Highspire Artisan MTG Card

Generates a 1/1 Servo token for subtle card advantage and augmented board presence. Contributes to Synergies and might accelerate game plans within specific decks. Need for green mana may limit its inclusivity in multicolor deck strategies.

Kaladesh (KLD)
2016-09-30 - Number 157

Highspire Artisan - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)

Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
2020-11-12 - Number 162

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elf Artificer
Abilities	Fabricate,Reach
Power	0
Toughness	3

Text of card

Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.) Fabricate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it or create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.)

Cards like Highspire Artisan

Highspire Artisan stands as a notable creature in Magic: The Gathering, due to its fabricate ability which lets you choose between creating a Servo token or giving the Artisan a +1/+1 counter. In this space, cards like Iron League Steed come to mind, as they also sport the fabricate feature. However, while the Steed is more versatile in the kinds of tokens it can create, it lacks the Artisan’s reach capability that can provide crucial defense against flying creatures.

Peering into the array of similar options, Visionary Augmenter deserves a mention. Like Highspire Artisan, the Visionary can either bulk up itself or provide you with additional bodies on the battlefield. The key differences lie in the Augmenter’s higher power and the production of two tokens instead of one, albeit at an increased mana cost.

The comparison illustrates that Highspire Artisan offers a balanced mix of defensive utility and versatility in token generation, finding its niche in MTG’s intricate ecosystem of creature cards. Its blend of options can support various strategies, whether you’re bolstering your creature’s strength or expanding your board presence with tokens.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Highspire Artisan may not directly let you draw extra cards, it generates a 1/1 Servo artifact creature token when it enters the battlefield, effectively giving you an additional board presence. This can be a subtle form of card advantage as you’re getting more out of a single card.

Resource Acceleration: In deck builds that focus on synergies with artifacts or creatures, Highspire Artisan can contribute to resource acceleration. The Servo token it creates can be used with mechanics like convoke to help cast spells earlier or activate abilities using creature taps, thus accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: Although Highspire Artisan itself is not an instant, it synergizes well with instant-speed interactions. For example, in response to casting this creature, you can use instants that buff it or the Servo token for surprise combat advantages or to enhance other instantaneous plays during your turn or your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Highspire Artisan doesn’t exactly demand a discard, but its lack of synergy with discard mechanics can somewhat hinder its inclusion in such deck themes where discarding can be advantageous.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck building requires careful mana balance, particularly for colored costs. Highspire Artisan’s green mana cost makes it exclusive to decks that can generate green mana, which can be restrictive for multicolor deck strategies that may not prioritize green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you look at the artisan’s mana cost, it becomes evident that other cards at a lower cost could potentially provide a better board presence or more immediate effects. This can affect deck efficiency, especially in formats where mana curve is crucial.

Reasons to Include Highspire Artisan in Your Collection

Versatility: Highspire Artisan emerges as a flexible accent to any deck that takes advantage of both defender capabilities and bolstering board presence with additional creatures. It’s suitable for strategies where its Fabricate ability can adapt to the needs of the game, either thickening your defense or expanding your army.

Combo Potential: Its Fabricate 1 ability offers the choice to produce a Servo artifact creature token, which can seamlessly integrate with artifact-synergy decks or strategies that tap into +1/+1 counters. This makes it a potentially essential piece in numerous combo interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment favoring stalling tactics or enduring resources, Highspire Artisan’s capability to contribute to creature count while adding defensive depth to your board can prove to be beneficial, giving it a respectable standing in the evolving meta.

How to beat Highspire Artisan

Highspire Artisan stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a modest yet versatile creature card. As a 3-mana cost creature, it offers deck builders the choice between an additional 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token or a +1/+1 counter upon entering the battlefield. This flexibility can be a subtle thorn in the side of an opponent, as it can either beef up your creature presence or enhance board resilience.

To effectively counter the Highspire Artisan, direct removal spells are efficient due to its low toughness. Simple burn spells or a well-timed Fatal Push can send it packing before it makes an impact. Moreover, as a creature that thrives in counters and token strategies, board wipes or spells like Kraul Harpooner can neutralize its effectiveness by not allowing the board to get populated.

Given its strengths lie in strategic long-term benefits rather than immediate board domination, preventing this Artisan from working its incremental magic from the start will shut down the relevant synergies it may have in your opponent’s deck. By keeping the board clear and applying pressure, you ensure that the Highspire Artisan doesn’t become a bigger problem than its humble nature suggests.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Highspire Artisan MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Highspire Artisan and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Highspire Artisan Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Anna Steinbauer.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-09-30	Kaladesh	KLD		157	2015	Normal	Black	Anna Steinbauer
2	2020-11-12	Kaladesh Remastered	KLR		162	2015	Normal	Black	Anna Steinbauer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Highspire Artisan has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-09-20	Fabricate doesn't cause the creature with the ability to enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters already on it. For example, Weaponcraft Enthusiast will enter the battlefield as a 0/1 creature, then its fabricate ability goes on the stack. Players may take actions (such as casting instants) while the ability is waiting to resolve.
2016-09-20	If you can't put +1/+1 counters on the creature for any reason as fabricate resolves (for instance, if it's no longer on the battlefield), you just create Servo tokens.
2016-09-20	You choose whether to put +1/+1 counters on the creature or create Servo tokens as the fabricate ability is resolving. No player may take actions between the time you choose and the time that counters are added or tokens are created.