game changers. Whereas Steel Overseer provides a consistent boost to all your artifact creatures, Forgefire Automaton focuses on increasing its own power, potentially leading to a swifter victory.

Analogous to the Automaton, Voltaic Brawler delivers an energy-fueled punch, albeit in a different color slice and creature type. The Brawler can receive a temporary power boost with energy counters, which could be likened to the Automaton’s capacity for direct increases in power. Yet, it’s important to notice that the Automaton’s effect is an activated ability requiring mana, granting more control over its timing and usage.

Comparatively, within the realm of raw power potential and mana investment, Forgefire Automaton carves out its niche. It may not have the collective utility of Steel Overseer or the instantaneous surge of the Brawler, but its steady and reliable potential for power growth solidifies its position in a player’s strategy for attacking with artifact creatures.

Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Voltaic Brawler - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Voltaic Brawler - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Forgefire Automaton by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Fleshgorger - MTG Card versions
Terror Ballista - MTG Card versions
Altar of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Elbrus, the Binding Blade // Withengar Unbound - MTG Card versions
Technomancer - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Fleshgorger - MTG Card versions
Terror Ballista - MTG Card versions
Altar of Shadows - MTG Card versions
Elbrus, the Binding Blade // Withengar Unbound - MTG Card versions
Technomancer - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Forgefire Automaton MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy: The Brothers' War, 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 Forgefire Automaton and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Forgefire Automaton has restrictions

FormatLegality
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
HistoricLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal