Grafted Exoskeleton MTG Card

Equipping creatures with Grafted Exoskeleton accelerates victory via poison counters, skipping traditional damage. It transforms mana dorks into lethal weapons, but comes with a substantial cost and potential discard downside. The card’s versatility makes it a formidable addition to any collection, opening avenues for inventive playstyles.

Grafted Exoskeleton - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
2010-10-01 - Number 162

Grafted Exoskeleton - Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia (TD2)

Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia (TD2)
2011-05-14 - Number 74

Grafted Exoskeleton - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)

Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
2023-02-03 - Number 132

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact — Equipment
Abilities	Equip

Text of card

Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has infect. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.) Whenever Grafted Exoskeleton becomes unattached from a permanent, sacrifice that permanent. Equip

Cards like Grafted Exoskeleton

Grafted Exoskeleton holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering as a means of delivering infect damage, a method feared by many due to its potential for rapid game-ending plays. Cards such as Phyrexian Juggernaut also offer infect as a formidable strategy. However, Grafted Exoskeleton differs as it can be grafted onto any creature, giving it newfound lethality and making it a versatile threat on the board.

Another analog in this infect strategy is Tainted Strike, which temporarily bestows a creature with the power to inflict infect damage. While Tainted Strike can create surprise turns and unexpected victories, Grafted Exoskeleton provides a persistent threat that can pivot between creatures as the game progresses. Inkmoth Nexus deserves a mention too, with its ability to become an infect creature. What sets Grafted Exoskeleton apart is its non-reliance on land, allowing you more flexibility in your attack without tying up your mana resources.

Thus, while there are several ways to introduce infect damage into play in Magic: The Gathering, Grafted Exoskeleton’s equipment nature pushes it ahead with strategic versatility and the ability to adapt to an ever-changing battlefield. It’s a card known to elicit wary glances across the table whenever it’s played.

Phyrexian Juggernaut - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Grafted Exoskeleton by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Ironworks - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grafted Exoskeleton equips creatures with a hefty advantage, enabling them to deal damage in the form of poison counters, which can expedite a win condition by circumventing traditional life total elimination.

Resource Acceleration: By attaching Grafted Exoskeleton to mana dorks or creatures with untap abilities, you effectively transform your resources towards generating infect counters, racing towards the game-ending ten poison counters efficiently.

Instant Speed: Though the card itself does not operate at instant speed, its equip ability can be activated at the end of your opponent’s turn, keeping your mana open during their moves and disguising your lethal intentions until the last possible moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Equipping the Grafted Exoskeleton involves a significant cost. Not only in terms of mana but also as a potential impediment to your strategizing due to being forced to sacrifice a creature if the Exoskeleton becomes unattached. This can set you back if you’re not prepared with a creature you can afford to lose.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact requires two colorless mana and two Phyrexian mana to cast. While the Phyrexian mana provides some flexibility, it can be detrimental as it puts you in a challenging life total dilemma, paying with precious health in games where every point matters.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of four mana to cast and a two-mana equip cost each time it’s attached to a creature, the Grafted Exoskeleton can strain your mana resources. This can be a significant consideration when constructing decks, as faster, lower-cost options might better maintain tempo and pressure on your opponent.

Reasons to Include Grafted Exoskeleton in Your Collection

Versatility: Grafted Exoskeleton is a powerful equipment card that can turn any creature into a significant threat. Its ability to grant infect means even small creatures can take out an opponent with a mere 10 points of poison damage. This effect is universally applicable across various deck types, enhancing their lethality.

Combo Potential: This card is notorious for its synergy with creatures that have evasive abilities or ones that can grow in power quickly. The applications are broad, offering explosive interactions with numerous strategies. Additionally, the equipment itself can be retrieved from the graveyard, which allows for recurring threats within certain deck architectures.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where life-total based strategies dominate, introducing poison as an alternative win condition can be a game-changer. With Grafted Exoskeleton, any creature becomes a potential game-ender, making it a relevant choice for competitive play and an asset in decks looking to bypass traditional defenses.

How to beat

Grafted Exoskeleton stands out as a notorious equipment in Magic: The Gathering for its ability to confer infect to equipped creatures. Giving a creature infect allows it to deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters to creatures or poison counters to players, essentially creating an alternative winning condition. Yet, like all strategies, there are ways to disarm this potent card.

One approach is running artifact removal spells in your deck such as Naturalize or Disenchant, which can directly target and destroy Grafted Exoskeleton. Bounce spells like Unsummon can also be effective by returning the equipped creature to its owner’s hand, forcing your opponent to spend more mana to redeploy and reequip. Creatures with Hexproof or Shroud provide natural resilience against being targeted by such equipment. Moreover, countering the equipment when it’s cast with instant spells like Counterspell can prevent Grafted Exoskeleton from hitting the battlefield in the first place.

In sum, integrating disruption tactics against artifacts, utilizing targeted removal, or employing countermeasures can level the playing field against the formidable Grafted Exoskeleton. It is critical to tailor your strategy to manage threats promptly and maintain control over the game’s progression.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grafted Exoskeleton MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 Grafted Exoskeleton and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Grafted Exoskeleton Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2023-02-03. Illustrated by Allen Williams.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2010-10-01	Scars of Mirrodin	SOM	162	2003	Normal	Black	Allen Williams
2	2011-05-14	Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia	TD2	74	2003	Normal	Black	Allen Williams
3	2023-02-03	Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander	ONC	132	2015	Normal	Black	Allen Williams

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grafted Exoskeleton has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2011-01-01	A player who has ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action.
2011-01-01	Damage from a source with infect affects planeswalkers normally.
2011-01-01	Damage from a source with infect is damage in all respects. If the source with infect also has lifelink, damage dealt by that source also causes its controller to gain that much life. Damage from a source with infect can be prevented or redirected. Abilities that trigger on damage being dealt will trigger if a source with infect deals damage, if appropriate.
2011-01-01	If Grafted Exoskeleton's last ability triggers, but you don't control the permanent it became unattached from at the time that ability resolves (perhaps because another player has somehow gained control of it), you won't be able to sacrifice it.
2011-01-01	If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a player is prevented, that player doesn't get poison counters. If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a creature is prevented, that creature doesn't get -1/-1 counters.
2011-01-01	In addition to the effect of its equip ability, Grafted Exoskeleton becomes unattached from the creature it's equipping if a spell or ability (such as Fulgent Distraction) causes it to become unattached, if Grafted Exoskeleton leaves the battlefield, if the equipped creature ceases to be a creature, or if Grafted Exoskeleton ceases to be an Equipment. (It also becomes unattached if the equipped creature leaves the battlefield, but the triggered ability won't do anything in that case.)
2011-01-01	Infect's effect applies to any damage, not just combat damage.
2011-01-01	The -1/-1 counters remain on the creature indefinitely. They're not removed if the creature regenerates or the turn ends.