Smash to Smithereens MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Powerful artifact removal plus damage makes Smash to Smithereens a potent strategic choice.
  2. Instant speed allows flexibility and surprise, critical in MTG’s fast-paced environment.
  3. Mana-specific to Red, challenging its integration in multi-color decks but excels in mono-Red.

Text of card

Destroy target artifact. Smash to Smithereens deals 3 damage to that artifact's controller.

The giant Tarvik dreamed that trinkets and machines caused all the world's woe. When he awoke from his troubled sleep, he took the name Tarvik Relicsmasher.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Smash to Smithereens not only destroys your opponent’s artifact, it also deals them 3 damage. This two-for-one potential makes it a valuable inclusion in decks looking to disrupt opponents while pushing through additional damage.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating your resources, this card effectively sets your opponent back by potentially removing a key piece of their mana base, such as a mana rock, or an artifact that their strategy relies on, thus indirectly speeding up your own game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Smash to Smithereens during your opponent’s turn adds a layer of flexibility. You can adapt to the board state, respond to threats on the stack, or simply wait for the opportune moment to set your opponent back, all while keeping up the element of surprise. This reactive potential is crucial in formats where timing can make all the difference.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not applicable to Smash to Smithereens, cards that oblige you to discard can impair your hand, reducing your strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: Since Smash to Smithereens demands red mana, incorporating it into decks without a strong red mana base can be challenging. Thus, its specific mana cost can restrict deck-building flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at two mana, Smash to Smithereens might seem economical, but in a setting where one-mana alternatives exist for artifact removal or damage dealing, its cost-effectiveness can be called into question.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Smash to Smithereens is a flexible card that finds a home in decks that aim to neutralize threats and deal damage simultaneously. Its ability to destroy artifacts can be pivotal against decks relying on artifact synergies.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with decks that capitalize on spell damage bonuses or benefit from destroying opponent artifacts. The direct damage also helps to lower your opponent’s life total, potentially setting up for a swift victory.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where artifacts play a key role, Smash to Smithereens provides a dual benefit as both a removal spell and a source of direct damage. Its relevance increases further in matchups where tempo and damage output are crucial to maintaining control of the game.


How to beat

Smash to Smithereens is a potent red spell in Magic: The Gathering that can swiftly disrupt your opponent’s strategies. As a card that targets artifacts, it not only destroys an artifact but also deals damage to the artifact’s controller. This dual-threat capability can swiftly turn the tide of a match, particularly in formats where artifacts are heavily utilized. Yet, there are strategies to mitigate its impact.

To effectively counter Smash to Smithereens, consider diversifying your threats beyond artifacts. Incorporating enchantments, creatures, and instants can reduce your vulnerability to artifact removal spells. Additionally, employing counterspells or protective spells like Boros Charm or Heroic Intervention can safeguard your key artifacts from being targeted. It’s also valuable to be mindful of your artifacts’ timing; playing them when your opponent is tapped out can prevent immediate removal.

Ultimately, an understanding of your opponent’s deck and potential spells like Smash to Smithereens will guide you in crafting a game plan that minimizes its effectiveness. By balancing your threats and judiciously protecting your assets, you can navigate around the challenges posed by this destructive red spell.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the red elements of MTG is a complex dance of destruction and precision. Smash to Smithereens is a testament to this delicate balance between annihilating artifacts and chipping away at your opponent’s life total. Optimizing your deck to include this versatile card can be the linchpin to victory in artifact-heavy metas. While it brings undeniable power, it’s important to weigh it alongside alternative spells that could shape your strategy. Ready to refine your deck with this impactful spell? Discover more strategies and perfect your deck’s firepower with our deep dive into MTG’s most incendiary plays.


Cards like Smash to Smithereens

Smash to Smithereens is an impactful spell in Magic: The Gathering, as it provides both artifact destruction and a means to deal direct damage to an opponent. It shares traits with cards like Shatter, which also destroys artifacts but without the additional player damage. This makes Smash to Smithereens a superior choice in scenarios where player life totals are as critical as the board state.

Alterations can be seen with cards like Abrade, offering utility in its flexibility to either destroy an artifact or deal damage to a creature for the same mana cost. However, it lacks the player damage component that Smash to Smithereens delivers, highlighting the latter’s role in an aggressive strategy. Similarly, By Force is a scalable artifact removal, capable of destroying multiple artifacts, yet it doesn’t impact life totals, which can be crucial in more tempo-oriented decks.

When examining their utility in different deck structures, Smash to Smithereens often emerges as a solid choice in Red decks focused on decreasing an opponent’s life total swiftly while disrupting the board, positioning itself as a unique piece in Red’s destructive arsenal.

Shatter - MTG Card versions
Abrade - MTG Card versions
By Force - MTG Card versions
Shatter - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Abrade - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
By Force - Amonkhet (AKH)

Cards similar to Smash to Smithereens by color, type and mana cost

Shatter - MTG Card versions
Word of Blasting - MTG Card versions
Incinerate - MTG Card versions
Guerrilla Tactics - MTG Card versions
Orcish Catapult - MTG Card versions
Blood Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Falter - MTG Card versions
Shattering Pulse - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Strike - MTG Card versions
Starstorm - MTG Card versions
First Volley - MTG Card versions
Surging Flame - MTG Card versions
Psychotic Fury - MTG Card versions
Sudden Shock - MTG Card versions
Fists of the Anvil - MTG Card versions
Magma Jet - MTG Card versions
Seismic Shudder - MTG Card versions
Fling - MTG Card versions
Comet Storm - MTG Card versions
Pyretic Ritual - MTG Card versions
Shatter - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Word of Blasting - Ice Age (ICE)
Incinerate - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Guerrilla Tactics - Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils (FMB1)
Orcish Catapult - Astral Cards (PAST)
Blood Frenzy - Tempest (TMP)
Falter - Urza's Saga (USG)
Shattering Pulse - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Flowstone Strike - Nemesis (NEM)
Starstorm - Onslaught (ONS)
First Volley - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Surging Flame - Arena League 2006 (PAL06)
Psychotic Fury - Dissension (DIS)
Sudden Shock - Time Spiral (TSP)
Fists of the Anvil - Tenth Edition (10E)
Magma Jet - Friday Night Magic 2009 (F09)
Seismic Shudder - Zendikar (ZEN)
Fling - Magic 2012 (M12)
Comet Storm - Commander 2017 (C17)
Pyretic Ritual - Magic 2011 (M11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Smash to Smithereens MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Shadowmoor, 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 Smash to Smithereens and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Smash to Smithereens Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2008-05-02 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 596752015normalblackDarek Zabrocki
22008-05-02ShadowmoorSHM 1072003normalblackPete Venters
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 1242015normalblackPete Venters
42015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1632015normalblackPete Venters
52016-01-01Friday Night Magic 2016F16 32015normalblackDarek Zabrocki
62019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10612015normalblackPete Venters
72020-09-26The ListPLST MM2-1242015normalblackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Smash to Smithereens has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2015-06-22 Smash to Smithereens targets only the artifact, not any player. If that artifact becomes an illegal target by the time Smash to Smithereens tries to resolve, Smash to Smithereens won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. No damage will be dealt.

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